The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-04-07
CROOK INDUCES IN
A FEW REFLECTIONS
Picking Pockets HIS Long Suit
Though He Occasionally
Dabbied In Burglary.

NEW YORK, April George Thomp-
son, crook who has spent twenty-five
OF mis- fifty years behind prison bars.
IS In the Kings county Jail awaiting trial
on petty larceny charge. THOMPSON
sneaked into a F1atbush avenue barber
snop last Wednesday and grabbed six
Tazors When he was caught he surprised
nus captor by saying to him:
tried to get away all right but I'm
glad you caught me- Pm lonesome to
get back into iail'
thompson will be tried in the court Of
special sessions Brooklyn, in few DAYS.
ne Is gong to plead guilty to the charge
- oa4 a'edllhs the razors, he says, and if ne
gets an opportunity he is going to tell
the story Of his life In the hope that If
may secure his freedom
lie Is an 1ll-around crook, but he saws
ne mas been most successful at pickjnps
pockets. He has been in prison in five
eastern states, including an eight-year
term at Sing Sing. He began his prison
career by serving sixty-day sentence on
BIackWelPs Island in 1860, for fighting in
the street. Then he married and lived a
Decent life for twelve years. His wife died
tnen and he turned crook. Thompson talk
60 10 reporter yesterday about that
part OF his life. He said:
Once Crook Always a Crook.
I'm jailbird for fair, and it looks as
a
crook he's always a crook Maybe he
amt one cause he likes the graft. but he
can't help himself. He can't be honest
because folks VINO claim to be honest
won't let him. Take my case. for e1-
ample.
Ten weeks ago I got out of Jersey
JAIL after dom a nine-months' bit for
hooking two rolls Of cloth from a Bank
street clothing store in Newark When I
got free thinks to meself, it's about time
turned over new leaf. l comes over
to the Bowery an 1 floats into a mission.
Ihere was some fine religious talk goin'
on there, an 1 took it all in. 1 got re-
ligiOn all right, an 1 got it good and
strong. makes up me mind to change
me life right off, an the next day l goes
ehustlin' for job. I lands one as a bean
chucker in a Bowery restaurant. 1 held it
two days. Then some grating cop spotted
me mug an he told the boss. 1 was fred
for tryin' to be honest.
Not discouraged a bit I hit up the
trail for another job. I got work in a
bottling place. I held that job down a
week. Then 1 was let go. No reason
given for dischargin me, but l knew the
boss had learned I was an ex-con. That's
the way it was with four other jobs No
one wanted a crook to work for them.
Every new job / took l kept me eyes
peeled for to try an get a peep at the
cop who was knockin' me, but l couldn't
get onto who he was. Say, if knew him
or if l ever find out who he is I'll sit
in the electric chair for him. I'll murder
him if 1 ever find him out.
Prison Seems Like Home.
eve been in prison so long that 1t seems
like home to me. don't like it, but what
can a guy like me do when everybody
throws him down? I'm a good pickpocket
an when things are all right do little
burglary on the side. I suppose I have
stolen a good many thousand dollars
worth of property since / began, but what
good has it done me? None. I've spent
it all and now I'm broke. The ponies and
the cards got 1t ALL for 1 never touch
rum.
i've COPIED barrels of watches in me
time, but there amt much dom in that
line now. People are carryin' cheap tick
ers these days, an it don't pay to get
caught takin one. l stayed eight years
in Sing Sing for coppin a cheap ticker,
while the guy who stalled for me got off
with a twO-year bit. He sQuealed on me,
Of course, an got the worst of it.
II never worked with a pal after that,
for it showed me lesson. That was my
second term in Sing Sing, and before left
that place I got to like it. The grub's
all right there and it's a fine Jail. The
only one as good as it in the East is Tren-
ton. I've visited there some and I know.
All the jails here are better than the
one I was in in England. That was the
rottenest Of them all Poor grub and
bum treatment is all I got there, an I
quit the bloomin' country as soon as l
could get away
when was honest I made good liv-
in as a waiter 1 worked in the st.
Denis for six years and in the Gilsey
house two. I saved me coin and bought
a house for me family in CharlestOwn,
Mass. Four of me grown daughters live
there now, but they don't know their
dad Is Twin. They think 1 cashed in
years ago. No their names is not Thomp-
son. It's not mine either, but that's what
the rogues' gallery calls me an, use it
cause it's as good as any other name"
Thompson is of medium size with
shifty, gray eyes. His prison keepers be-
lieve his story to be true