The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1891-01-30
ADVICE BY A BURGLAR
On How to Make Houses Secure
Against Thieves.
An Ex-BurgIar, Writing in tho Light of
Experience. Gives Some Ideas Which
Architects Might Adopt with Profit
Opinions of Gail Ross.

Opinions OF Gail Ross.
Things have come to a pretty pass
when an cX-convict in sheer disgust
feels called upon to instruct American
architects how to make houses burglar
proof, says the Chicago News. But
such is the state of affairs, as the fol-
lowing interesting communication will
attest:
TO THE EDITOR If you will consider few
words from one who has been a burglar and
hOuscbrcalicr, will say something apropos OF
She LlndblOm robbery in this city few days
since
The first thing that strikes an operator
rom abroad upon his entrance into American
cities is the utter absence of any thing like pro
tccti0n for your houses. Your architects seem
80 have lived all their lives in some retired
pastoral village where every one is honest.
They do not seem TO understand that one chief
part OF their work Should be to build burglar
proof houscs--a thing which can be done so
easily that they ought to DO ashamed of their
ignorance.
Suppose Mr.. Smell had provided his house
with light, handsome opcnwork iron--or bet.
Ter, Stecl--d0Ors and windows, fastened with
strong chain locks or Mr.. Lindblom had pro
fccted his windows with ironwork do YOU sup
pose any thief would ever have entered them?
These 'Giliics,' they are called, are common
oil over tn" old country. When was doing
tiu!o in an English prison [ remember how a
prisoner used TO dilotc upon the verdancy Of
the Americans in not using the same.
AS health measure one would suppose
nat the builders would put in these guards 50
that every thing could be opened TO the fresh
air at night. But above all they ought to re
move the temptation of exposed valuablcs
from us weak mOrtalS EX-CONvICT.
''PlnnSp Enl yrritiOu fro, u m prin
Piled by pistol shot in ST. Louis ten years ago"
This Indictment of American builders
for not constructing houses on the burg
lar-proof plan is matter demanding
some attention. Therefore it has been
thought Il good idea TO obtain an inter
view with Il burglar and sec how the
profession would look upon the ex-
conyict's reform notions.
But first To catch the burglar
There stands at 234 lIonore street ar
old, two-atory, drab frame house, the
1rOnt door of which opens on a level
with the ground. 1t is one of n row eli
six tenemerts, like many other barraclI-
like buildings that were hastily thrown
together immediately after the great
fire. 1t is here that . Home of Indus
try, a refuge for discharged conviets, is
located. 1t was established about six
years ago by the reformed burglar,
mike" Dunn. and it is presided over by
Rev. A. G. Dodds rs superintendent. In
the rear of the home is a broom factory
where the OK convicts are put to work.
The home has room only Scr chose who
desire not to return to their former
guilty occupations.
A jerk given to the old-fashioned boil
knob brings To the door stout woman,
who scans the caller critically from her
deep-set brown eyes: Come in, climb
those stairs and go back TO the open
door at the end of the hall"
Rev. Mr.. Dodds is found in his narrow
office, seated by u window overlooking
the convict workshop. He has thirty
cX-conVicts at work, several of whom
have been wei known to the police as
bad criminals. lie turns to his book OF
record and finds that he has several
burglars in the shop, but he does not
like the idea of having them inter-
viewed.
ANY one Of them. no doubt, could
relate interesting stories, but | don't
fancy they are at all anxious to do So"
reasoned Mr.. Dodds.
However, he finally whistlcd down a
tube and commanded the foreman to
send up Gail Ross from the cutoff
bench.
''What a name for burglar unused
the reporter, ard before he could form
any idea of person to fit the literary
,c0gnomcn a shadow darlicncd the glass
door and short man forty-tWO years
old, the very image of Editha's burglar
entered. bowling.
Mr.. Dodds explained the reporters
mission and the man signitied his will
ingncsS to talk. lie spoke with the hint
of . Scotch accent and his languages Il
college professor could not have dis
counted.
OF coarse Gail Ross is an assumed
name. il it not?" asked the reporter.
''Of course it is not" quickly rctorted
t'lc har@l&r. "Why shoull have an
assumed name? That name was worth
much to nc at one time. II is worth
more now, for it is about all l have
left except bad cough and an en-
fccbled constitution.
NO doubt it seems strange t. you
that u burglar should sail under such Il
literary nu!nc. but why should it? was
not always burglar, and for that mat
ter don't consider myself irrctricvably
vonc now. When grew up my name
seemed to look SO we'll whenever |
wrote it that it inspired me with an
ambition to see it in print. | thought
how 1 could best set about getting my
name before the public, and began
writing verse. My rhymes were printed