The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-03-02
AN UP.TO.DATE BURGLAR
HE UNLACED HIS SHOES AND CUT
THE TELEPHONE WIRE.
William jackson, Colored Man,
Trafled to His transformation
with Former Escapade.

William Jackson. twenty-three-year-
old colored burglar, Is one of the most i'm
proved of his profession. and his methods
Of burglary have been daring and clever in
preparation, but miserable fiascos in exc
cution. AS result of his carelessness
Jackson is now under arrest, accused OF
burglary, grand larceny. and later will be
charged with highway robbery and posi-
bly, assault and battery. Jackson was ar
rested early yesterday morning by Patrol
men Green and Blumberg at his home. 321
West Fourteenth street after being tracked
there by the imprints of his shoeless feet
in the light snow which fell during the
night, from the home of Mrs. O'Boyle, at
10l4 North Pennsylvania street. He had
entered through the front door after I'M
locking 1t with key about 1 o'clock in the
morning, and ransacked the place until
discovered by the owner OF the house.
Mrs. O'Boyle heard noise on the first
floor of the house that struck her as being
strange. and after accommodating she saw
the dimly outlined form of man bur-
dened with the weight of much of her
clothing and household belongings, walking
lelsurely through the sitting room, In earn
est search for additional plumber. Mrs.
O'BOyle, in voice calculated to inspire
terror in the heart of the burglar, shouted
TO a member of her family warning and
said:
Go and get me that pistol!'
LEFT QUICKLY.
The abruptness of the outcry and the call
for a weapon were too much for the bur-
glar. and he hastily decamped through the
front door. taking with him the property
he had already collected. and slamming
the door behind him. He ran through the
front yard, but changed his mind and dart
ed through the passageway around the
house to the back fence, which he vaulted
with the agility of college athlete. His
pursuers were close behind, and the noise
of opening windows and excited shouts of
the neighbors, who wanted to know the
cause of the disturbance, scared Jackson
into believing that capture was imminent,
and, not wanting to carry any weight, he
dropped his loot and with it his hat over
coat and shoes, which had been removed TO
permit his carrying out his burglarious OPP
erations with convenience. Jackson then
ran north through the alley to Eleventh
street and thence west to Illinois street.
His course from that point is unknown,
the tracks became dim and it was impos-
sible TO follow him.
When Mrs. O. Boyle and her family tried
to call the police they went to the house
telephone, but found 1t dead. The wires
had been cut by the burglar a precau-
ton against either capture or pursuit but
another telephone in the neighborhood was
called into service. When the police sta
ton was notified Bicyclemen Trimpe and
found il stirring With the citizens who
had followed the footprints the bicycle
patrolmen went to Illinois and Twelfth
streets to be disappointed in their search.
They mounted their wheels and rode north
on Illinois street until they met the two
district patrolmen, Green and Blumberg,
who began systematic search for foot
prints in the snow. They finally found a
trail which led to Jackson's home, and
there arrested him on suspicion. Jackson
denied that he had had anything to do
lice station while the case was investigated
HOW HE GOT THE KEY.
1t was learned that the key which was
used to unlock the door was one stolen
from Miss Catherine Cannipp by the man
who snatched her pocketbook in December.
The highwayman secured the pocketbook
after a struggle with Miss Cannipp, but
she in turn secured possession of one of
his shoes, which came off when she grabbed
him by the leg. In the pocketbook was a
key to her home, 1014 North Pennsylvania
street. where she was living with Mrs.
O'Boyle. The shoe was taken by the DO
lice and an attempt was made to find a
man whose foot it would fit, but nothing
was discovered. The missing key was a
source of constant worry to Mrs. O'Boyle,
who firmly believed that the thief would
II
| contained Miss Cannipps calling cards.
which would direct the holder of the key
to her home.
After Jackson was taken to the police
] station, under the close questioning of Cap
| tain Kruger, he admitted that he was the
man who had given the police the chase,
/ but said he had not been in the house. He
/ claimed that friend had asked him to ac-
company him TO the house and that the
friend had carried the booty out to him
without his knowing that his companion
| was a thief.
CONFLICTING STATEMENTS
Jackson made several conflicting state
ments, and at first denied that he had had
anything to do with the burglary, but when
his wife told the police that he had come
home out of breath without a hat or over
| coat and shoeless he admitted that he had
been to the OBoyle home. He denied that
/ he. had done anything unlawful, but his
inability to explain how the key and some
| of the booty had got into his pockets dis
| credited his story.
| jackson is a small negro who is well
| known i'm the city. For many years he
was employed by local newspapers as jan
/ itor and laborer. He was dismissed from
| the service of the Journal two years ago
/ and employed by the Reporter, and since
| that time has done excellent work and
satisfied his employers. George Elliott
i president of the Reporter COMPANY said
/ Yesterday that he was greatly surprised TO
/ hear that jackson had turned burglar He
has been trusted with much money by his
/ EMPLOYERS, Mr.. Elliott said, and has always
! proved an honest, faithful and industrious
/ employee To Mr.. Elliott Jackson told much
/ the same story he first told the police
! and persisted in declaring that he is inno-
cent of any intent at wrongdoing.
|