The Minneapolis journal., 1903-03-06
ABOVE PETTY | THEFT.
:. ~ x ~ ~,.pl : & "a )
Frank Bacon Says He's Never Done
Any but States Prison
Jobs.
He Tells How He and His Brother
Robbed the Shull Resi-
dence.

: = =
'".rhe only mistake we made was in get
ting caught, : said Frank Bacon, one Of
the gentleman" burglars, who confess to
having stolen nearly $4,000 worth of prop
serty from different Minneapolis and st.
Paul residences. when interviewed at the
county Jail this morning Irvine Bacon,
his brother, was taken to ST. Paul after.
his arraignment ins the -criminal court to
identity. property recovered in that city.
supposed to have been disposed of there
by the brothers. ss:s.;.5..a. tE.t
The boys are frank, outspoken fellows
who Impress one as .:honest-looking.
they look one squarely in the eye, admit
their shortcomings, and insist on gazing at
the humorous side of a sIhAation which
Will in all probability have states prison
sequel ..a.- s... -, .5 g, s.. II.
=: went int othis game because I liked
lt-there amt no two ways about that"
said Frank. ':Getting pinched is a part
OF the game. But in the few years that
nave been an active, burg I can say that
I've I've never done. any petty larceny work.
Ihey say. there's honor among thieves.
That may be- but it's a cine hthat men
who knock out living at this game cer-
talnly take, pride in their work. I've
heard 'em brag about it, and I admit to
oelng sensitive on that point myself. All
my work has been Of the states prison
Kind. I've never done anything short Of
pen job yet, and never will---if get
chance. We made a speciality of vacant
houses. It's nicer Work-safer and gen.
orally more profitable, because you can
lug off the whole shooting match from
cellar to garret, if you aint afraid of
some one waking up or coming home sud-
denly. Nights the time, Of course. for
vacant house work: 'F' r': = 49,
We got plenty of*light on the subject by
using bullseyes but maybe we didn't keep
EN- turned away from the windows. To
guard against any possibility of any one
blinking a gNm, we would first putt down
every window shade in the particular
room where we were taking stock, and
no one ever bothered us. We didn't feel
that we were taking a chance after that
We took particular ms to find out from
nelghbors how long the families would
be out of town. The nearest we came to
the law was the night hive cleaned up the
Shull house. We passed a mounted cop
as we came up Park avenue toward Twen-
| ty-fourth street, but we knew he wasn't
| next and we Wereain the house at 2415 be-
| fore he was half block down the street.
| That's right about the other guys beat
| ing us into the house. I don't know how
they came to frame it. up, but we found
evidence Of fresh fire in the fireplace.
| They hadn't touched any of the goods
and we made a full inventory afterward
May have been =. boys or else they got
scared off 81 somehow. X .>--
How did we cart away So much stuff
Why, just carted it. that's all. We car
ried the swag half block down the alley
| in sacks, where we had a. horse and Wagon
waiting, and then it Mas back to the
mines" ~ -. "a.
| The interview was interrupted by the
arrival of Frank'ssdinner. and he prompt.
ly proceeded to get outside Of it,