The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-04-14
FORCED TO Be A CRIMINAL
How a Young German Immigrant
Became a Notorious Crook.

commonly hENNsls might ttf tRAe7- 49,
eral years ago the mention Of might doc
tors" in the presence of negro was SUI
fcient 10 cause that dusky individual To
suffer from frfghts OF all descriptions
The more superstitious of the race have
been known to carry on their persons for
years such gruesome objects as the tail
of a dog the skin of a snake. and the
hind foot OF a rabbit, which they believed
possessed power sufficient 10 protect them
from the dreaded might doctor.
If YOU want to see some fun, said an
old policeman. while the subject was I'M
der discussion in the wardroom Of the
station the other night. take the tough
est negro on your beat, one who has borne
the reputation of bad man for years,
and while carrying him to the patrol box
talk to him about the night doctors, or
ii that won't work and you have grave
yard anywhere near your beat march him
through it, / have seen the most desper-
ate Of them shake like a leaf while pass
ing through such places. one night when
J was a mounted man doing duty on the
Glenwood Road in years gone by. my
partner and j saw a negro coming down
past the gypsy camp and the old wine
house on the dead run. Mike and / spur
red our horses up and soon overlook him
his StilaA WIS tDNtlth - tAiA biON0 eAtlN IA
one OF his hands he carried an open razor
We cross-eNamiued him right then and
there pu1 him through the sweating pro-
cess. assisted 10y our biack-jacks. but it
was 70 good. the negro was game. and re-
fused To talk. Suddenly "a bright idea
struck me and I determined TO Try it.
After a conference, held I'm a whisper, We
decided 20 take him into one of the bury
grounds nearby Grabbing him by the
arm. we started down the road TO the
old Gleuwo0d Cemetery. In the meantime
my partner began 10 talk of "a man he had
seen in the cemetery one night running
around wrapped in q white sheet. Arriv-
ing on the outside of the cemetery we
scaled the fence with our captive. II was
50 dark you couldn't see your hand before
YOU In the meantime the negro was
shaking like a leaf and when he heard
Mike mention night doctors. that was
enough for him.
He made a terrific struggle to escape. but
it was useless. and then. seeing we had
him for fair, promptly began to tell ali he
knew. he fairly screamed his confession.
Wei. we got what We wanted. and it was
good case. too. he had nearly killed an
other negro in the vicinity OF Brookland.
and was escaping when we caught him.
80 JUST SlhE GAit 4ril-ftN- A."-f a. At4
which I have learned from experience.
and that is-the name OF a night doctor
together with that Of a graveyard VIII
make the gamest of them SguaaL'
Perhaps one of she most notorious men
engaged in grave Iobbing in the National
Capital Yves a man named Nigo Janssou
Ross. alias JanssoB- 1t has been a score
of years since he operated here, but new
,rtheless his name is SIN familiar To
many OF the oldest detectives. Jansson.
AS he was known was Il foreigner hay
ing emigrated to these shores from Ger
many. where he was a medical student
ia Janssou' = case grave rebbing was not
u job that H. ,rolished, ana perhaps IL he
had never made th" acquaintance Of
Billy Forester, who was at that time
The dean Of American -'hQusewOrkers.
he would have been better OFF. Janssou
was typical soldier az fortune. having
made his way to America to see the
world. He had no criminal tendencies.
Il was during Hayes Administration. ac-
SOrdiug te the confession made number
Of years afterward by Jansson To Detec-
sive George O. Miller. long since retired.
and who nov lives in this city, and who
arrested JaussoH. that he tJanSsDuD met
Billy Forester in a New Orleans cafe
For several months Forester, who had
escaped from the Joliet prison. had been
travelling under an assumed name. and
when one night in a saloon ne noticed the
pale young man with Il respondent look
upon MS face sitting at the opposite table
be promptly invited him over and began
10 talk with him. When the hour for
closing the place drew near FORESTER ia
Eited the Young foreigner 10 sleep with
him. They had Travelled several blocks on
Their way home. when they came 10
handsome dwelling. Forester halted,
and turning Ia his young friend, bade him
remove his shoes. The latter hesitated
for "a minute but at the sight Of a re-
Voiver in the hand Of his friend quickly
complied. Then he was ordered to climb
Up the awning pole get through the win
dow. and proceed down to the front door,
which he WAS to OMEN for Forester.
The uEinitiated and heretofore honest
youth tried TO beg of but it was of no
use and JSnSsGn proceeded to execute the
orders. Up the pole he climbed and into
the window he crawled. When he opened
the door. thinking he had done his share
IN the business JanssOn started to run.
but Forester forced him TO re-enter the
building. He went into the building at
the point Of pistol and that night re-
ceived bis first lessons III burglary. Night
after night while sleeping with Forester
Jsnss0n made useless attempts to es-
ape, Forester always awakening and
cautiOning him not 10 be afraid. -eiways
cling the frightened foreigner ne needed
him IN his business.
The pair Travelled North. visiting cities
2 nd small towns and Diling up their booty
en- route. Jansson made 50 many futile
attempts TO shake off his evil companion
without success. that AT last he became
fascinated with his new life and resigned
himself to his fate. Seeing that his com
paaiOn had given up the idea of escaping,
Forester while the pair We're in Hamp-
ION, clambered up tree and entered q
dwelling leaving his shoes on the street
IN charge OF the young German. Jams
son seeing his first opportunity for cS-
cape available, made a wild dash for free
dom Hearing footsteps behind him the
frightened youth glanced back thinking it
vas policeman. but instead saw the face
II FORESTER white with rage. Drawing
his gun Forester forced The young man
70 stop and To teach him lesson, evident
IS. made young Jausson go back 10 the
house and finish the Job. Forester in the
sitting in the dining room Of the
residence smoking a cigar.
IL was while the two were engaged IN
doing the second story work ia this
city that Jansson was apprehended b.
Detective C0omes now dead Jansson
had been used for what IS known a
'StalF' by Forrester-that IS he had been
given the plumber stolen By the two to
dispose Of. The two. detectives were in a
psWnshop when Jansson entered to sell /
some goods. and they promptly placed !
iiim under arrest tie was carried To pO-
lice headquarters WHERE he told the story
of how Forester had forced him TO be
come = criminal Forester WAS arrested
later and gent To Joliet TO serve the bal
-tfce OF has term, while JannSOn. owing
TO has youth and the straight forward /
manner in which be related his story was
released
~ ettsAN - AhAF-sEttfl went from BaN 20
worse. Having heard that large sums OF
money were paid Tor the body of dead per
sons oy physicians who desired them for
medical purposes, and having no OccuDa- 4
ton he straightWay began the avOcation +
~ grave rObbing. His association with I
Forester had made him bold and b. /
became 50 fearless that he had absolutely I
100 scruples about body-snatching Il was I
nothing unusual for him To secure the 4
bodies alone. pom different occasions hs. +
- arrested. being caught in the act each /.
~, and he served eonsidera bic time ia /