The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-02-04


The bank burglar used to be the arls-
tocrat Of the criminal classes. He stood
at the head Of the thieves. He was consid-
cred great man; a genius, and fire.
quently an artist Lesser thieves made him
their model. Even police officials treated
him with consideration, il not with defer
ence. That is all in the past. The bank
burglar has been deposed from his proud
emincnce. He is now only second-cIass
thief. His place as premier crook has
been taken by the suave gentleman who
draws money out Of the bank, in broad
daylight, and with checks, without ever
having put a cent into the bank He ac-
complishes his purpose through fraudu-
lent entries ON the books or forged collat-
erals; but he gets there just the same.
Sometimes he even takes LEGAL ADVICE
as 10 how far he may go and in what man
ner he may proceed to despoil the bank.
That is what Edward o. Quigley, the
New York bond forger. did. Nearly
year ago ouigley met a legal light of
New York at the club. After chatting on
topics OF the day for an hour. the con-
versation drlfted to 1orgeries. Quigley
instanced a hypothetical case in which
fictitious names of officers had been forged
to city bonds, and asked the lawyer il
such a forgery was unlawful The law
yer laughed. Certainly" said he IAN
indictment in such case would not lie.
The crime of forgery is the signing Of the
name of an actual person, the signing
of the alleged name of fictitious person
is not a criminal act" Shortly afterward
Quisley began his career. and awaited
himself of this legal advice.
a bank Official has calculated that in
the past two years more money has been
improperly diverted" from the banks
through the operations Of such men as
Seeley. the boolzkeeper. who got $354OOO
through false entries, and Quigley. who
obtained money on forged city bonds,
and through the raising of checks and
drafts. than has been stolen by burglars
and sneak thieves in twenty years.
The day ana the glory Of the bank
burglar have passed. It is impossible for
another Kid Mccoy or Spike Hennessy to
achieve a reputation. One Of their clasa
would not dare show his. face in wan
street The police are onto them.
Meanwhile. the era of the kidgloved thief
seems to be at its hight. He is the fellow
who now makes the banker nervous.
Who viii succeed Mr.. NIcAuister as the
leader Of the Tour Hundred? There will
probably be several asplrants for the
distinction. chief among whom may be
reckoned a Young exquisite named Teal,
who wanted 70 sweep the streets OF New
York. But it is doubtful if New York
society win accept another leader. My.
AIcAllister impressed upon society what
an important institution it is, ana taught
it how to behave toward itself and others.
Since the creation of the Four Hundred
that set has become sophisticated, and
probably thinks it knows enough now to
get along without director As Mr..
MeAlhster was the first, he may also be
the last premier of the tip-top exclusives.
Atanta's treatment Of the woman suf-
fragists was rather hard. Miss An
thony announced in open meeting the
day before adjournment that several mem
bers had been robbed of their poke
books Mrs. Robinson OF Kentucky was
touched for a purse containing cash
and diamonds to the value Of 600 Mrs.
Aurbach of Massachusetts v As relieved Of
a diamond pin worth s9ao Two or three
other ladies lost their rses. The greedy
Atlantans even purlc ned the gold-rimmed
spectacles ,of sss'-.er Hayes. of Texas, cut
tinsA q cnain to secure the booty. The
people are now beginning TO understand
why it is that Atlanta is forever fishing
Tor big conventions.