The Washington times., 1904-07-27
HABITUAL THIEF
A JAIL BREAKER
Self-COnfessed Burglar Has
Two Terms to Serve.
TELLS STORY TO THE TIMES
Shows Police Where He Disposed of
Loot Taken in His Last
0ffense

Cle OF the coolest CRIMINALS the local
police have ever had TO do with is
James X. Cooper. a cousumptive burg
lar, twenty-four years old, who was
brought to Washington this morning by
Sheriff Ryan. of Parsons, w. Va, to
point out the stores in which he had
sold his stolen property.
Handcuffed and almost exhausted for
want Of food and sleep, Cooper went
with the sheriff through the business
section Of the city and showed Ryan
all the places where he sold watches
for more than they were worth. after
his escape from Hendricks. w. Va.
where he broke into J. r. Polling & Co.'S
jewelry store and stoie about thirty
watches
Tells His Own Story.
Cooper is one of the most interesting
f-acknow ledged crooks that ever told
a story Of his own operations. lie was
born in Glasgow. Scotland. twenty-four
years ago and received his training
to be a crook from one of the most
notorious criminals in Europe. He says
he has been a burglar for thirteen years.
and would rather be in the penitentiary
than loose. because the police are always
after him and he feels as though every
one IS a detective.
He SAYS he cannot work, because peo-
pie watch him. and he thinks they IN
/ tend telling the police that he IS a
criminal, and he Jumps out Of the city.
usually taking several hundred dollars
worth Of jeWelry or Valuables with him
He came TO America when in his teens,
and went to West Virginia. In 1902 he
was sent to Moundsville Penitentiary for
burglary. Because ne was a physical
wreck weighing only rs pounds and
standing about 5 feet 10 in his stocking
/ feet, he was conditionally pardoned.
Broke Jail Twice.
| He went to Randolph. w. Va, after
! his release. and committed another bur
| glary two DAYS after his release. and
was caught with the goods on him. on
/ November : he was committed 10 the
Kingwood jail for five years for this
/ crime.
he entered the institution or Saturday
and on Monday broke jail and fed. He
J was then arrested in Oakland, Md, for
/ horse stealing. t5efore he was sentenced
/ he broke jail. He then enlisted IN the
J United States army on July 8, 1903, De
l sorting on October >, because as ne
Il wanted to pull off another jewelry
lie stopped at Rosebury, w. Va. long
enough 10 commit another burglary ana
was arrested. breaking jail again.
Took Thirty Watches.
on july i. Copper says he went to
the Polling Company jewelry store and
broke the front glass and stole about
/ thirty watches. silver, gold and nickel
He was discovered and dropped several
Of the watches while running, but sue
/ ceeded in getting away
Stops were made in Washington. cum
I berland and Baltimore. At each OF these
places he sold sEme OF the loot.
In Baltimore man became suspicious
and pressed a police button, ana cooper
was arrested When searched he had
/ several watches in his pocket and was
held for the Hendricks authorities.
Thirteen Years at It.
To a reporter for The Times Cooper
said:
I've been doing this work for thirteen
| years. The police make me DO it. !
was arrested once and they bounded me
/ 50 that / had to leave the town where
/ was working I thought IL would be
I foOlhardy to leave the burg empty hand
/ ed, and so ] lifted a load OF leWelrY
and toys belonging to some swell mug.
/ When ] got a job in the next place
I thought all the men looked Ike detec-
: tives and / decided 10 jump that town,
carrying with me. of course. few nun
bred dollars worth Of stun that / did
not take into the town
Il have my sentence at MOuudsN'lie,
five years and two months. 20 finish
now, because I did not behave, and then
me for about five years. In all / have
about eleven years TO serve.
! 'If ] do not die first. ! think | shall
] make the CopperS spend some more
money for railroad fare chasing me, Lc-
cause I can set out as easily as 1 get
In.