Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-10-13
AN ARTISTIC BURGLAR.

There are many instances in fiction
and some few in fact. of gentlemanly
heightened. handsome highwaymen, but
the published records show few burglars
who have possessed those charms.
In the days Of the stage-coach TIE
Claude Duvals and Paul Cliffords were
won't TO stop in their work and soo,he
the afrighted ladies and chat with the
men. They had leisure TO do so, but the
profession of burglarism in these CO.
ahead days Is wanting in such opportu-
mites. The burglar has to enter the house
when the family Is absent or asleep. In
| either event he has little chance of dis
playing his gentility and easy methods,
and must hurry away quickly. Hence it
is that he has usually been classed with
murderers of tho deepest dye and that
price is set upon his head.
But an arrest recently made In New
| York city goes TO show that the profess
sion has been misjudged, or at least tina,
there are exceptions 10 the rule as TO
what manner of men burglars are. The
case In point is wonderful, for at least
two reasons First, the arrest was made
by the detectives without assistance from
the newspaper reporters, and second be-
cause the prisoner is man who was
living threefold life. He outclassed
the Jekyl and Hyde hero. He was most
dutiful son, who provided literally for
his mother, but told her nothing about
his having n wife and family. He was an
affectionate and provident husband and
father but never acquainted his family
with the existence of his mother. And yet
more important, he always pretended 10
be commercial traveller, while, in re-
alty. he was naught but an artistic
burglar.
The territory that he travelled was IN
New England, though he occasionally did
odd Jobs elsewhere. He was known TO
many people, but until recently was
never suspected of being other than an
upright and valuable citizen; poor but
honest He was uncloaked at last by
remark made by a commonplace burglar
who had been caught and who jollied the
police about "a great artist who was
'in the business; who had never been
suspected. and never would be caught.
We have no reason to suppose that pro-
fessional jealousy or any other evil mo-
tive induced the captive burglar to say
what he did but the result was the same |
and the detectives eventually arrested the
gentlemanly person In question-one Will |
liam f. Travis.
by trade, and he is 5 feet Si-2 inches |
high, weighs 172 pounds, and has a>mar-
velous physique. Moreover, he is a |
person of tremendous strength and en-
durance. He always went well armed |
and might have made a desperate re-
sistance to the officers of the law, but |
he was trapped before he knew 1t.
BY his own confession he has been a |
burglar for ten years. In all that time |
he has kept good company and never /
was seen associating with thief. He |
was always his own pal and his own |
he carried were 1.-TWO wrenches, jimmy, |
and a small piece of candle" His cool
systematic planning, and inn
mense muscular strength did the rest.
He is an expert porch climber and usually
entered houses by their second-story
windows.
He is quoted as saying that burglary
is an art, and the secret of the art IS
to go 1t alone. 1t may take years of
study, like any other profession, but 1t is
an art just the same"
The only trouble that Travis is now
experiencing is, that, after all, and quite
inexplica bly, his secret leaked out. His
art is now powerless to save him from
lifelong Imprisonment, and he is no be-
Ter off than an artless burglar who is
sure of a long sentence.
Travis is now beyond the reach of any
of ours, and we cannot hurt
his feelings, wherefore, we venture 10
say that he would have been better off
II he had lived an honest life. AS ii is,
he will soon enter upon long imprison
ment with the consciousness that all Of
his plumber is in the hands of the police,
while in one home is a broken-hearted
old mother and in another wife and
children who mourn for one who is worse
Than dead,