The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1891-01-30

antinc and got in the magazines L
imagined was surely on the road to
fame when l got that far, but-whislly,
you know.
''All this has little to do with burg
lar-proof houses, but even a burglar has
not necessarily lost his sclf-rcspect com
plctely, and he likes to find an excuse
for being what he is. just want to
say one thing, and then I'll give You my
ideas about how houses should be con-
structed to keep out the profession
''As said, l got to writing poetry,
and poetry proved my downfall
Through my verses | met and became
engaged to the daughter of Il man that
aftcrward became Vice-President of
the United States. Don't ask me her
name. still have enough honor to
protect her from the disgrace of seeing
her name coupled with that of "a
burglar. Whisky destroyed my hopes.
81 shipped as pantryman to Liverpool
and visited many European cities.
Returning to America l became
burglar simply because it offered great
or inducements than any thing was
able to turn my hand to.
but enough of that. The first
burglary l remember of committing
was when my father lifted me over the
fence into neighbours yard to steal
flowers. suppose he didn't think how
bad it really was, but the memory of
| that first theft has chung to me always.
Subsequently when | took notion to
steal something more than flower
| ,,n,,,o1Ty 40 ia1va1rry Sfnrn--I fOrtS-
| fed myself with a good bracer of
whisky, worked the house without
blush and blamed my father for teach
ing me to steal.
Snow, across the water it is not so
easy to gain access to a house as here,
because of the iron screens. In New
York it is hardly less difficult, in my
opinion at least, for the same reason.
| However, out West it is not considered
! difficult feat to enter a house, take it
where you may"
"And you ascribe that to"
80 the way the house is built.
People have learned to protect their
basement windows, as rule, with
bars, but still this is not always the
case. One would think that man with
his millions, perhaps, in the bank,
with his house loaded with costly art
pieces, and fortune alone, may be, in
diamonds and Silvcrwarc, would take
every prccaution to guard against
burglary, but he doesn't. He imagines
because he never has been robbed that
he never will be. That is about as
much sense as the man had who didn't
want his life insured because he had
never died.
Whenever | took notion to work
a house | didn't stop to go and look up
the police record and see if the place
had been worked before. / immedi-
ately began laying my plans. A man
with good nerve and Il clear head who
works alone ought to be successful.
always worked alone except once. Then
l was caught and my pal escaped
was on the outside and he doing the
job. took my sentence like man and
never 'pcached on him. Had l been
operating alone don't think would
have been caught.
About making houses burglar-proof
I should first recommend that people
put locks on their doors that can't be
picked with--wcll, with button-hOoll.
A burglar depends largely on slielc-
ton key to gain access. Men of means,
however, now have the latch-locll on
their doors, and these can not be picked
that is, not readily. To guard a.ainst
entrance by The doors they should be
heavy, should fit tight to prevent work
with Il 'jilniay,' should be double locked
with Il chain-lock on the inside and
bolted securely at top and bottom. That
will generally battle sncall-thicf, who
docs not deserve to he called a burglar
However, when he finds the door effect
ually bars him he can go to the rear,
climb on shed, portico, or even skin
up water-pipc or lightning-rod to q
sccond-story window. Such Il window
is said to be the easiest place OF all to
enter house. That is why there are
so many 'second-story workers. DIS they
are called, but | never tried it my
self. To prevent these fellows all eX-
posed windoWs-I mean those opening
on IL porch or shed-should be well
barred. A 'second-story worker doesn't
carry tools as rule. He is a sneak
thief"
The man spoke these words as if the
profession" looked on sneall-thieves
as objectionable characters who should
be excluded from the society of honest
| cracllSmCn.
But for iron bars and steel doors, -
he continued, IAN expert burglar has
little dread. Give him time and he will
go through any thing. 1t requires a
genius to circumvent him, and even
genius is not equal to it. And for this
reason: a burglar or safe-bloser has
u greater incentive for surrounding the
difficulties in the way of access to u
treasure than has the inventor for
creating them. The one receives his
reward in the shapeof salary; the other
in working for q fortune, perhaps, that
lies just beyond the barrier which he is
endcavoring to overcome. The burglar
gains fortune for few hours labor
the inventor laborS for year, and al
the end of that time gets barely the
worth of his work. 1t is a natural law
that where there is the greatest in
ccntive there will be found the greatest
results of labor. So it is you will fine
burglars as smart and even smarter
than inventors.