Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1895-08-10
AMATEUR SHERLOCK.
LEAVES FROM HIS NOTEBOOK ON
SIGN PICTURES OF BURGLARS.

What Chalk Marks on the Front Stoop or
Gate May Mean-On the Other Hand,
They May BE Only the Scrawls of Mis-
chievous Boys Which Mean Nothing.
The amateur Sherlock Holmes has
added another chapter to his little note
book which records the significance of
trifles that are important clews to the
doings of the criminal classes. Spots Of
fink, cigar ashes, marks on the finger and
the particles of dust in the folds of an
umbrella are all eloquent to this observ
ant seeker after truth as revealing
times, places and occurrences in which
people may have been engaged. There is
whole literature ON the muds of New
York and vicinity, their color and con-
sistency and the various degrees Of at
mospheric moisture under which they
will be reduced to fluid state, while
toothpicks and matches as characteristic
of various restaurants and localities are
full of meaning
Now it appears, by what the amateur
Sherlock Holmes has been revealing in
moment of confidence, that the dead
walls of New York, stoops of houses,
basement entrances and area gateways
are the signposts of the criminal classes,
and that what look like the rude scrawl-
ings of boys are in reality the secret
symbols by which burglars communicate
with each other.
Chalk marks under the edge of one of
your front steps may mean that your
house has been spotted and will be bro
ken into on a certain date. A rude draw
ing ON the area ratings may to the en-
lightened eye of the initiated mean:
"This man has burglar alarm on his
second story windows and keeps revolv-
er under his pillow, but the silver is in
the buffers pantry on the first floor, and
the house may be entered through the
second basement window, where the
latch is broken"
The fraternity which has developed
this sign language to such high degree
of perfection shows considerable ingenu-
ity i'll its design, but no attempt is made
at accuracy of drawing, as that would
attract attention. The sign pictures Of
the burglars are made to look as much
like the rude scrawls of schoolboys as
possible.
Three figures We're found scrawled on
the gateway of one house. The informa-
tion thus pictorially conveyed was to the
effect that the house was tenanted by
lady, one woman servant and boy page.
That he was boy page was indicated
by buttons on his coat, and the servant
was indicated by short skirt, dotted to
resemble print dress.
Another picture in the notebook of
the amateur Sherlock Holmes was more
easily deciphered, as it showed merely
fierce bulldog guarding the house, q
warning to all members of the frater-
nifty. The next sign, taken from house
in the suburbs, was more mysterious and
complicated, but upon study it finally
resolved itself into the announcement
that the man who lived there went out
to business at in the morning and re-
turned at 6 in the evening.
Another picture gathered by the anna
teur Sherlock Holmes during his pains
taking investigation Of this subject
showed accurate information, as was
subsequently discovered, upon the part
of the sign writer as to the interior of
the house. 1t indicated that there were
three electric bells on the windows and
that one woman servant was employed.
A crude drawing taken from under the
edge of a stoop indicated that the serv-
ant there had been squared" and this
house presumably was just ready to be
burglarized. Some of the booty expected
to be secured, together with warnings as
to possible difficulties to be met with,
were indicated by sign pictures of silver
spoons, coin and plate, together with
the statement that the place was "A1,"
but there were significant sketches of a
dog, q revolver and electric bells to put
the thieves upon their guard as to what
to expect.
Frequently the burglars, says the
amateur Sherlock Holmes, put these
sign pictures on houses remote from
those to which they refer, and in this
case the identity of the latter is revealed
by mysterious symbols. This was the
case with rude drawing of house dis
covered on street corner. 1t represent
ed tall house with line barbed with
an arrowhead leading to the roof from
the street and indicating that the best
method of ingress was through the roof.
The street and number of this house
were also shown by succession of nu
merals which only the initiated could
understand.
Don't get frightened when you see
chalk marks on your front stoop or area
gateway. The probabilities are that
they are merely the idiotic scrawls of
boys. At the same time examine them
closely, and if they seem to point to bur
glarious intent or design it might not be
bad idea to report the matter to the
police. The latter will probably laugh
at you among themselves, having not
yet developed many Sherlock Holmes
propensities, but the fact that the signs
have been noticed will, in some mys-
FERROUS way, soon be known to the Grim
inals, and those enterprising gentry may
be frightened ff.-New York World.
Lepers In the World,