The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1897-02-27
A CROOKS CAREER.
EXPLOITS OF CHAUNCEY JOHN
SON, PROFESSIONAL THIEF.
An Accomplished Knave Whose Grim
fnaI History Extends Over Half
a Century-Invented Many
Swindling Schemes.
.HAUNCEY JOHNSON. one O

ment for the petty crime OF snatchlng
a purse. He has been in retirement
for several years and the public 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
thief. He did the first dishonest act
of his life when he was twenty years
old. Since then he has as n rulo been
nothing if not dishonest. To-day he
is only few weeks short of seventy
five years old. Thirty of his fifty-fve
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 and Cam
ada. There is scarcely a settlement
in the country which boasts police
force, or constabulary, where the
face of Chauncey Johnson is not
known, and not a rogues' gallery from
Maine to California which does not in
clude his picture.
johnson began life as bookkeeper,
turned gambler afterward, then. be-
came house burglar, and finally a
bank sneak thief. AS q gambler he
became famous in a game of poker in
which he was alleged to have lost $50.
600. This money was the result of a
series of robberies, for one of which
johnson was arrested and convicted.
II was in 1862, and the victims were O
firm of silk manufacturers in Reade
street. He did five years for this aud
then went to Bethel, Conn.,, where he
broke into the Hetters' Bank and stole
$36, 1000. He was arrested for this be-
fore he had chance to secrete the
money, and its recovery resulted in
clemency being shown the prisoner.
Five years in Jail was his punishment
for this. When he got out Johnson
gave up bankbreaking, and began the
sneak work which made him famous.
He went into 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 at the paying teller's window, he
inserted the wire under the brass rail,
and, with the hook, hauled out big
bundle of $50 bills. Three times he
did this without being detected. He
was at work on roll of 800 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
$14, 600 of the bank money was found
on him. When asked why he hadn't
escaped with that when he had q
chance, johnson replied that it was
the most exciting fun he had ever had
in his life, and he simply couldn't
stop. For this theft johnson got 81
years in the Eastern Penitentiary in
Pennsylvania.
After his release he came to this
city. At s o'clock one morning he
went into downtown bank with the
other employees, walked into the book
keepers cage, and taking down that
officials linen buster and DOMINIC it
himself. went to work on q set OF
books. When the bookkeeper came in
a few minutes later he told him that he
had been discharged, and that he
(Johnson) had been engaged in his
place. The bookkeeper demanded On
explanation from the President of the
bank, and the President denied that
he had dismissed him. Together they
went out and saw johnson. who acted
like An idiot. and was allowed to go.
Later in the day the cashier missed
$4,000. johnson was not punished
for this, although arrested many times
afterward for other crimes.
A similar dodge was worked by John
son on the Adams Express Company.
When the cashier at the lower Broad
way office went out to lunch johnson
walked in. donned the mans Office
coat and 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.
ed he was other than the cashier, as he
kept his face close to the desk. he
stayed there for fifteen minutes, and
then walked out with $4,000 in his
pocket. He was arrested later, but for
Jack of evidence was not convicted.
Later johnson walked into August Bel
mont's office, and in plain sight Of
twenty clerks, took bundle of bonds
valued at S25, 1000 from the desk and
walked out again. Two days later he
was arrested, but again no one could
identify him and he was discharged.
In 1871 johnson, while loItering
around the Fifth Avenue Hotel, saw q
ledger hand the clerk package, re-
marking as he did SO that 1t contained
valuables, and that be wanted it locked
up in the safe. The clerk put it in the
safe and shut the door, but did not
lock it. In 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 fact that he stumbled over a waste
basket and attracted attention to him
self. For this affair he did ten years
in Sing Sing Prison.
When johnson had no money he
was an inveterate borrower and could
always get large amounts from his
friends without giving any security.
1t is said of him that one time when
some people were pressing him for
money lent them, he asked:
''Don't you think that as long as
the world is full of sleepy bank clerks.
Chauncey Johnson is good for his
debts? In week I'll pay all OF you,
and have money Left over. -