Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1896-03-26

discuss great deal. was
doing special work for two
Sunday papers, as we'll as
regular reporting, and literary work for
better publications; and l thus obtained
enough income to enable me to rent a
comfortable little house in the suburb
which was building up rapidly, and
which has since become part of the
great city.
One day l was asked by the Sunday
editor to get up an article on burglars
and their methods l could have faxed
it from start to finish, but l resolved to
secure some original material to work on
thinking then l could fake" what I
liked.
Getting myself up in ''tough" rig
after letting my beard grow three days,
sought one of the lowest quarters of
the city, where criminals were known
to congragate hattered myself that
| looked as disreputable as the hardest
"mng' Of them all.
Fortune favored me for late in the
afternoon on the first day | saved man
from being run down by some frightened
truck horses and then, when lie had
sized me up, as we were drinking a
friendly glass of beer, he asked:
"Been lunnin' in hard luck lately,
pal%
"Dats wot," | returned assuming a
tough dialect, "Dese fly cops lave
been keepin' me close ter der wind"
He looked interested.
"Wot's yer line" he asked cautiously
Anything from swipln' ticker ter
crackin ii crib" | asserted. WI know
where dere's dead easy thing, but
don't want ter work it alone"
NWot is it"
CI!u. olu o'ohe Ou' III Ilc sul u
burbs-lots of sllver-carries plenty of
filthy"
"Know the lay of the laud"
"Sure."
"Easy"
"It's ciuch. Back basement win
dow left unfastened every night by the
cook"
My companions eyes glistened.
"How long you been pipin this Off?
VA week. Waitin' fer my pal tel
turn up. lie be out in three more days
for his times up den"
Wand that COOK may de fired in that
time, Better strike now, pal; and il
you wants a good man take me along
It's right in my special line"
. We talked the matter over for more
than an hour and the man | had saved
told me he was "Sneak Morrisy Il bur
glar "by profession n and a man who
vas wanted by the police. seemed to
have won his confidence completely for
he said he was a good judge of human
nature and he knew | was ION the
dead level.'
I will confess that I Was surprised to
hearhim give himself away SO completely
on a short acquaintance but | flattered
myself that | had pulled the wool over
his ewes in very pretty manner.
With an ease that astonished myself
| gave him history of Bunk Carney
: sort of all-round crook, professi~g to
be him myself, although | knew l was
treading on dangers grounds,as he might
know Carney personally.
However it seemed to 90 down with
out much crowding and | felt that had
worked it pretty slick.
Iagreed to take Morrisy along to help
me crack the crib, and We spent an hour
talking about the lay of the land, for J
pretended had begged my way into
the house at the back door and so |
knew something about the interior ar
rangement.
When we parted | had given him the
street and number of the house and he
was to meet me in two hours 80 we
would not separate again till the Job
was done. had really planned to en-.
ter my cwn house with the burglar and
| cbuckled to myself as thought what
first class story it would make for next
Sundays paper
After leaving my shady acquaintance
fastened home TO tell my wife about
it and arrange things for the reception
of Mr.. Morrisy.
| dispatched note to headquarters
asking that two men be sent to my
! house explaining briefly that an attempt
would be made to burglarize the place
and that SneakMorrisy could be caught
in the act.
Then I barely had time to keep the