The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-08-15
LUCK AGAINST HIM.
Thief Caught by Hotel Guest
Who Forgot Bath Towel.

New York, Aug. 15.-Charles Kyle
bert the famous Cincinnati hotel thief,
who is best known as Red Heyl, is still
confined at police headquarters Tor the
attempted theft at the Herald Square
hotel, on account of which he was ar
rested this week, Red apparently re-
CARDS himself as great being as any
magnate in the financial world.
Il use my brains" he said today in
his cell, Just as the combine manipu-
lators do. We want other peoples
money. 1 don't waste time organizing
and Incorporating companies. get 1t
in a hurry and save the victims a lot
of trouble in separating themselves
from their coin. They don't have to
worry and fret. They know that I've
got it."
Reds cleverness in Disgusting him
without resorting to artificial means is
his stock in trade. You might see him
today clean-shaVen, and a few days
later he would have a full red beard.
Through this means of disguise he has
been known to rob guests in the same
hotel once or twice a week for month,
each time registering under different
name and without being detected.
Heyl declares that he is only so years
old. The dark lines in his face that
come from the cares of prison life and
the constant fear of detection, make
him look older.
In his youth Red Heyl learned the
butcher trade. His chief characteristic
was bashfuness One of his employers
says that he was so bashful that he
would not eat in company.
The boy was slight of stature and
when he fell in with a gang of crooks
they taught him how easy it was to
enter a hotel room over the transom in
the absence of its occupant. Red had
great success in this line. 1t was easier
than chopping mincemeat and carrying
orders.
He Joined a gang, but soon became so
clever in his work that he branched out
for self in, ll-f
more has devoted his time to robbing
hotels in every city in the union.
His last victim was Abel A. Bort,
who had just landed from Germany.
Herr Borit was taking a bath, but came
upon the thief while he was gathering
together the valuables in the room.
It'd been all right" Red said, IF that
guy hadn't forgot his towel. Think of
in Washington an one in Chicago, I
guess. Some people is disgracefully abb
sent-minded about little things"
1t was in Chicago in 1899 that Hyle-
bert made his most famous coup. He
went to the Palmer House at midnight,
registered as c. w. Brown. was assign
ed to a room and the next day disap-
peaTed with $4,000 worth of jewelry. He
worked on every floor from the roof
down. He was clean shaver then.
A few days later when there had been
shift of clerks, the same man returned
but no one recognized him. He wore
what are commonly known as side
boards" His hair, instead of being red,
was dark brown. Again he was as
signed to a room, and that time he got
from one guest alone $3.50 in cash and
$500 in jewelry.
The hotel detective force was dou
bled. but that didn't bother Hylebert.
He came back with red mutton chop
whiskers and went through 10 rooms in
the house.
Four days Later he called against as
L. Leroy, of New York City He had a
closely cropped beard. once more he
got away with a good swag.
The graft was too easy In a week
he registered at midnight as John VIII
liams. He had a full grown beard
then and was rot recognized. He made
$500 by that nights visit and quit LOT
the time being.
In the meantime his picture and de-
scription had been sent all over the
United States but the clever way he
had of changing his whole appearance
by a part in his hair and the rapid
growth of hair on his face saved him
from arrest. 1t is said that he can raise
a full-grown beard in nine days. When
he parts his hair in the middle he looks
like gentleman of leisure. With a side
part he might be taken for business
man. At times he uses part away
down on the left side OF his head and
by smoothing the hair over the crown
of the head it appears as though he was
trying to cover up a bald spot Then,
too, he uses the pompadour to advant-
age He is always well dressed and
careful about his personal appearance.
Altogether he has served Is years in
various prisons. But it may be some
time before he operates again. as 1t is
claimed he is wanted in Washington,
Baltimore, New Orleans, st. Louis Chi
cago, Milwaukee, New York. Philadel-
phia. and a dozen other places.
In fact, as he says himself. it would
be an act of humanity to have his va
rious sentences commuted to life i'm
prisonment