Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1895-05-10
A THIEF'S OWN STORY
WILLIAM HARVEY WANTS THE PUBLIC
TO KNOW SOMETHING OF HIS LIFE.

Seems to Re Clever In His Small Way,
but In Hard Luck Most of the Time.
His Father Missionary In Montreal-A
Bad Man.
A shabbily dressed young man, with a
bad face ono bad front tooth, bad hat
and Il breath rcdolent of bad whisky enter
ed the New York Recorder Office on a re-
cent afternoon, laid badly written man.
uscript and badly taken photograph upon
the city editors desk and hastily took his
departure. His eyes had shifty look, his
mouth was cruel, and altogether he re-
sembled nothing so much as an all around
thief in hard luck. A pcrusal of his man
uscript told the reader that the fellow was
at once thief, a drunkard and u gambler
| and as for cool impudcnCe it has rarely
been equaled. We reproduce it as an OBJ
| ject lesson:
To the Editor:
SIR-I have just como from the penitentiary
| at Snake Hill in New Jersey, and as walking
| has sttfencd me up a bit so that l couldn't
| make much of run for it should try to do a
little professional work and cop show up, 1
| took it into my head to let you newspaper peo-
| pie know something about the real life of a
I thief Did you over meet thief socially? l
| don't suppose you ever did. Well, I'm one
| have been one since was 10 years od-and if
can get the kinks out Of my legs I'm going to
do a little thieving this afternoon, so 1 can
| have a bed and some rum tonight.
l love rum, playing bank and the girls, bat
as I'm too shabby to suit the girls, and as tho
| banks are all closed I'm obliged to stick to
rum alone. But runs pretty nearly enough,
| if you can get plenty of it.
Now, m goiRg to tell you my story. and you
may print ii or not just as you see fit I'm
used to being thrown down.
My name is William Harvcy-or at least
that S the name 1 give when get the collar by
the cups-and l was born in Montreal 20 years
ago. My father is in the gospel business, kind
of travelling missionary, going about in the
slums with the Pilgrim Brothers. He doesn't
know I'm crooked, and every now and then he
sends me money. Sometimes it comes when
I'm in the cage, but he never gets the address.
If he did, it would break his heart.
had good common school education and
learned trade, and when l was II l came to
the states and went to work polishing spoons
in Reed & Barclays factory in Essex street i'll
Boston. / stuck at this steadily for two years,
and then l began to think I'd like something
easier.
So one morning a chance for a haul came as
was passing through Cambridge street. On
a stoop stood two trunks, and / says to myself,
says l, 81 could nab them easy
had plan in a minute. Right around the
corner was II cab stand, and into cab jump
ed, telling the driver where to go. 1t was
risky, but was dead sick of work. On getting
back to the house l had the driver put the
trunks in the cab, and then we drove to the
Providence depot, as though l intended leav-
ing town. l checked the trunks for a few min
utes, went around to Church street and hired
u room and then had the things taken there.
They were full of women's clothes, but in one
was watch AMI S61. pawncd the watch, and
with the money received and the SG7 prompt.
ly got drunk and then began to play bank.
OF course lost everything, and then 1 hook
ed the trunks for $3.50.
On going back to my room at night found
two detectives waiting for me. 81 thought So"
said one; ''the fox comes back to his hole"
That little adventure sent me to the House
of Correction for six months Fortunately j.
was my first otfense, or l would have gone to
state prison. The detectives thought, however,
that was an old timer because had done the
job so well.
In the House of Correction 1 met some pro.
fessionas who really taught me something,
and when ! came out met Jimmy Baxter,
who told me ne would put me on to good
thing. He advised stealing OvcrcOats from Of
fees, and following his suggestion l got from
30 to 50 a week for several weeks and always
had plenty of money. Then things got too hot
for me, and l came to this city, intending to be
honest. l looked up a rich acquaintance in
Brooklyn, but he gave me the cold shoulder,
so l went to Providence and got in with some
safe breakers. We touched one factory for ST.
300, but my pals would only give me $500, and
that dsgustcd me, so that came back to New
York and took to robbng flats.
Then started up the river, and near Buffalo
got acquainted with jewelry drummer, who
had his sample cases with him. We took rooms
together, and while he was out got his cases
from the depot and started for New York
again. l sold a lot of stuff but was nabbed in
Kingston and got year in the Albany peni-
Tertiary. When my time was up, came out
along with negro who had $40 1t didn t take
me long to rob him of that after getting him
drunk and the money brought me here very
comfortably. Here l did pretty well robbing
flats, making on one occasion as much as So
800. But in time l got careless, and the result
was n year the island
After that l ut to Boston and stole until
six months dose siclIcned me, and l thought
of the mctrOpoli again. From here / went to
Jersey City, whc. started in to rob fiat, and
to get more room was pushing a baby car
riage out of the way when policeman came
in and accused me of trying to steal the car
riage Twas mighty glad to admit it, for if he
had ever caught me forcing the door it would
have meant a long stretch.
As it was got six months.
/ was set free on Tuesday. What could do?
Nothing but steal, for l was broke, and l
couldn't get work.
On Wednesday got an overcoat in Sixth
avenue which pawned FOR SO. rs and got drunk.
Yesterday caught on to woman's dolman
and a pair Of shoes that brought me in $3.50,
but that's gone now. l hope I'll have some
luck this Afternoon.
Nh