The Press. (Stafford Springs, Conn.) 1883-1935, 1900-02-08
THE HEADYBURGLAR
METHODS HE USES TO PUT THE Po-
LICE ON THE WRONG SCENT.

LICE ON THE WRONG SCENT.
Two Cases Where Coolness and Pres
ence of Mind Were More Effective
Than Fleetness of Foot In Evading
the Omcers of the Law.
''The crooks of Chicago don't believe
in the running game in attempting to
escape when caught at work." said a
Chicago detective who was in Wash
ington last week, land Pm rather in
clined to believe that they've got the
sensible end of it. A man who starts
to run away from one or more police
men, no matter whether he is swifter
of foot than a deer, is bound to be col
Jared nine times out of ten, whether he
makes his dash at midday or in the
middle of the night. He has to take
the big chance Of being headed off by
other cops, and he has to take chances
on the blind alleys that he's liable to
run into. The crook, caught red hand
ed, who keeps longest out of the
clutches of the police, is the man who
uses his head and who doesn't run. To
illustrate:
d Ii
Chicago housebreaker, who has put in
numerous hefty stretches at Joliet, de-
cided to crack a crib on Prairie ave-
nue., one of the swagger houses Of the
town. He found that the whole fam
lily occupying the house were going to
the theater on a certain night, and he
figured on all of the servants remain
ing below stairs after the family's de-
parture. He made a second story job
of it, climbing up porch, and he got
in without a bit Of trouble. 1t was
really something easy, and the fellow
simply got pockets full Of jewelry.
The thing was passing off beautifully
when a maidservant walked in on
him while he was ransacking the dress
ers in one of the ladies' boudoirs. She
let out a scream and went a-kiting
| down the steps to where the menserv
ants were. The crook sloped for the
| front door on the second floor and slip
| ped down the same porch stanchion
that he had used in climbing up. He
was pretty quick, and he was couple
of doors away, on the sidewalk before
lot of servants burst out of the house
|
| Now, If that crook had started to run
there is no manner of doubt that he
would have been headed off, and he
would have stood more than an even
chance of being shot into the bargain
if not by a cop, then by some citizen
or other, for since the reign of footpad
| terror in Chicago few years ago a
majority of the citizens who stay out
late o. nights pack guns around with
/ them. Well, this thief didn't do any
running stunt at all. There was an
undertaker's wagon standing in front
of house about five doors away from
the one he had robbed. No one was in
the wagon. The crook saw his chance
He stepped aboard the wagon in q
leisurely manner, gave cluck to the
horse and started to drive off at lazy
trot just as couple Of officers charged
around the corner. He pulled the
wagon up to talk to the cops.
"I guess somebody's been killed
down in that house, the way they're
yellin,' he said to the cops.
"'Have you seen any one running by
hereY the policeman asked him.
/ wen, just dS AOppSu dUOdIu lhS
wagon there was duck chased out OF
that house and screwed down the other
way replied the thief, and the police
men took up their lope and started fol-
the robbed house. The thief drove
down Prairie avenue with all the lei
sure in life. He abandoned the wagon
after going mile, and took down
town car. l nailed him a couple OF
} months later when he was drunk, or
!, suspicion of having hand in a certain
job, and he was boastful enough tC
own up to it and to tell me how he'd
got away on the occasion I've told yor
about.
"Still more recently there was an
other we'll known Chicago second story
man caught in the act of going through
house on one of the prominent boule
! Yards. The butler came in on him
and he punched the butler a swift one
? and backheeled him. Then he walked
swiftly out of the house and down the
steps, a number of the other servants
meantime appearing at the basement
door and bowling. Down in the mex
block big gang Of all night men were
| CASdSCu III putting III new ScWcI pipes
The crook didn't take up any sprint
, but he just made for the scene of the
sewer pipe operations at good walk
ing clip. He was got up pretty roughly
and he jumped into the first ditch he
came to, after having caught up a picl
that was lying on the brink, and start
ed in to work.
"There was Swede in the pit there
, with him, but the Swede had the prop
| er Scandinavian stolidity, and he didn't
, pay any attention to his new digging
companion. The crook piled his pici
there for an hour, while cops plowet
around all over the street looking fol
the robber. When the excitement ha(
all died down, he dropped his pick ant
stole silently away. There was rum il
J this ones head. too. when one of my
+, sleuth pals got him. and he told chestily
of the neat way he had given the cops
the slip. So many of the Chicago
crooks arc adopting similar tactics
nowadays that it is rare for Chicago
policeman to get run for his money