Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-09-25
KEEP A SMALL DOG.
Housebreal<ers Fear 1t Much More
Than They Do Revolt

From the Cincinnati Enquirer
Thomas Simpson, alias "Tom Dodger,"
who is known in police circles all over the
country, was in town the other night. but
he got away before Colonel Deitsch's
fly coppers" got on to him. He met
several persons in downtown resort, and
after indulsing in a few drinks he became
confidential in his talk. Toms hints to
householders were quite interesting. Among
those who listened to him was an ex-detec-
tive, who had often locked him up years
ago.
You see." said Tom. "the public them
selves assist us great deal. or men in my
line wouldn't be able to bring off success
fully one-tenth the Jobs they do now. For
instance, however careful housekeepers
and their servants may be with regard
to window fastenings on the ground floor,
as rule they pay little attention to those
of rooms upstairs, being absolutely care
less in many cases. for even when the
fastenings are in good order they are often
left undone. Now man who knows his
n business mess never & tries the ground floor for
quainted with the run of the house and
the habits of the household land even then
doors. for which key has been procured,
or the lock and bolts of which can easily
be forced.
Well, there amt none any good, unless
it's two wedges forced down between the
sahes, one on each side of the window. The
screw to fix the sashes, as well as the other
safe lodges, can easily be undone by cut
ting out piece of glass. Now the wedges,
II you tumble at once that there were
wedges, could only be got at by cutting
erly fixed, they can't be shifted without
making more noise than We care about
doing while on business: more especially
is attached to the window.
THE last time I was 'copped was
through one of them coil-spring bells-but
v1nf nvi -t~11n l,lr1 1T, W.
house went for was occupied by an eccen-
trio old man, well-to-do, and owning tidy
lot of plate. The 'spotter' l employed man
of the servants, and from her he learned
that the master was suspicious of the do
mestics. laying traps to catch 'em giving
away dripping or odds and ends, and so
on, and making all of 'em go to bed before
well, 1 felt as this was rather a tick
the back door, decided to risk it. I did,
and I got into the house as easy as wink
ing Reaching the drawing room, where
from the cupboard, and. as everything had
gone off so well, sat down to have a rest
before packing it up-walking on tiptoe is
five en- minutes when, bangi i felt a @ crack on
the head, and / knew nothing more until
l found myself tied hands and feet and
two policemen standing over me.
when my trial came on, and not until
then, I discovered that my capture was
due to the fact that the master of the
house, in order to find out IL any of the
servants came downstairs after he had re-
tired, had placed cotton across the pas
sage and staircases. about six inches from
spring bell fixed in his bedroom. In my
journey upstairs l had, without knowing
it, broken the cotton and sounded the
alarm les Yes 1t was a.taea6. neat COP.
and housebreaking during the dark days? :?
Yes. but why. Just then the not-over-
particular rough laboring class get hard
up, and they are open to take to anything
from purse-snatching upward. IL there is
even a remote chance OF making money.
The consequence is that directly an oppor-
tunity offers to carry out a burglary. they
go for it'-go for it without taking any
precautions and relying on brute force.
the knife, &, or even the rev revolver to to effect
are so many brutal assaults and murders
by so-called burglars just at that time OF
the year
valuables locks. windows and habits of
those living in likely house. together
sometimes obsahsd Wth ThX hx R OF
who has nothing to 90 with the actual
burglary. but takes share In the haul.
nevertheless A 'spotter' may be anything,
from a hawker calling at the servants en-
trance, the gas man come to take the
meter. water inspector to see II there is
any Leakage. or sp, Simply, the &c Hor - the he time time
wants.
..Just a remark about ladders. In large
establishments ! have particularly noticed
the care with which all ladders are locked
up. while just round the, corner. perhaps
lying in the open, are the clothes posts
used for drying or sun airing the clothes
from the laundry. Now. it's as easy to
swarm up good square clothes post to
reach n first floor window, and. when in q
hurry. it's a lump quicker to slide down
one than down ladder.
''I tell you what will shake the nerves of
a burglar as much as anything, and p'raps
make him drop his tOOls-that is. kicking
against large sheet Of crumpled news
paper carefully laid IN the passage l got
such a noise that I Immediately bolted
.'But if you yerself is frightened of burg
lars paying your house n visit" he con-
cluded confidentially, the best tip I can
give you is to lay in little yelping. snap
pish dog-One that will rouse everybody di-
rectly a door or window is tried-and let
him have the run of the house, inside.
every night. That's the best safeguard
there is