The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1897-02-09
q CROOKS CAREER.
EXPLOITS OF CHAUNCEY JOHN
son, PROFESSIONAL THIKF.
An Accomplished Knare Whose Grim.
inal History Extends Over Half
Century-Inverted Many
Swindling Schemes:

i"i seNerul years anu Inc pubic has
probably forgotten his exploits in
knavery, hence the following resume,
IN the New York Sun, of his career
will prove interesting:
Chauncey johnson is professional
hief. he did the first dishonest act
of his lille when lie was twenty wears
old. Since then lie has as n rule been
nothing If not dishonest. 70 day he
is only Il few weeks short of seventy.
five years old. Thirty of his fiIty-five
| years OF crime have been spent in jail,
the time being about equally divided
among the various large penal insti.
| tutions OF the United States aud Can.
ada. There is scarcely settlement
IN the country which boasts police
force, or a constabulary, where the
face of Chauncey johnson is not
known, and not rogues' gallery from
| Maine to California which does not in.
clude his picture.
johnson began life as bookkeeper.
turned gambler a!terward, then be.
came house burglar, and finally a
| bank sneak thief. AS a gambler he
became famous in game of poker i'll
which he was alleged to have lost 500. e.
| OOc. This money was the result of n
| series of robberies, for one OF which
| johnson was arrested and convicted.
III was In 1852, and the victims were
| firm OF silk manufacturers in Reade
street. he did five years for this aud
then went to Bethel, Conn, where he
broke into the TIatters' Bank and stole
| S36, 900. He was arrested for this be-
| fore he had chance to secrete the
| money, and It's recovery resulted in
clemency being shown the pri oner.
! Five years in jail was his punishment
for this. WheE he got out johnson
gave up bankbreaking, and began the
sneak work which made him famous.
He went into n Philadelphia bank one
day, armed with long and very thin
bit of steel wire, the end of which was
| formed into hook. Standing in the
line Mt the paying tel!er's window, he
inserted the wire under the brass rail.
and, with the hook, hauled out a big
bundle of $50 bills. Three times he
did this without being detected. He
was at work on roll of 500 bills when
the cashier looked around and saw the
bundle moving. He grabbed 1t, and
! before johnson could escape a porter
had him. When he was searched
S14, 900 of the banks IL oney was found
on him. When asked why he hadn't
| escaped with that when he had a
chance, johnson replied that it was
! The most exciting fun he had ever had
( in his life, and he simply coulln't
stop. For this theft johnson got 81
/ years in the Eastern Penilentiary in
Pennsylvania.
After his release he came TO this
city. At o'clock one morning lie
! went INTO II downtown bank with the
! other employees, walked into the book.
keepers cage, and taking down that
! officials linen buster and donning it
himself, went to work on set of
books. When the bookkeeper came in
! few minutes later he told him that lie
had been discharged, and that he
! (Johnson) had been engaged in his
| place. The bookkeeper demanded an
! explanation from the President of the
bank, and the President denied that
he had dismissed him. Together they
went ont and saw Johnson, who acted
! like an idiot, and was allowed to 90
Later IN the day the cashier missed
! Sl5, 600. johnson was not punished
for this, although arrested many times
alterward for other crimes.
A similar dodge was worked bv John.
son on the Adams Express Company.
/ When the cashier at the lower Broad.
way Office went out to lunch johnson
| walked in. donDed the mans Office
coat aud skull cap, stuck pen behind
his ear, and took his place. A dozen
OF the clerks in the Office spoke TO him
/ while he was there, and never suspect.
! ell he was other than the cashier. as he
! kept his face close TO the desk. He
/ stayed there for fifteen minutes, ard
then walked out with $4,000 in his
| pocket. lie was arrested later, but for
! Jack OF evidence was not convicted.
/ Later johnson walked into August Bel
/ monts Office, and in plain sight of
twenty clerks, took bundle OF bonds
/ valued at S2j, 600 from the desk and
walked ont again. Two days later he
/ was arrested, but again no one could
I identify him and he was discharged.
In 1871 Johnson, while lettering
around the Fifth Avenue Hotel, saw
| ledger hand the clerk a package. re.
marking rs he did so that 1t contained
| valuables, and that he wanted it locked
= up in the safe the clerk put it in tho
safe and shut the door, but did not
/ lock it. Tn apparent sight Of the three
| clerks behind the desk Johnson walked
/ through the gate, opened the safe
took out the package and started
away. he would have escaped but for
| the TACT that he stumbled over q wnste
/ basket and attracted attention to him.
4 self. For this affair he did ten years
In Sing Sing Prison.
I When johnson had no money he
was an inveterate borrower and could
always get large amounts from his
friends without giving any security.
II is said Of him that one time when
some people were pressing him for
money lent them, he asked
! "DOb't yor think that rs long as
the world is foil OF sleepy bank clerks,
Chauhcey Johnson is COOL for his
debts? in q week tn pay all Of you,
and have money left over
a few days later tin box contain.
ing securities and cash to The value Of