Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-08-30
THIEVES BY NATURE.
All the Members of q Family Bound
to Steal Whenever They Can.
A CASE OF HEREDITARY ROBBERY.
The Boys Tap Many Tills and the Girls
Go Through Schools,
TAKING ALL THAT'S NOT NAILED DOWN

ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE pIsPATcH.l
NEW YORK, Aug. 29-Walter DAILY, a
small boy with an innocent face, was sent
to the Catholic Protectory to-day, on COM
plant of his mother. Mrs DAILY did not
want him committed, but thought it best to
take action against him because the agents
of the Garry Society would have had him
committed anyway. Then she would have
to secure the society's recommendation be-
fore she could secure his discharge.
Those of the faniily-which is big one
who are out of prison live in tenement at
S4S Columbus avenue. Walter was caught
Friday, trying to tap the till i'm Anton
Reisman's delicatessen store on Third
avenue. His brother Richard, II years
old, was with him, but he escaped Walter
had So q in his pocket. He said that
Richard gave the money to him. The police
are looking for Richard.
Mr.. Reisman declined to prosecute Wal
ter, and Agents Moore and Pringle, of the
Gerry Society, hunted up the lads record.
They say that Walter has eight brothers
and sisters, and that those who are old
enough have criminal history. 1t seems
that they inherited light-fngered tend
ency from their father, John DAILY. He is
in the penitentiafy for petty theft.
A Success as Boy Tin-Tapper.
Richard. who, it appears, has been teach
ing Walter the art of till-tapping, had a
successful career as a till-tapper before he
was 13 years old. Four years ago he was
captured and sent to the protectory. He
was discharged few weeks ago, and re-
sumed his old trade. He taught his brother
Harry how to steal. Harry, who is IA, is
in the protectory.
The elder brother, Albert, graduated from
petty theiving to burglary before he was
caught, and thus escaped the protectory
His work brought him to Sing Sing, where
he is serving term for burglary. Ray,
baby brother are still with their mother.
The girls of the family are more artistic
thieves than their brothers. They are Ger
trude, aged 10 years, and Mary, aged 20
years. They began their careers as serv-
ants, but never worked longer in one place
than it took them to learn the whereabouts
Of their employers valuables. Then they
would disappear, and money and jewelry
would go with them. When people who
hired them were ordinarily watchful they
had to work too long before they got
chance to steal,
Tho Girls Go Through Schools.
For.that reason they turned their atten-
tion to schools. They were mere school
girls in appearance and could gain an en-
trance to the schools without arousing sus-
picion. They called during the noon re-
cess, when the schoolrooms were abandoned
by teachers and pupils, and searched the
wardrobes and desks. A dozen or more
schools were robbed, and it is said the girls
stole $500 worth of clothing and some cash
In their raids on the schools before the hunt
for them became so earnest that they had to
look about for new source of revenue
Thereafter both of the girls collected
money from charitable people. They said
they were looking for contributions for the
Sacred Heart Convent and found many
generous people. After a while they had
to give up this scheme. Mary got work as
clerk in j. H. Truesdell's store on West
Fourteenth street, She had been there but
a short time when articles were missed. At
last the new clerk was suspected and
She had been hired under the
name of Kate Burke. Her identity was
discovered. The Investigation which fol-
lowed revealed her career as a collector
and identified her as the visitor to the
schools.
Disposition Of the Girl Thieves.
Gertrude was arrested and the sisters
were accused Of having on Nov ember 27
and 20, 1888, stolen nine wraps from class
rooms in schools In West Twenty-fourth |
street and West Eighteenth street. Mary |
was sent to the House of the Holy Family |
There was some little doubt about Ger |
trude's connection with the thefts and SEN
.ence was suspened in her case. She was in
court with her mother to-day. They say
hey work in laundry.
The society men had no excuse for even
attempting to secure possession of the
Younger members of the family, but it will
watch them closely to prevent them follow
ng their brothers footsteps They might
lave been committed to institutions, but as
he society learned nothing against the
mother it decided to allow her to keep her
hildren