The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-12-28
CRIMINALS AT WORK.
GIimpSss Of Life After Dark in q
Large lity,
Tho Cracksman's Dangerous Calling-Rob-
bling Hotel Guests at Midnight-Seu-
ing His Life for Liquor-The Res
urrectionist's Trade.
Especial New York letter.

Especial New York letter.
The curtain of life falls in many de-
| ceptive folds over countless sad and
tragic happenings in this mad, restless
and feverish struggle for social posi-
ton and worldly possession, which re-
main forever covered by the shield Of
apparent virtue,
The foot prints of many crimes are
washed away from the sandy beach of
| public inspection by that ever mysteri-
Gus wave of fate; to save the transgres-
sor from conviction, but send him forth
| conscience-stricl1en wanderer from
| post to pillar. But tarry with me a
little while. I win draw aside the veil
wee bit and picture to you life after
| dark.
The bank craclsmen lead the crimf-
nal procession, the vocation requiring a
high degree of mechanical education, a
| knowledge of character, fearless ac-
ton, and fund of intuition" for they
can see more through steel plates than
many can through glass. They mostly
travel in trios, dress well, live at the
best of hotels, enter into the charmed
circles of society; in fact, gain the con-
| fdence of the best people in the locali-
ty. By long odds they are the most
desperate of criminals, as they place
| no value on human life, and when at
bay they shoot to kill every time. They
| take dangerous chances to secure their
| plumber, knowing full well that the
law is most exacting in their case,
and if caught it means long penal SER
| vitude.
Of all the criminal pursuits the pre-
| vailing fad, bracing the bank in broad
| day, is the most exciting, uncertain, as
well as foolhardy. Despersdoes of the
| plains indulge in these prsnlzs, and
never the genteel expert Il requires
but little previous preparation. Lunch
hour is the most favorable time, as GUS
toners and the clerks are absent. The
knife and blackjack are the only
weapons used, as the job must be done
quickly and quietly. In this game of
chance the life of the cashier waivers in
the balance.
The diamond thief Is festive wan
| derer, cross between dude, Uriah
| Heep and Jesse James. He never devil
ates from his special calling, the pas
sion for the sparkling gems being he
reditary. He travels incog.; with .
dashing female he visits the jewelry
stores, and at glance can value the
contents of an entire show case.
When the robbery is committed the
fair partner is busy looking at some
| jewels, and, being handsome and very
attractive, has the call on the eyes of
the clerks. The thief is busy inspect
ing some brilliants. Seeing that the
coast is clear, he throws soapstone
| powder in the clerks face, and, grab
bling handful of stones, dashes out
into the crowded street. In the confu-
sion that follows the clerks rush to the
door, leaving the thieving Eve to help
herself, which she does with avidity. In
the crowded streets the sneak threads
/ his way and soon throws his pursuers
off his track. The two meet at near
by suburban railroad station and leave
| for pastures new.
How pretty is the b1ushing bride as
she reads TIE account of her marriage
in the morning paper, unconscious that
the same paragraph has been read and
| cut out by a house sneak who is shad-
owing at that moment the movements
of the happy couple. Marriages in high
life attract house burglars, on account
of the rich presents which are so much
| paraded by friends and press. Balls
and receptions draw the swell sneak,
/ where costly sealskin sacques and
handsome overcoats are successfully
| purloined. The sneak comes in many
disguises-as book agent, telephone
lineman, health officer, building inspec-
tor, ETC., there being always enough
| gullible people to give carte blanche to
the light-fngered gentry.
| Hotel and boarding house thieves are
a cheeky lot; they scan the hotel regis
ter for newly-married couples, actress
es, bankers and rich cattlemen. The
sneak carries in his vest pocket his
tools, which consist of gimlet wire,
silk thread and pinchers. If the door
Is locked and bolted he first gimlets a
hole above the bolt, the wire is insert
ed, and by gifted slight of hand the
bolt is drawn back, the pinchers catch
the end of the key, which is turned,
and in walks Mr.. Thief, who can clean
out dozen rooms in this fashion during
one nights work. The fashionable
clearinghouse looter is generally a
slick, glib-tongued individual, who pays
in advance, makes conquest of the
landlady, and worms himself into the
confidence and admiration of the ladies.
If lady boarder has valuable
watch she loses no time to tell the price
and history down to date. After a
week of such information the thief ran
sacks the rooms at breakfast hour and
departs with his satchel full of jewels
and hard-earned savings.
The professional forger is generally
a man of great ability aud business
tact. he usually operates alone. In
the use of chemicals he Is an expert and
can erase printed figures, make addi-
tions in converting five dollar check
10 read for five thousand dollars as easy
as laborer can drive nail 1t is now
conceded fact that many prominent
capitalists in the past as well as the
present time play ''stool," giving infcr-
nation for the professional to work on.
Within the past decade bank and