New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-02-13
GREAT AWAKENING AMONG BURGLARS.

GREAT AWAhENING AMONG BTRGLARS.
When a man il making an effort 10 reform II is
a sad thing 10 see him meeting with constant i'll
luck. 1t is still more pathetic spectacle when
We observe a whole profession trying to lead
better life aud this very fact bringing trouble
upon it. Yet this seems TO he the fate OF the
house and safe burgng profession to-day.
That the burglar AMI housc-brealSer In his
hours Of relaxation has quiet and even studlpus
tastes has long been known Thus well-known
writer has assured W. that when the cnterprs-
ing burglar isn't burgng.7 nothing pcascs
him much ~ 10 lie on the vcvcty grass Of the
peaceful country with lis friend the cutthroat
within the sound Of the gentle brook a-gurgling
and where they can " listen to the simple village
chime But this propensity of the burglar, II
has been supposed, only shows itself after bust
ncse hours, in the same way that Jay Gould mot,
Of course, TO class Mr.. Gould with burglars may,
after hard day in Wall Street. get down on the
floor and play horse with his grandchildren or
pick Waterbury watch in pieces to see why it
takes long 10 wind it mp. But nobody expects
TO gre Mr. Gould stand on his head or play with
a bcan-shootcr III Wall Street. Mr.. Gould is In
Wall Street for quite another purDosc.
The case Of the first burglar reported from
Ncwburg A store was recently robbed there and
book containing the name Of John McElruth. The
rclisiously inclined Mr.. McElrath arrested and
seems 10 stand good show of being convicted
with the aid of the praycr-book, which volume.
it is supposed. fell ont Of his pocket while he WAS
pr, ing with his jimmy; or Ac may have taken II
ont 10 real while resting after this eNhauSting
hut necessary work. The next day came a report
from Cornclia, Michigan, of one Charles Hammond
arrested there while robbing the cash drawer of
a grocery store. He told the officers that he
should have got through and been ont of the way
if he hadn't stopped 70 listen To the singing
at the revival meeting IN the Methodist church
next door But the most remarkable instance
comes from Scranton, Pennsylvania. profe>s lOnal
burglar named Shack lIllingslcy broke into
the house of Deacon Waite between and
o'clock in the morning. After somo time the
Deacon happened 10 wake and saw the burglars
light on tine floor below. Aiming himself he went
down, and what was his surprise t. find the
burglar seated on the iloor beside II pile Of
plumber tied up in n tablc-cloth busily reading in
the Deacon's large family Bible. The Deacon
fell upon the intruder with righteous Indignation.
shouting Justify for help. Officers soon came and
the burglar ovcrpowcrcd and led away. I'm
doubtcdly if hc had not stopped 10 pursue his
scriptural inveetisation hc could have escaped.
We have little comment to make upon these
three remarkable cases Of surgllrious interest in
religious matters. They certainly show, il seems
to us, great religious awakening among our
burglars We can only hope that it may extend
TO our highway robbers, plckpockcts. murdcrers.
and so forth. While the movement has not, so
far. seemed to be productive of n better way Of
living on the part Of the criminal it has in every
instance led 10 his capture, and that. perhaps in
some cases, may have been worth more than re-
form.