The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1906-06-29
Warns Youths Against Their
Becoming Burglars.
Sermon Is Preached When Veteran
l. Caught In Wrong Room In
Hotel In New York.
HAD GOOD EXCUSE TO OFFER

iomDs again.
In 1895 Inspector TON" Byrnes,
in his book. "The Professional Crimi-
nails of America" wrote this line
after the biography of Cannon:
He was sentenced to ten years
In state prison at Jackson, Mich, in
September. 1885. This sentence
will. no doubt wind up old jacks
career"
But it didn't. "Old Jack" is
charged with the attempted robbery
OF three men in the Astor House on
Tuesday night. and "Old Jack" has
story to tell that should put a stop
to the ambition of many dime-novel
youngsters who think that bur-
slor's life is the life to lead:
Don't be a burglar. II won't pay.
The public Is too wise. Electric
lights. newspapers. with their pic
lures and descriptions of burglars;
the advance in locksmithing, all
make 1t more precarlous undertake
Ing than II ever was before.
There's nothing in It. Nothing.
that Is, except ruin. State prison
while you are young. and no honest
work when you are old and know
enough TO want to be decent.
became a thief away back In the
war days. L was then a member of
the Fifty-fourth Illinois regiment.
and was on furlough in St. Louis. !
was arrested as suspicious charac-
ter because there had been a theft
and | was in company with a we'll
known thief. My picture was sent
on by the police of st. Louis to In
spector Byrnes, and that is why It is
In his book AS a matter of fact
neither Byrnes or Mclaughlin ever
saw me-until the latter saw me
yesterday. While under arrest there
became acquainted with a thief
named "Billy" Brady. and he taught
me how easy II was to rob guests In
hotels.
I was released ON that charge, but
when. after the-war. and after sery-
ing several years as pilot for govern
ment boats on the Mississippi.
finally found myself without work.
my mind naturally turned to the les
son had learned in that St. Louis
Jail.
l went into hotel burglary after
the war, for the natural excitement
Of the thing. | had been a brick
layer, cook and all sorts of things
before. but | wanted excitement, and
] got it.
never became a house burglar,
because would not put into jeop-
ardy the lives OF women and chill
dren. A house burglar must be pre-
pared to sell his liberty dearly-he
may have to commit murder-and |
did not want to do that.
What have got to show for It?
Nothing. I'm sixty-two years old
and | have been straight for nearly
twenty years-but what's the use?
live in Scranton, Pa, under the
name of Stewart, and I've tried to
get an honest living by acting as
Waterman for Hendricks & company,
but came to New York TO find my
son, George. who is twenty-five years
old, and who works for a big firm
here. hadn't heard from him in
two months and l was bound to find
him.
arrived in town. at 1880 yester-
day morning and after registering
at the Astor House started out In
the evening to find my son. He was
not at his home, and | was told that
he was out of town. but ! concluded
to search The Tenderloin. ] put on
the black moustache-that | mad
carried for a long time--so that no
one would recognize me.
didn't find my son. returned
to the Astor House at IL o'clock. l
left my room at 1880 a. m. to seek
the wash room. Purely. through
habit. had put on the moustache,
and on my return TO my room, |
happened TO turn the wrong way
and walked into another room. |
was surprised to find some clothes
hanging on the door. and while |
was feeling them the light was
turned on and was captured as a
burglar. Really. | never meant to
do any more burglary. and the talk
of my putting up a fight is all non
sense happened to have a knife
lin my trousers always carried one
for protection while a Waterman,
bat I never attempted to use II.
Jack Cannon registered at the
Astor House Tuesday as Bernard
Steward" of Scranton. Pa. and was
assigned to a room on the third
floor. He looked like a nice old
otoa, ohavan end mild of m, an.