Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-01-14

"OLD BILL" VOSDUEG.
as thousands Of boys who have gone wrong
Well, went into II gambling house in the
old Broadway hotel, where everything
went in those days, and those darned
scoundrels let me play, as young as was.
1t didn't take them long to skin me out
of all Of Thompson's stuff.
Well, you can imagine what a young
lad like me thought when he got into such
hole as that. knew could never get
hold Of enough money topay it back with
out stealing it. finally thought of fell
low in town named Fleming that I had
heard some of the boys say was crooked,
and SO hunted him up. told him what
/ had done. To make long story short,
i stole out of the house that night and
met Fleming. We went to grocery store
run by an Irishman by the name of Nor
ris. You know in those days they did not
have safes, but used to keep their money
in their bedrooms at night. 1t was gen
orally in the shape of bonds. Well, Flem-
ing boosted me up post that held up the
awning in front of the store, and I got in
through the window and got into old man
Morris hair trunk and found his roll and
nailed it. There was 5000 in it, We split
tine money even. Well, I paid Mcpherson,
L
had lost his money.
From that time began making a regu-
lar thing Of robbing grocers, and sup
pose that in the next two years had rob-
bed every grocery store in Albany.
The first time was ever arrested was
for doing fellow what he thought was a
great kindness. One of my pals among
the young fellows about town got married
and made him wedding present of q
gold watch and 5000 in coin to start house
keeping with. They got on to the watch,
and he thought he could save himself by
squealing on me. 1 was pinched, but
had two of the best lawyers in Albany,
and they got me off.
Only few days after that two very
slick thieves named Billy McGlinchy and
Ed Hickey came up from New York, and
l fell in with them. We worked two
nights together, and I was pretty bold
about it. The result was that got for
my bit of the two nights work $1,000,
and then left Albany.
By this time I was about 16, strong and
active, and with no end of nerve. went
straight to New Orleans and began work
ing on the boats. That was sneak work
purc and simple. You know there arc al
ways two doors to those staterooms on the
river boats-an inside and an outside door.
The work was usually done in the morn
ing. When passengers left their state
rooms and went to the washroom to clean
up. they would leave their roll in their
vest under the pillow. 1t was like finding
money TO have a key that would open the
outside door and go in and help yourself.
OF course the clerks and stewards would
have to stand in.
I t,I lao 70 far nj inn nd
was only pinched once in all that time,
hut that was not for boat work. 1t was
in Louisville. fell in there with some
STRONG arm" men or bank robbers.
only wanted tho experience. l got 1t, and
it satisfied me- and never tried any mon,
strong arm work--that il, 1 never tried
to blow up any more safes. although
have robbed hundreds of them since. Well,
rho mob wore all caught, and l got NY
first conviction. Thieves call that get
ting settled"
After l 90; out tried the boats again
for awhile, but I couldn't make them go
very we'll. They got On to me too quick,
and it meant being shot il you were
caught. Then 1 went up to Buffalo on
my way home. There was where l was
settled the second time. 1t was for work
ing the old time patent bombshell graft.
Sometimes We called them patent safes.
From Buffalo I came To New York and
have lived here ever since. / worked here
for :: years without being settled. II
wash because the police didn't want i'
settle me, but they couldn't nail me, WA
80 well covered. didn't stay here all the
time, but worked in Philadelphia, Balii
NOR, nd Washington. Why, used to &C
over To Philadelphia at least - out Of ey
cry .. saturdays for years and years.
used TO think 1t bad days work II
didn't come hack with at least $1,000.
| never turned a trick there but bank wori
and never got settled there.
| The best working pal I ever had.
think, was a fellow named Coleman. W,
worked together about Is months. W,
cleaned mp in one week eI33. 900 in Wal
strce'. We didn't do it by sIs~',iatinp
IN. ty lust plain syeryJsy sneak stealing
The ye.y s.pI!icIty ot i made IT easy a..