The San Francisco call., 1905-01-29
FOLLOWS
HIS own TRAILS.
Remarkable Career of Lon
don FelOn Who Was Both
Burglar and Village Sleuth
STORY OF DOUBLE LIFE
Sentence of Four Years in
English Prison Is Fate of q
Decidedly Clever Rascal

LONDON, Jan. 2S.-Sherlock Holmes
and the amateur cracksman rolled into
one-that was Joseph Machin Hirst.
who, despite his esthetic objections to
the demeaning associations it entailed.
was recently sentenced to four years
penal servitude at Newington Sessions.
The story of his dual life-how he was
a burglar by night and a highly aris-
tocratic sort of detective by day--is an
amazing one. The Scotland Yard men
describe Hirst as one of the cleverest
rogues of his generation.
The police credit Hirst with having
committed no less than forty burgla-
ries in BALKAN during the last year,
but although this extraordinary series
of crimes has been for some time the
chief topic of conversation in this
South London suburb, up to a few
weeks ago no one was less suspected
in connection with them than the
prosperous private inquiry agent"
who lived in one of the most comfort
able houses In BALKAN. and who moved
in the smartest circles in 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 a social fa-
vorite, but all the time he was doing
the society act he was also getting
wise" to the peculiarities of the dis
trict and it's people and finding out
which houses contained valuables and
by what methods the latter might be
obtained.
In the dock Hirst declared that until
about a year ago detective work was
his real means of getting a living.
Then, however, he says that the scan
dal spoiled his business and obliged
him to turn burglar while pretending
to be still on the side of justice What
ever success he may have had as a
sleuth, there is no doubt that he found
the trade he was best fitted for when
he took to burglary. For sheer au-
dacity and quickness at seizing an OPP
portunity the hero of Hornung'S sto-
ries was not to be compared with this
real amateur cracksman.
AT the house where Hirst lodged he
had bachelor apartments which could
only have been kept up by a man with
a substantial income. He was engaged
to a girl of good family and it was
largely through keeping company"
with her that he made some of his
richest hauls. AS her intended he was
invited to many functions and seldom
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 all
he wanted he returned tc the party and
spent the rest of the evening sitting be-
tween his fiancee and her sister with
the latter's jewelry in his pocket On
another night he accompanied the girl
to a ball, when he took a fancy to
diamond stud worn by the master of
ceremonies. few days after Hirst
broke into the mans house and stcle
the piece of jewelry. AS a guest at
an afternoon reception the detective"
had his attention called by his hostess
to some beautiful old silver. 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
committing another daring burglary he
called and sympathized with his vic
Tins. and suggested that in addition to
the ordinary lock on. their front door
they should put en- a Yale. They lost
no time in following his advice. when
Hirst in order to show his contempt for
all locks, broke into the place again.