Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1905-09-29
Ihe Conscientious
Burglar

ssT HAT Steve Lowder, who has just
been sent up, took the cake in
the burglary business" declared the
old sergeant, stretching out his long
legs in front of the desk in the police
station. "Why, that chap was one of
the most conscientious fellers l ever
knew"
"Must have been very touchy, con-
siderin' the business he was in," re-
marked a patrolman. Il reckon the
court gave him certificate of good
moral character when he was sent
up?"
mo; he didn't get a certificate,
though he ought to have had one,
pursued the sergeant. "Steve was no
ordinary crook. He looked upon bur-
glary as a reg'lar calm, an tried to
foller it in an honest, straightforward
way If he got into a rich mans house,
or bank, or some other place where
they could afford to lose, that was all
right. That was earnin' livin' on the
square, he thought. But if he hap
pened to rob some poor person of what
little he had, an found out afterward
what he had done, he was all broke UP
about it.
why once he stole S150 from
poor old man-all the old chap had in
the world-and what dye s'pose Steve
did when he discovered it? He jest
tied that money up in a package, an
the next night he left it hangin' to the
doorknob at the old mans house,
x,tln In IN, ha
in"
81 reckon he put in a dollar or two
extra as interest for the use of the
money, didn't he?" questioned the pa
trolman.
"An' went back the next night an
stole it ag'in?" added another.
you fellers needn't laugh about it,"
said the old sergeant, warmly. when
you've been ON the force as long as
have ye won't be so smart, an will
know more. That Steve Lowder wasn't
no common burglar. One night he was
wanderin' round through the country.
thinkin' he would strike the house of a
rich farmer that he knew had taken a
wad of money out of the bank that
day. Well in some way, Steve got
lost, an couldn't find the place. He
travelled round for several hours an
then he come to a large fine brick
building-big enough for a hotel. 1t
was standing back from the road in a
sort of park, an Steve concluded it
must be mighty rich man who owned
all that, an he would go in there, as
he couldn't find the place he was look
In for.
$50 in he goes through basement
window, which he pried open, an after
gathern' up few silver spoons which
he found down below, he started up,
stairs to the room above. But the
minute he got TO the top of the stairs
he heard such a yeTlin an talkin' that
he thought the family must be up an
some sort of a fandango goin' on. He
made up his mind it would be safer for
him to get out of that, which he did.
He was about half way across the park
when two men jumped out from behind
a tree an grabbed him.
"'Hello, Johnny! You thought YOU d
escape, did ye? said one. Well, 1
guess you'd better go back in there
where you belong
al don't belong in there, an I'm
not goin' back said Steve an he
knocked the feller down an started to
run.
''But the other chap tripped him, an
then the two got on to him, an in spite
of his kickin' they pulled him back into
the buildin'. A tall, sallow-faced man
that they called doctor walked in an
looked Steve all over. Said he was in
an awful bad way. an ordered him tc
10 put into straitjacket an a bis
blister placed on the back of his neck.
"Why, what kind of place had ht
got into?" asked the patrolman.
He'd made mistake an broke int
an insane asylum-that's what! An
they kept him for two weeks before
the doctors an the rest of 'em founC
out that he didn't belong there an lei
him co.
but don't see how his conscience
could trouble him about that"
you don't. eh?" and the old ser
geant gave a sniff of contempt "Tha
is because you don't know Steve Low
der ~ well as | do. Why, jest as sooI