The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-07-02

talk. end wfthou, licking him up In thi'
city at all or notifying the local authorl
ties of his arrest, the detectives proceed
ed to Middleburg with him.
shinburn Is now nfty-seven years Ola
bu, he Is as active and dangerous as
criminal. the Pinkerton people say. as
he ever was. He IS a German by piruh
and came to New York In 1851. lie wa
a drst-class mechanic; bu, he didnt worH
at his trade here. becoming instead Ihg
associate OF gambltrs and crooks. lie
lived 81 the Metropolitan Hotel. ana nc
ouenfed the resorts on Prince. Trahu'
and Houston streets and among MS hu-
mate friends were such weil-known crooHs
az George Miles. better known as bllssf
"pairv" Mcclure. piano Charley Bui-
lard. big Ike" Marsh and Little Dave
Cummings. $500.
Shinhurn's remarkable mechanical skill
made him a useful man among THESE
thicvcs. and when he became profes-
si0naI burglar ne was able To choose
from among them as confederates whoH-
soever he pleased. George Bliss fa'ry
Mcclure. and young Englishman, whose
name is not recalled By the Pinkerion
agency. were those selected by Shinourn'
and aftcrward the two former Inquired IN
planned and lei.
Tho Young Englishman never aided in
the actual robberics but was used as n
go-between in negotiating Tor the return
Of the securities stolen by Shinburn ana
his pals. In this way Sh.nburn AMI the
Engl.shman made fortunes, Mcclure and
Bliss only pronting in a slight degree. and
in 1869. when Shinburn was forced 10 flee
from the country. he was able TO take
something like $4,000 with him.
Shinburn was nothing II not thorough,
and to perfect his knowledge OF comoina-
ton locks. ne went 10 work in lSb, ior
the Lily Safe Company. He discoVete1
half a dozen ways Of finding out the COM
binatl0Hs OF fine safes by listening 70 the
clicking Of the locks and 80 skilful did
he become at It that until tho improved
locks came in, the PinkertOn people say.
there was not safe IN the country ne
could not open. Shinburn robbed the
Walpolc Savings Bank AZ Walpole. y. II,
I'm 1855. with Bliss and Mcclure, and was
aftcrward arrested and sentenced 10 ten
years imprisonment in the New Hamp-
shire state Prison. He escaped from the
prison the day after he was taken there.
and in the next two years succeeded IN
robbing a number Of banks without dctec-
ton.
I'm 1861 Shnburn made up his mind 10
rob the vault in the Lehigh and Wilkes
barre Coal Companys office, az Nrite-
haven. Twice he visited the vault, but
on neither occasion was there more than
1900 20 be had. 50 simply extracting
enough for expenses, he wsited, and on
his third visit found $1,000, which ne
walked off with. he was arrested later
a f4fH o
where every night he was Obliged 10 sleep
handcuf-cd TO detective
one night he managed TO insert steel
pen in the rachel OF the handcuf. so that
IT dli not lock when the detective snap
ped il shut. when the detective was
asleep. Shinburn slipped off the cuff and
escaped. The police so bounded him after
this that he went to Belgium M 1873 10
escape rearrest.
Mr.. Plnkerton says that Shinburn pur-
chased title there. and was known as
Count Shnburn. He also purchased
an interest in a silk NIL. according 20
Mr.. Pinkcrfon. but got 10 gambling on the
Bourse and lost his money. Then he met
Piano Charley" Bullard. who had also
fed 10 Belgium. having escaped from an
American prison. and they planned rob-
berry Cf he Provincial Bank. at Where's.
one night they visited the bank, but
shinburus shoes. which the burglar haa
left in rear alley. were discovered by "a
policeman. and DC quietly got posse OF
felOs-ofic,rs together and they watched
Shinhurn and Billiard screw on The lock
OF the door OF the bank and then arrested
them. Shmhurn's visit hai not been 10
rob tho bank that night. but simply 90
make an examination Of the ground. Both
men were convicted and served terms in
prison for this.
Other big burgiarics committed later hv
Shinhurg were the robbery ~ the Cadiz.
o.. Bank Of 5000 and the robbery OF
the ocean Bank. on Greenwich street
this city. from which il is claimed. near
lv 81 .o0nO1 in money and securities was
stolen. or late. the Pinkcrt0n people say
Shinburn has found the skill Of the safe
makers TOO much for him. and has re-
sorted 10 uitro-slycerine In opening locks,
instead OF his own def fingers.
He is thought 10 have been concerned
I'm the robberies Of the First National
Bank. at Griswod, IA, the Phoenix Bank.
at Phoenix. y. y. banks at Milan and
Sandusky. o.; a savings bank ar Thomas
ton. Ct. the 81. Hyacinfh Bank, ar Mon
treu and another bank Ia Toronto; all
Of which robberies occurred within year.
and at all Of which nitrO-giycerine was
used ShMburn escaped arrest so long
because it was thought that he was stln
abroad.
There were four men concerned TN the
attempted robbery Of the Mddlebnrg
Bank They blew up the vault with nitro
glyccrinc: but the screams OF a woman
living I'm the roxt house scared them or.
aal although closely pursued. they es-
capped on "a hand-Car 4 conviction on
this last charge may wind up Shinburn's
career as a criminal