The Saint Paul globe., 1905-01-01
CROOKED GENIUS Is LANDED
BY SCOTLAND YARD MEN
William Parker, Respectable by Day and Crook by
Night, Is Strange Combination
Foreign Service

Special Foreign Service
n ONDON, Dec. 31.-If William Par
ker, who has just been sentenced
to fifteen months imprisonment.
possesses only small share of that
vanity which Lombroso says is one Of
the most striking characteristics of the
criminal, he will find much solace for
his enforced retirement in recalling
the encemiums lavished on his nefarious
cunning by Scotland Yard officials He
has again demonstrated that fact
still holds the lead over fiction and
his story will stimulate the jaded i'm
aginations of writer's Of detective fic-
ton.
For over four years he piled the call
ing of cracksman in the metropolis,
displaying such amazing skill and ce-
ler1ty In looting that at one time-for
a period Of two months-he is credited
with having averaged four burglaries
night, and yet he succeeded in baf-
fling the police. During these years
he was held in such esteem in the
nelghborhood where he lived as an in
duStrious, faithful and efficient work.
man. In the latter capacity he gained
the Intimate friendship of several un-
which proved Of great assistance to
MIN IN eluding detection when the min
IONS OF the law were spreading their
nets to catch him. His downfall was
due entirely to his disregard Of one OF
the cardinal principles which he had laid
down for his guidance as a criminal.
But so skillfully had he covered up his
tracks that, although it is certain he
had committed hundreds of burglaries.
OnlV nO1r1d ho Ia
On that account the judge, much to his
regret, was precluded from fnfiicting a
longer sentence.
Parker is only twenty four years old,
but his plans show him to be possessed
Of a perverted genius which places him.
far above mature criminals, however
expert, who learn only from experience
In his youth he had been apprenticed
to carpenter, and was an excellent
workman. When he decided to become
a burglar he resolved to still stick to
his trade. A great student of criminal
literature, he had observed how pro-
feSS1onal cracksmen exposed them
selves to suspicion and were compelled
to continually shift their ground be-
cause they enjoyed no visible means of
support. By continuing to work as.
carpenter he could avoid being thus
handicapped. 1t necessitated double
oAllISs ctS II W6Ie--CdTp6llGTlLR Dy DAY
and robbing by night-but he was con-
tent to make the sacrifice for the sake
of the additional security 1t offered.
He allowed himself an occasional holt
day, when he took his fling in style,
hiring fashionable turnout for the
purpose, but when he thus disported
himself it was remote from the scenes
of his toll and plunder
The premises he occupied consisted
of a bedroom, sitting room and work
shop. His rooms were neatly but not
extravagantiy furnished. There was
nothing about them to show that he
had other means than his trade of
adding to his income. To assist him
in his double role he fixed up a secret
rear entrance. by means of which he
could obtain access to the street by
traversing the back yards of his neigh
bors. Thus he escaped the suspicion
which attaches to man who Is known
to keep all sorts of hours. So we'll did
he conceal his nocturnal movements
that among his friends he enjoyed an
exemplary reputation as man who
never stayed out late O. nights.
In his burglaries he displayed re-
markable prudence. His reading had