The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-02-22

| the nefarious ones by obtaining 1nforma'
ton concerning the habits OF the IN
mates of the Spotted" houses. Women
are usually intrusted with this mission,
and accomplish it satisfactorily by gain
ing admission III respectable capacity
one person a young girl OF about W
being an adept at probing her way INTO
the better class houses on all sorGs OF
errands, even feigning illness as last
| resource, her elegant manners, culture
OF speech, and refined dress arouslng no
| suspicion.
Impressions of keys have been taken by
women more expeditiously than by men.
Window fittings have been examined un-
DER pretence of fitting in window rolls;
while glaciers have worked at broken
windows purely to sketch the fastenlngs
and examine through the panes the varl-
GUS rooms.
An effective robbery was traced on one
occasion to a wicker chair and basket
mender--woman- who for three weeks
worked on the premises of a large coun-
try house, mending and making for the
inmates, and at the same time noting
down particulars for a company OF shady
ones, who remunerated her handsomely
for her services. This woman was re-
ported to be connected with two or more
gangs, which. aware of her constant
visits to the large isolated houses on
work for them as well-an opportunity
gladly seized upon to better her circum-
stances. Had she turned the white feather.
and unfolded her secret to the police,
the gang would not have suffered, as a
non-interested person was intrusteG 10
bear instructions. this wight being I'M
aware that he was thus indirectly as
sisting a burglary.
Other plans have been adopted where
h foo rfy1In f hn Mi op.-
in the shape of basket member or &C
| casional Understanding traitor. The
information required has been written on
wall or fence in signs and figures I'M
intelligible to the unintated, but read
able as printed characters to the parties
concerned. Even money has been secret
ed in hollow trees, walls or some ar
tween burglars and accomplice.
A burglars note hook, found some
time ago, revealed an astounding guam
tity of information, though the names
of towns, villages, houses and occupants
were substituted by signs and small
illustrations, mysterious as Chinese
characters, except to their originator and
his privileged followers. Small plans
beautifully executed. and reveal ne
being worthy of preservation az examples
OF perseverance, SO artistically were they
prepared-were scattered profusely
throughout it's pages; and a paragraph
here and there, was jotted down in a
shorthand understood only by the au-
thor-he being apparently well educat-
ed, business like mana cool villain of
the highest type.
One individual--the yard or house dog
plays an important part in the burglar s
calculations. The accomplice mu st
study his movements as infinitely as a
professor of natural history or prize fan
cier, and many valuable animal has
been incapacitated through this plan.
Besides these premature precautions,
there are various items to consider Oh
the ght selected for depreciation, and
cocted to render detection or seizure
almost impossi BILE.
Nets have been secured before the
doors where an intruder has been feared
so that a sudden entry wouId result in
tn dlsturber being securely noosed.
Telescope ladders have been reared at
opposite windows to keep off the inmates
from the exact quarter of the plumber
ers; and formidable MEETINGS of fine rope
and wire have been srung across grounds
and front lawns where pursuer would
most likely emerge.
Yet these complicated proceedings
in description-are based on a system so
scientific that the work OF prepal alton is
effected in an incredible period of few
minutes; the gathering together of the
paraphernalia being also expeditiously
effected. These night genJly are usually
we'll dressed and educated, and the Sc
creJ workings of a select gang are OBJ
served with mystery that defes the
utmost scrutiny of the law, individual
mem bers suffering arrest never "split-
tingn on their confederates-so that all
the members of gang rarely meet with
their deserts. Boston Traveller.