The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1896-05-01
LOVE AND JAIL BREAKING.
Episode In the Career of Max
Shtnburn, the King Of Bank Burglars.

| ShnDurh, the Ming u mann ""' s'"''
The true story came out Saturday o
the recent attempt Of Count Max Shin
burn. the king of burglars, the maj
who has stolen millions of dollars ant
escaped from dozen iails, among then
that at Concord N. H., whore he was
held for robbing the Walpole Savings
bank, to escape recently from the jai
at Albany, N. r., where he has beer
held for seven months past awaiting
trial for the robbirg of a bank at Mid
dlebury, N. Y. 1t was part of love
affair IN which he got meshed though
now 90 years old. His figure is erect.
his features handsome, and his bear
ing most distinguished. His abilities
are of an order that make his ascend
ancy over his criminal associates a
matter of small wonder, and they
operated that way on young woman
employed AS stenographer in the
county clerks office, across the street
from the Jail. Some time In the neigh
| borhood OF March Ia this young
woman happened to glance across the
courtyard into the Jail windows and
spied the king of bank robbers looking
wistfully through the iron bars at her.
She is an expert in the sign language
and made signs to him which meant:
What are you in jail forY"
He motioned back:
"My name il Max Shinburn, and
never did anything in my life but
the people here claim am bank rob
her," From that day to this, the two
have kept up conversation, until it
is said. the girl is head over heels in
love with the noted criminal,
About two weeks ago ii is said that
the young woman remained at the Of
flee after every one else had left, and
the two Matched a plan which il sue
cessful would have given Shinburn his
liberty. ShinbuIn was to fasten the
door to the pit where the prisoners
are confined and stand guard over il
until darkness came. Then he was to
leave the door and go to the window.
whore he would find his sweetheart
waiting with saw, revolver and some
money. Unfortunately for them, the
plot was not successful. He managed to
stuff the keyhoe of the door with wire
so that the key could not be put in.
He then stood guard over the door
with an iron poker. and threatened to
brain any man who went near the door.
But he was stopped by Jaier Collopy
before he could get the things from
his sweetheart. Collopy went into the
Jail yard and shot the noted prisoner
in the leg. The girl waited until she
heard her lovers yell after being shot
and then fed The story then given
out was that this was only dodge of
Shinburn's to make people think he
was crazy. Since that time Shinburn
has been confined in another part Of
the Jail. while the girl goes about her
work almost heartbroken. 1t is said
that she has made numerous efforts to
see the Count. but has always failed. |
The story Of Shinburn's remarkable |
career OF crime has been told |
at length in the Reformer. In the |
Early sixties he with the gang Of |
famous bank burglars of which he |
vas the head achieved a succession
IF gigantic robberies which enabled |
lin to leave the country with nearly
Il, 600, 600. He went to Belgium.
where he bought silk mill and the
title of count and lived respectfully
fifteen years. Then his money gave
nut.
orts on the continent for some time
With comparatively small returns and
vas several times in prison. 1t was
lis boast however, that no Jail in
europe could hold him, and after a
ime he returned to America and
eaded another gang of famous
urglaars, more skilled than the old
ne. {
The depredations of this band of
urglars continued until short time
go when Shinburn was captured in
with the Middleburg
flair
No one supposes that his affection :
n the young woman in the County {
Jerks office would last longer than
as necessary to insure his escape
ON prison {