Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1907-01-17
That bank burglary is no long

q profitable profession STATISTICS am
ply prove. The old aristocrats of the
under world have left no successors.
The opportunity for development is
wanting. Chrome steel, electric
ruined what was once an alluring
calling to the criminal. The yegg-
men are vulgar, brutal, unskilled;
there is no art or mystery in their
work, nothing that any muscular and
daring rascal cannot duplicate. Forg-
cry, too, is not what it was a third
of a century ago. Paper, ink, check
stamps, the telephone, the telegraph
these have made the utterance of
forged notes, bonds and scrip for
large amounts a task practically
hopeless.
Now William A. Pinkerton has
told the International Association of
Chiefs of Police that the sneak thief's
field of operations and rewards have
been so reduced within the last ten
years that the professional worker in
this line is rapidly becoming thing
of the past. A few survive, Gagged
in prisons, as the surviving buffaloes
are Gagged in geological parks and
game preserves. Police and private
detectives. wide distribution Of the
pictures of criminals, heavy SEN
tences, wire screens, cages and spring
locks in banks and jewel shops are
responsible for the conditions that
exist to-day. In ten years not more
than five sneak robberies from banks
by professional criminals have been
successful. Mr.. Pinkerton describes
the methods of these gentry thus:
"An expert professional bank
sneak thief and his associates, after
locating a bank, store Or Office where
they consider good returns will be
obtained for the chances taken, study
the habits of all employees to deter
mine when the greatest number are
absent, which generally happens at
the noon hour, decide how many con-
federates will be necessary to en-
gage the attention of the remaining
employees while the sneak thief en-
to a safe and commits the robbery.
Confederates are usually Of good ap-
pearance, understand business meth
DDS, can discuss loans, mortgages,
sale of securities, etc, long enough
TO allow the sneak to operate without
discovery. A sneak thief, wearing
rubber-soled shoes, will frequently
pass within few feet Of the official
or clerk in charge. enter vault or
tellers cage or rob a safe or money
drawer without creating the slightest
noise. A ruse to make the way clear
for the sneak is for confederate to
drive in O carriage to the bank or
store to be robbed, as pretext eX-
hibiting crutch or accompanied by
a female requesting some passerby to
ask the cashier or some other official
to step out to the carriage, which
usually occurs when few of the em-
ployes are in the place.
Another device is to hold large
blue print of some property on which
it is pretended loan is desirable, or
a bundle of maps offered for sale, in
such position that the view of the
official being interviewed is obstruct-
ed, thereby covering the sneak and
giving him opportunity to operate.
Another more recent artlfice Is
the telephone; the confederate of the
sneak at an appointed minute calls
up the bank and requests that the
paying teller be sent to the phone,
and there detains him in conversation
while the sneak thief operates, con-
federates, as may be necessary, en-
gaging the attention of other en-
ployes. !.
Joe Killoran, one Of the guests OF
Sheriff Tamsen who escaped from the
Ludlow Street Jail on July A, 1898,
used to sit in carriage and lure the
bank cashier out by showing him
crutch, while his confederate robt ed
the till. After his fight from TINS
country to Europe when der chall