St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-12-22
he entered upon a career of crime, and
soon. gained reputAtiOn among the

he entered upon career of crime, and
soon gained reputation among the
lawleSs element as a daring and cum
ming young criminal. tie first associ-
ated with gang of juvenile pickpock-
cts. who gave st. Paul police DO end OF
trouble. They worked in crowded
street cars, railroad trains and at public
gatherings. occasionally they would
find drunken sleeper for victim.
The rendezvous of this gang was a
room over a store on Wabasha street in
ST. Paul. Here the little daredevils
would meet and plan their acts of wick
edness after division of the spoiis.
They often quarreled over the ''dfvy."
as thieves term it, and it was these quar-
rels that led TO their exposure and ar
rest.
Young Christie was frequently ar
rested and given Jail sentences. and
several times was sent to the reform
school. Owing to his extreme youth
and apparent innocence the sentences
were so light that he was soon at lib
erty to ply his netariOuS vocation. This
gang Of young tOughS gave the
police of st. Paul more trouble than
Older and more experienced GRIM
inals, by reason Of their youth
agility and cunning. One of Christie's
associates in his boyhOod days was
young man who has since reformed, and
now occupies responsible position in a
large mercantile establishment i'll st.
Paul. Meeting with gilded success as
an amateur, Christie aspired to the
commission of greater crimes. Having
advanced i'll years his ambition led him
10 seek the company of older criminals.
safe blowing presented the great charm
Tor him. He associated himself with
Bill Donaldson, a noted Boston cracks
man, to whom Christie became an under
study. His part of the work was to
watch outside while Donaldson worked
on the safe inside. The last exploit in
which Donaldson and Christie were
concerned was the successful
Blowing of Safe
at Hinckley, Mimi. Christie then re.
turned TO st. Paul, when he Joined
KID Adams, The Green brothers and a
half-breed named BOurke. Christie
and pal robbed cigar store OH st.
Peter street on four successive Sunday
afternoons. On their fourth visit they
were surprised by the sudden appear
ance OF the proprietor. Christie wanted
10 Slug him with shot bag, but was
prevented by his companion, who resort
ed TO a more clever ruse, assuming
the attitude Of clerk. The proprietor
was knocked down when he attempted
to grab the thief. A policeman. seeing
the two men running away, fired at
them, but they eluded pursuit. On an
other occasion, Christie, who then went
by the name of Charles Adams, in COM
pany with "Kid' Adams and the
Greens, robbed jeweIry store OH West
Third street in ST. Paul. For this crime
Christie was sentenced to the peniten-
tiary at Saltwater for term of five
years. After serving thirteen months.
Christie played the insanity dodge, and
so successful was he that he was trans
ferred to ST. Peters asylumn. He re-
NAMED there thirteen months, when he
Made His Escape
while walking the grounds. Boarding
freight train he went into st. Paul,
but being too well known he came West,
locating at Columbia Falls, in this
county, engaging in the occupation of
painter, which trade he learned in the
penitentiary. He assumed the name of
Charles j. Black, under which name he
was tried and convicted Of the crime
for which he paid the penalty with his
life today. His reputation in this
county was not an enviable one, and a
great many stories have developed since
his arrest which have shown him up in
his true character. At one time he had
planned to rob the Columbia Falls
bank, and had made propositions to
rape certain women of that town. For
these reasons but little sympathy was
enlisted in his behalf. In fact, people
were ready to believe such man guilty.
uperintGndent Schumacher, of the
Pinkerton agency, st. Paul, was of
valuable assistance TO the county at
torney. He collected the major part of
the evidence and had it in such shape
as to make the case against him COM
plete.