The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-07-14
SHINBURN IN THE TOLLS
Career In Crime of Many Ycars-Accused
Now of Robbing n >ation"i """~
in Middieburg. \. "

z,,r,oc-p,an alias 1.-THE DutcnINah' was
.xr.s,ed Friday by Pinkerton detectives
Cor Tho robbery OF the First Nau0, ,s'
-, 81 N;,ddlcburg y. Y. April loih' ',o
"a sunposcd to have been conieO''- 49, -,
o,hcr recent robbcries. In ms IOo." -
seventh Avenue. near Ihl' ,'s
VAS found a complete SET OF D1' ~
tools. skeleton keys, lock-pcks' n,'' 80
=, iii kirds; a bottle Of nitro-glyce''ie'
pistols. soft rubber Shoes anu o''0' ."
tlclcs used by burglars ,,o-,
The prisoner IS considered by ro'.'
pinkerlon to be the. greatest PAM go
and vault burglar that mas cNo' NV"
known in police history. .,
ebirourn is wcli-educatcd German
W. cor,e 10 the United states In 1871. oh
Ills arrival IN New YORK he made ms non'o
M the principal hotels lie Decan'o
known 10 the gamblers as an inVe'el1,c
nlavcr. and through his gampiihs aSSV
sto,cs II was not long before he became
snnno,nted with some Of the principal
criminals who at that time maze NJ"
yort ;reir headquarters around the re-
.o~,s In Houston, Prince, Grand ana
Canal streets. .
ebinhurn finally selected as his asso-
cisfos In crime George Bliss ana J" Hs
Mcclure. SninbuTn had as conho'h'"i
agent and gO-between brlehl go""s
Englishman. whose acquaintance S",n-
burn had made at gambling houses. lie
aftorward used this young bnshs"'i'i"
as a co-bctwecn IN negotiating back the
securities stolen I'm the various bank ron
hcrics ne was connected vita. In dclhs
This Sbinburn made a fortune for himself,
O. well as for his confidential agent ant
when Shinhurn was forced 10 fee from
the United States. I'm 1863, both ne ana
his agent had a fortune.
In order to perfect his knowledge as 10
the mechanism Of combination LOCKS anu
working OF safes. Shinburn took employ
mcnf under an assumed name, in the
works Of the Lilly Safe Company Shin-
burn discovered that a person with an
acute hearing by putting his ear to tie
safe and turning the dial, could discover
at what numbers the tumDlcrs dropped
into place lie also discovered that by
Knocking on the hinges Of the ordinary
Lilly safe. and by using a powerful
Jimmy" the door could be easily pried
off. 1t was by this knowledge the Lilly
safe was eventually driven out OF the
market.
Shinburn saved a fortune from 1860 TO
1863 when ne was obliged TO fec from the
United States. but ne recklcssly played
all games of chance, spccuated in stocks
and spent his money with an open hand.
Just before he left the United States on
a lucky turn I'm the market lac cleared
about half a million dollars.
Previous TO Shinburn fleeing from the
United States he ascertained that Bel
GUM had no treaty with this Govern
mcnt. and by taking up his residence
there he would be free from extradition.
lie went first to Brussels, where he re-
NAMED a few years. lie finally purchas-
ed an estate. All interest in a large silk
mill and the title of Count"
Shinburn discontinued his connection
with criminal associates and, outside OF
his young English confidential agent, ne
allowed none of his old associates 10
know whore he had gone ana located.
For fifteen years he is supposed TO have
lived a respectable life. II is said that
ne operated heavily on the Bourse, and
also gambled heavily, and in this way
he lost his fortune and business and.
having no other means of making money
easily, he went back into the bank and
safe burglar line again.
About this thine his old associate
Charley Bullard. alias piano Char
ley" Adam Worth. alias Harry Ray
Irond. alias Little Adam" Ike" Marsh,
alias big Ike" and Bob Cochrane.
alias big Bob" and others robbed the
Boylston Bank of Boston Of $4,000.
They fled TO Europe, and Bullard. Marsh,
and Adam Worth opened an American
bar at Rue Scribe. Paris. which was
patronized by Americans. Shinburn
coming in 10 get refreshments, was re-
cognized by them.
Shinburn was looking for an associate
10 aid him in robbcries he mad planned
and he selected Bullard. One OF the rob-
berries Shnburn had planned was that of
the Provincial Bank of WHERE'S. Belgium,
and this robbery was attempted by Shin
burn and Bullard I'm 1883. An entrance
was made TO the bank through a rear
door; an old-fashioned lcck was unscrew-
cd. and. in order that it might be replaced
Shinburn put the lock aside and put the
screws i'm his vest pocket. They went into
the bank and examined the work Of the
vault and safes aDd returned TO the yard
and screwed on the lock. one screw re-
manned fastened in piece of wax in his
pocket. IL was while looking for this
screw that a Waterman came up and dis
covered Billiards. shoes in the alley.
The officer called for assistance and ar
rested both men. They explained satisfac-
torily their reason for being in the yard.
but In searching Shinburn the screw was
found In piece of wax. and on further
examination IT was found that a screw
was missing from the door lock. On this
circumstaniial evidence they were tried
convicted. and sentenced. Shinburn TO five
years and Billiard to ten years. Bullard
died In prison. \ part Of the wax which
Shinburn had In his pockets was used 10
iii no the scrcw-holes 4 chemical analy-
sis showed that the wax found in his
pocket was similar to that which was in
the screw holes.
Among the banks robbed by Shinhurn
from 1880 TO 1853 was the Walpole Savings
Bank. at Walpole. n. II. This robbery
was committed by ShinDurn. George Bliss
Edward. alias Fairy" Mcclure. and IL
IS supposed "Dave" Cummings. alias
Little Dave" For this crime Bliss and
Shinhurn were arrested about July. 1865.
in Saratoga. y. Y Bliss was acquitted,
and Shinburn was convicted, and SEN
fenced TO ten years in the New Hamp-
shire State Prison.
The night following his conviction ne
escaped by the aid OF confederates, and
was not apprchended again until iSCS
when with others he attempted TO rob
the 81. Adams Bank Of 81. Albaos. VI
lie was sent TO New Hampshire 10 serve
out his ten-year term.
Shinburn served about nine months Of
this sentence. and again made his escape.
AT the time OF his arrcs; icr the Walpole
Savings Bank robbery he had teen resid-
ing In New York city. and on searching
the top floor of his house there were
found a complete workshop for the manu-
facture OF burglars tools and wax i'm
press.or5 OF keys. One Of these KEYS
was found TO III the doors OF bank in
Bennington. Vt. which undoubtedly wss
TO have been visited at the time Ii is