The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-12-28

stacle with nitroglyeerin before they
realized that they had set of burglar
alarm. Shinburn escaped on a handcar,
but was arrested later In New York city.
ANOTHER EXAMPLE.
Chauncey Johnson, a who stole over
100000 in his time, died penniless not long
ago while serving a term in prison for
stealing a pocketbook from a woman In
New York city bookstore. He took the
pocketbook because he was in genuine need.
In his time he was one OF the most skillful
and successful thieves in the country, but
the field for his peculiar talent had disap
peared. He stole 100000 from the Hatters'
Bank at Bethel. Conn, and $4,000 from the
Marine National Bank. In 1868 he walked
into Philadelphia bank and with long
steel wire hauled $14000 out through the
paying teller's window right under the Off
Gals nose. He took il in three packages
and wasn't detected until he had the third
package almost out.
In 1857 he walked into August Belmonts
office at Wall and William streets, New
York, sauntered past clerks and office boys,
reached Mr.. Belmont's desk, took $4,000
worth of government bonds from il, put
them in his pocket and walked out again.
A month after this he walked into the Of
fee of the Adams Express Company in
New York just as the cashier was leaving
his cage to go to luncheon. He slid in the
cage the cashier went out. put the
pretending to work over some books rifed
the cash drawer and safe OF $4,000. He
walked into a New York bank one morning
ana notified the bookkeeper that he mad
been discharged and that he lJohnson) had
been employed in his place. While the in
dlgnant bookkeeper went TO see the pres
ldent about the matter Johnson vamoosed
with $1,000. By a similar exhibition or
nerve Johnson robbed a number Of hotel
safes while the clerks were on duty. but
few feet away. But his face became known
and ii finally became a police custom TO
arrest him every time he appeared on the
street. Prison life had robbed him of his
wonderful nerve and he descended to the
petty crimes of the street pocket picking,
etc. An almost similar case is that of Ed
ward Rice, better known as big Ed Rice.
He was last arrested for stealing pocket
book from a woman in a Twenty-thrd-
street car in New York city. Once or twice
before that he had been accused of picking
pockets, but the crimes could not be fas-
tened on him. When convicted of the street
car robbery Rice broke down and confessed
that he had turned pickpocket because
there was nothing else for him to do. The
only money he had for over a year was
what he could raise by pawning the scarf
pins watches and articles of jewelry he
had stolen from men and women in street
crowds This confession from a man who,
with his associates, had stolen millions in
he was regarded as the most dangerous
bank robber in the country.
THEIR PALMY DAYS.
Around the country to-day there are
probably a score of other crooks who
thrived and made fortunes by their nerve
and skill in the palmy days Of the cracks
man. But their day has passed and every
year two or three of them are picked up
for some trifing crime that fifteen or
twenty years ago they would have scorned
to think of committing. Electricity and
the modern safe have driven them to the
wall. Gradually they are dying off. James
Dunlap, the great bank burglar and part
ner of Bob Scott, who was pardoned by
Governor Russell, Of Massachusetts, in $780,
was recently arrested in Chicago while pol
ishing set of the portable burglar tools
age and his eighteen years of prison life,
coughing his life away with consumption,
| this one-time brilliant thief worked over
| his tools, which, as he afterward confessed
! he was going 70 use TO break into a candy
store. Luckier, far luckier than these men
| who have lived TO taste the bitterest ex-
| periences OF life, are the score or more
| men who used to be associated with them
| years ago, but either died in prison or
/ the saying goes. with their boots on
which generally means with the bullet or
| associates of Shinburn, Johnson, Rice,
Brady and Dunlap, who died before they
! had passed middle age. were piano Char
ley" Billiard, big Ike" Marsh, Little
! Adam Worth, Ned Lyons, Jim Mccoy,
| Jimmy Hope of Manhattan Bank robbery
| fame; Wooster Tom" PERKS, Rory Smms,
| Billy Maher, Bob Scott and Tom Kenyon.
Truly the old-time bank-breaker is pass
| ing away.