The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1907-05-31
4 DANGEROUS H0BIE
10 Study the Ways Of Rogues
May Make a Rogue Of You.
CRIMINALS By SUGGESTION.

Spirit Of Emulation.
IT Is quite possible for a normally
honest man to become a criminal by
suggestion" was the curious state
ment made By wen known New York
detective who was in Washington re-
Gently on business. 4 am referring
now to men who permit themselves to
develop an abnormal interest. in the
ways Of professional criminals.
i wouldn't call ii a safe thing for
any man to attempt to figure out in
ms mind what be would have done to
escape arrest had he been in the boots
OF some captured criminal whom he
naa read about. But that's thing
tnat thousands of men who think
.neyre honest are doing all the time.
When there's big man hunt on, they
follow It with acute interest, put them
selves In the place Of the hunted man
and dope out schemes of escape for
MIN. A certain percentage of such cal
culators are bound to experience the
hankering sooner or later to put their
schemes for evading the officers of the
law into practical operation, if only
Tor the foolish purpose Of finding out
now their plans VIII work.
Working in New York now on a
salary Of few dollars week is a
broken middle aged man who used to
De the treasurer Of a bonding and in.
demnity company at salary Of $10,-
600 year. This man developed a
queer bug for mentally racing the
movements OF fugitives from justice.
especially enbezzlers.
Il was acquainted With this man.
and he endeayored to pump me for all
| knew about such cases. He liked to
talk about the fleeing ones. He laid
out routes Cor them in his mind. He
knew the extradition laws by heart
and had at his fingers ends every coun.
try in the world to which n pursued
man could run without fear OF extra
dition. Once gave this man a talk
ang to about this hobby of his.
" You'd better can that stuff. told
him, 'or It'll begin to tester IN the back
of your head and get you going. I'VE
known such things TO happen, and no
man is more than one-elghth as strong.
as he thinks he is"
well, he only laughed and told Inc
that he was Interested In the subject
inst us other fellows were Interested
in old 1ddles or rare postage stamps.
Anyhow he laughlngIy added. II
did jump and you were sent artel. me
you'd never be subjected 10 the en-
barrassment Of taking me, because
you'd never get me. II I Couldn't beat
all Of these plnheaded fugitives ii max.
ing safe and sure getaway, 50 that
none Of you would ever nail me. rd
want to have my head baggcd.'
Not more than six months after that
he made his jump. and got him as
easy as hotfooting n banana peddler.
went straight to the little villa lie
had taken outside Genoa, Italy. When
| nailed him, he WIS the most stupe-
lied man you ever saw, for he'd made
his hop at the beginning of his months
vacation and had laid MI OF his plans
with what he thought was masterly
adrotness, according to his chart, with
thirty days margin Of time to accom-
plish the scheme In. In consideration
OF his returning most OF the swag he
got only eight years.
That man put himself in the way OF
becoming criminal by suggestion.
His studies Of the movements of fee
ing absconders developed an irrespon-
sibilit1 in him and an ache TO put to
the test the getaway plans that he
spent so much of his time in doping out
while vet he was an honest man.
There is no calculating how many
shoplifters, especially young women.
are led to try that sort Of thing through
hearing aud reading abou professional
lufters. Not long ago in New York
department store gir1 was nailed
while trying TO lift pal Of nexpen-
sive gloves. The girl had an account
at that store for any amount that she
chose to spend up to thousands. She
wasn't arrested, Of course, but was led
10 the rear Office and chlded by the
head Of the firm In Il gentle way.
"'Perhaps you should put yourself
in the hands of a specialist Tor treat
ment' he said to the girl who went
softly. with you, beyond doubt, it
/ is kleptomania. 1t must be-
mo, it isn't replied the girl, with
the utmost candor. It's not klepto.
mania at all. l don't believe in such
Stiffness. lust wanted 10 see IL I
could do it without being caught: that's
all. 4 lot OF girls were TALKING about
shoplifters-they seemed 50 fasclnat.
lng-and the girls dared me 10 try. /
meant to exhibit the glor,1 to them
as a trophy and thea sea. IN hac;;
to you by mail anonymoGs Y. rou
won't ever breathe worI On IL viii
you? And the had o. The rc.... E,ag.
ing pretty well which s.-c lis h-ss..
was butteral d c.". ouly tal,
the story w:taort r. IL = 8.
name, but the iacltleat r:l@ .no,.
currence which Is c2arlcn. Flaat- az
women lift thing. from countess ire;
to see II lthev can do il vith.ut l,.;,,,,