Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1893-04-08


John Clare, alias John Gilmore, a
truly scientific cracksman, who is now
In temporary retirement in conse-
quence OF being found in possession OF
y number of cleverly constructed inn
plements evidently designed for use in
his Cuisines"
Gilmore. who is now a handsome,
well-preserved man Of 80, began life as
q photographer, but for the past
thirty years has devoted himself TO
a career Of crime which has not been
without It's reward. He is person OF
refined appearance and manners,
dresses well, and usually affects
dropping mustache and long flowing
side whiskers OF the Dundreary type,
which give him rather mild and ben
evolent aspect He first came into mo-
toriety in 1865, when he was arrested
in Bi,iimarc for shooting and killing
Henry y. Or, We, was convicted and
sentenced 10 death. He succeeded,
however. in getting q new trial, which
resulted in his acquittal. For nearly
ten years afterward he was the asso-
ciate OF such eminent felons as Ike
Marsh, Jimmy Hope, big Frank Nc
Coy" and Eddie Geary. His master
stroke. which gave him his unique
fame and only failed OF complete sue
cess by the merest accident. was made
In isT4.
In the early spring of that year q
dapper, smartly dressed, glib-tongued
ea14
as John Gilmore, recently of Boston,
entered into negotiations for the pur-
chase Of the premises at So Eighth
avenue, with the view of opening a
irst-class oyster and chop house. He
paid ss. 600 down, and gave a mortgage
for 81, 600 payable on Aug. J. The
owner said he would have no objection
to extending the mortgage, but Mr.. Gill
more replied that he guessed business
would be good enough 70 enable him
20 clear of the mortgage. The
next day he took possess on and a
force Of carpenters, plumbers, and
decorators was set to work to trans
form the store floor into restaurant
Business prospered, and It was wonder
ful what popular man Mr.. Gilmore
became The neighbors swore by
him. and certain timid depositors in
the New York Savings bank and the
New York County bank in the big
erownstone building at the corner OF
\ Fourteenth street, next door to the
chop house, even went to the length
OF declaring that the close proximity
OF such a respectable man as Mr.. Gil
more actually added TO the security OF
the two institutions.
Pretty soon Gilmore leased the
building at sos West Fourteenth street.
ON the other side of the bank building,
and opened a billiard hall. The billiard
room had a passageway leading to the
rear OF the oyster saloon, so that he
had the bank building completely sur
rounded. Toward the middle of June
a big truck drove up to the saloon door
and a boiler aud five-horse-poweT
upright engine were dumped on the
sidewalk. Jooular customers asked
Gilmore whether he was doing such a
biz business that he was going to have
his oysters opened by steam. Gilmore
Sfnlled Softly ana siiiu Nuht she GIG AAN
was TO run a dish-washing machine
and set Of ventilating fans. At that
the customers said;
"Enterprising man, that Gilmore,
tell you, he's daisy!
He was!
In due time the boiler and engine
were erected in the cellar and then
Gilmore had n double plank partition
erected across the cellar. He SAID that
"a was to dcaden the noise of the en-
CINE
IL happened that year that July
fell on Saturday, and that as this
would leave all the banks closed fol-
two days, the police, as is customary
were directed to exercise special vigi
lance. There was no reason why Pc
lIoeman Keller should have been spe
ciallv anxious for the safety Of the tive
banks, but MS he passed by shortly
after midnight on July 3, his eal