The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-04-14
FORCED TO Be A CRIMINAL
How & Young German Immigrant
Became a Notorious Crook.
Chance Meeting With Billy For
roster and Its Hearing on the Flu
ture of yigo Jansson Ross-BurG
larry First. Then Grave RobbinG.


eral years ago the mention of might doc
tors" in the presence of negro was sur
ficient TO cause that dusky individual to
suffer from frights of all descriptions.
The more superstitious of the race have
been known to carry on their persons for
years such sruesome objects as the tail
of n dog. the skin of snake, and the
hind foot of a rabbit. which they believed
possessed power sufficient to protect them
from the dreaded might doctor
IF you want to see some fun said an
old policeman. while the subject was UNI
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
If that won't work and you have grave
yard anywhere near your beat march him
through it l have seen the most desper-
ate of them shake like a leaf while pass
ing through such places one night when
] was a mounted man doing duty on the
Glenwood Road in years gone by. my
partner and / saw negro coming down
past the gypsy camp and the old wine
house on the dead run. Mike and l spur
red our horses up and soon overlook him.
one OF his hands he carried an open razor.
We cross-examined him right then and
there. put him through the sweating pro
cess, assisted by our blaclS-jacks. but it
was TO good. the negro was game. and re-
fused to talk Suddenly a bright idea
struck me and ] determined to try it.
After a conference. held in a whisper. We
decided 10 take him into one Of the bury
grounds nearby. Grabbing him by the
arm. we started down the road to the
old GenwOod Cemetery. In the meantime
my partner began to talk of a man he had
seen in the cemetery one night running
around wrapped in white sheet. Arriv
ing on the outside of the cemetery. We
scaled the fence with our captive. II was
so 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 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.
Well. we got what We wanted. and it was
a good case too: he had nearly killed an
other negro in the vicinity OF Brookland
and was escaping when we caught him.
which I have learned from experience,
and that is-the name of night doctor
together with that of graveyard will
make the gamest Of them sauaaL'
Perhaps one of the most notorious men
engaged in grave robbing in the National
Capital was man named Vigo Jansson
Ross, alias Jansson. 1t has been a score
Of years since he operated here, but new
.rtheess his name is SIN familiar to
many OF the oldest detectives. Janssou,
as he was known, was a foreigner, hsv-
ing emigFated to these shores from Ger
many. where he was medical student.
In Jansson's case grave robbing was not
Il job that H.. 'rolislle,i. ana perhaps il he
had never made The. acquaintance OF
Billy Forester, who was at that time
the dean Of American "houseworkers.
he would have been better OFF. Janssan
was a typical soldier Of fortune having
made his way to America to see the
world. He had no criminal tendencies.
1t was during Hayes Administ ration. ac-
COriiug TO the confession made number
81 years afterward by Jansson To- Detec-
live George O. Miller. long since retired.
and who nov lives In this city, and who
arrested Jausson. that he (JanSson) met
Billy Forester in 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 he noticed the
pale young man with a respondent look
upon his face sitting at the opposite table
he promptly invited him over and began
TO talk with him. When the hour for
closing the place drew near Forester in
Vited the young foreigner to sleep with
him. They had Travelled several blocks on
their way home. when they came 10 a
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 re-
Volyer in the band Of his friend quickly
complied Then he was ordered to climb
up the awning pole, get through the win
dow. and proceed down to tie front door,
which he was to open for Forester
The uEinitiatcd and heretofore honest
youth tried to beg off, but it was of no
Use and Janss0n proceeded to execute the |
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 al |
the point of a pistol and that night re- |
cetved his first lessons in burglary Night !
after night while sleeping with Forester |
snssOn made useless attempts to es- i
cape, Forester always awakening and |
him not to be afraid always |
telling the frightened foreigner he needed
him in his business.
The pair Travelled North, visiting cities
2 nd small towns and piling up their booty
en- route. Jansson made so many futile
attempts to shake off his evil companion
fascinated with his new life and resigned
himself to his fate. Seeing that his com
panion had given up the idea of escaping,
while the pair Were in Hamp-
Ton. clambered up tree and entered a
dwelling leaving his shoes on the street |
in charge Of the young German. JAMS
son seeing his first opportunity for cs-
cape available, made wild dash Tor free
dom. Hearing footsteps behind him the
frightened youth glanced back thinking il
was a policeman, but instead saw the face
If FORESTER white with rage Drawing
his gun Forester forced the young man
10 stop and to teach him a lesson, evident
~, made young Jansson go back to the !
house and finish the Job. Forester In the
sitting in the dining room of the /
residence smoking cigar
II was while the two were engaged in |
doing the second story work in this I
city that Jansson was apprehended By /
had been used for what Is known a
stall' by Forrester-that is. he had been |
given the plunder stolen by the two to I
dispose Of. The two detectives were in i
when Jansson entered to sell /
some goods, and they promptly placed 1
him under arrest He was carried to po-
Of how Forester had forced him To be !
come criminal. Forester WAS arrested /
later and gent 10 Joliet to serve the Dal- |
ance OF his term. while JannsOn. owing |
10 his youth and the straight forward |
In which he related his story. was /
released
The young foreigner went from bad 10 !
worse. Having heard that large sums OF /
money were paid for the body of dead per
sons by physicians who desired them for /
medical purposes. and having no occupa-
ton he stralghtway began the avocation !
" grave rObbing." His association with /
Forester had made him bold. and h,
became 50 fearless that he had absolutely
no scruples about body-snatchinS II was |
nothing UNUSUAL FOR him to secure the
bodies alone. Upon different occasions he
49, arrested. being caught in the act each
NE. and he served considera bile time In