St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1905-05-06
THIS DETECTIVE
A SOCIETY THIEF
"PRIVATE INQUIRY AGENTv By
DAY, BURGLAR BY NIGHT.
STRANGE TALE OF DUAL LIFE
Usesa Fiancee's Social Position to Aid
In Preparation of Robberies-
Often Engaged to Investi-
cato His Own Crimes.

that was Joseph Machin Hirst, who de-
spite his aesthetic objections to the
associations 1t entailed has been SEN
fenced to four years penal servitude.
| The story of his dual life-how he was
a burglar by night and highly aristo-
| cratic sort of detective by days an
| amazing one.
The police credit Hirst With having
committed no less than 40 burglaries
during the last year, but up to a few
weeks ago no one was less suspected in
connection with them than the pros
porous private inquiry agent who
lived in one Of the most comfortable
houses in BALKAN and who moved in
the smartest circles of the district. In
fact, on more than one occasion Hirst
was called in to investigate one OF the
crimes that he himself had committed.
He really was social favorite, but all
the time he was doing the society act
he was also getting wise" to the
pecuilarities of the district and its peo-
pie and finding out which houses con-
tanned valuables and by what methods
the latter might be obtained
In the dock Hirst declared that I'M
til about year ago detective work was
his real means of getting living.
Then, however. he says that the scandal
in connection with a well-known pri-
vate inquiry agency spoiled his business
and obliged him to turn burglar while
pretending to be still on the side of JUS
tice
At the house where Hirst lodged he
had bachelor apartments which could
only have been kept up by man with
a substantial income. He was engaged
to girl of good family and it was large
ly through keeping company with her
that he had made some of his richest
hauls. AS her intended husband he
was invited to many FUNCTIONS and sell
dom received an invitation of this kind
without utilizing it as an aid to theft.
At one dinner party he sat beside his
sweetheart's sister. He made an ex-
cuse for leaving the dinner table rather
hurriedly and, rushing off, broke into
the sisters house. Having taken ali
he wanted, he returned to the party and
spent the rest of the evening sitting
between his fiancee and her sister with
the latter's jewelry in his pocket.
On another night he accompanied the
girl to ball, when he took a fancy
to diamond stud worn by the master
of ceremonies. A few days afterward
Hirst broke into the mans house and
stole the piece Of jewelry. AS guest
at an afternoon reception the "detec-
tive" had his attention called by his
hostess to some beautiful old silver A
few nights later the silver disappeared.
This was one of the cases that Hirst
was called upon in his capacity of sleuth
to investigate. Needless to say he didn't |
produce the criminal. After commit
ting another daring burglary he called
and sympathized with his victims and
suggested that in addition to the ordi- |
nary lock on their front door they
should put in Yale. They lost no time |
in following his advice, when Hirst, in
order to show his contempt for all locks, |
broke intot the place again.
His nerve and GOODNESS never desert |
I'd him. One day he entered a house in |
broad daylight, while the woman who |
owned it was out for walk. While he |
vas inside the woman's father-in-law
arrived and knocked at the door. Hirst
opened it. saluted the caller and told
1im rather frigidly that the lady of the
house was out. The relative left inn
nediately. but while going away met
lis daughter-in-law and demanded who |
vas the man she had in her house OF i
course she was astounded, but when she
cached home with policeman she !