The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-09-24
supERSTITIONs OF THIEVES.
Happenings that are Regarded by Crooks
AS Forerunners of Had Luck.

iIoVoNuhui Nihh""' ""'N ""'
stitions Not one In one hundred VIII CON,
NIT theft OF any daring on Fnuay
or on the 18th Of the month. In support
of this superstition almost any old time crook
will cite the instance OF Charles Mclaughlin
alias Mcl.an an expert hotel-sneak ana all round
thief who worked IN New YORK city IN 'he carry
seventies. In 1872 he, pal named Howard ana
two other thieves planned to rob an once III bt"ok
Ign The only date on which the JOB c"nld he
done with profit and safety was ON June u" oh
that day the cashiers money drawer would be
full and the Office force would he small VII
the crooks regarded the date obviously ana would
have selected another with less prnspccto success
but for the cxpoStulatlon OF Mclaughlin 80
the raid was madH ON the day originally determln.
ed upon. 1t proved disastrous failure All
the men were caught except Mclaughlin. who
escaped through window, Those who were
captured were sent to prison for seven years each
Mclaughlin never had any good luck after that
lie was caught in the Wcsmn ter Hotel New
York, load d with plumber, and was sentenced ON
c Friday, thr 18th Of the month
Thieves can tell many anecdotes to prove that
Fridays and the 18th al the month are days set
aside Tor rest For instance, they VIII tell you now
Dan Kelly, bank burglar, who worked IN ana
around Louisville, Ky" in the early eighties, was
killed on the 18th OF December while rohblng safe
in small town ana now MS partner was
struck by lightning while making his csrape
Crooks in general avoid black cats ana bind
dogs It's regarded as challenge TO disaster ana
misfortune to kill either II thief on his way to
commit a theft sees black cat OF Is followed by a
dog he will probably abandon the JOB Tor the umc
being. II black cat runs IN front o' MN ne VIII
quit work for week. In 1882, Frank Mccormack,
James Leonard Tom Fremont and Mike Duhy,
sate-bowers who were making their headquarters
in Buffalo, went to Lockport one night TO rob u
safe in the Office OF Touring mill which stood
close TO the Central Railway tracks 1t was an
ideal spot for burglary because the noise OF
passing trains would dsaden the sounds made
while drilling and blowing open the safe The
quartcttc were passing through the railway yards
| about \. NJ when n black cat darted across inc
tracks not two yards ahead OF them and stopping
| in the shadow OF switch, howled hideously. All
| the men stopped
| You can count me out said Duly TO Leonard
| You going TO let that cat scare YOU asked
| Leonard.
| That's just what am, Duly reto'ted
| Mccormack and Fremont stayed with Leon
ard The trio got into the place and had Just
blown the door off the safe when they were sur
| prised by two men fully armed Fremont and
Leonard were dangerously injured. They and
Mccormack were sentenced to SIX years IN An
burn prison. Leonard told the story as here re
lated to Buffalo detective present at the uial
Most crooks lose their money at some sort OF
| gaming thief especially house-breaker
believes in working while his luck is good. Fol
instance, he will often leave a game he is win