The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1907-08-17
HOW YEGGMEN WORK
Hobo Burglar Not Like the Old
time Craoksman.

LSuJ vi lue IdluS VI Tue yeBBHld0, VI
tramp vault and safe burglar, during
The last five years.
From September Is, 1900, to the
same date in 1906, he says in the
Sankazine, there were i'm this country
rs banks attacked by burglars with
explosives. From these banks $751;
B24 was stolen.
These yegg or hobo burglars are
he successors of the professional
sracksmen who travelled on railroad
trains, hired conyeyances to and from
the scene of the burglary, carried
tools weighing from 80 to IS pounds
and after looting a bank generally
lived extravagantly in the larger
cities until their money was spent
With these the taking Of a human life
was an exception to the rule, only oc-
curing when necessary to escape
capture.
Detectives were able from the esr.
marks Of the old-time professional
burglars work to decide very quickly
whose particular handiwork 1t was,
and could invariably within a short
time locate them and cause their ar.
rest.
The expert bank burglars of old
did not number more than 80 first
class men i'm the United States, while
Johnny Yegg' grows like mush-
room in the night.
A common tramp, in many instan-
ces a cripple or peddler. known in the
vernacular of the "yegg' as a gay
cat or "locatcr' selects a suitable
bank TO attack. notes the surround.
ings, how many policemen or watch.
men there are. if any usually prefer
ring a small town without protection
of any kind, whether there are
burglar alarms or electric protection
on vault and safe, routes of retrCa.
and hiding places to evade pursuers.
all of which he obtains in the Euisc OF
an innocent beggar or peddler Of
needles. court plaster and small wares.
without his real purpose being sus.
pected, and which he reports to the
leader or "soup.man."
Without giving the exact location Of
the proposed burglary the leader in
structs from three TO FIVE desperadoes
10 proceed separately to a water tank.
railroad crossing or camp within five
or ten miles of the place where tho
burglary is to occur. One of the band
is delegated to carry nitroglyCcrin or
dynamite, another fuses, pocket elec.
trio lights detonators. etc. The
darkest night when there is storm
or no moon, is usually preferred for
the work
Once at the meeting place agreed
upon, the location Of the bank to be
attacked is divulsed by the leader
One or two known as soup" or "oiI
men" or insiders" use the explosives
on the vault or safe, while the other
two or three, known as outsiders" or
strong arm men" remain on the out.
side to Illustrate any interference by
citizens.
AS soon as there is the slightest In.
trusion or indication that the bank Of.
fiCials or citizens are preparing to
give them battle the burglars open
fire in every direction. This, with the
explosions of nitroglycerin or dyna.
mite used In committing the burglary.
usually intimidates the people of the
entire village from attempting their
capture or preventing attack
Escape from the scene of attack is
like the entrance, each burglar usually
departing in a separate direction and
agreeing to meet in some larger near
hxy of In, fV,h haI
or shack, or at some unfrequented
camp in the mountains or woods miles
distant, so that their capture or iden,
titication is invariably difficult.
They are i'm bands and tribes named
after their leader and known by such
names as Black Billy's gang, Skaters
gang. Canada Bnys gang, Frisco
Sims gang or Cal Shorty's tribe
The increased operations of these
yegg burglars can be attributed tC
the little experience required to at
tack a vault or safe with explosives
as in several hours one yeggman car
teach a novice how to use explosives
effectively.
While there are now approximately
OUV NtkElutu WIN hIhNltUHt Ol
bank wrecking with explosives, tn,
actual bands operating can be mar
rowed down to so. Most of these work
in the middle west.
During the last ten years the au
thorities have tried to cope with these
burglars, but the trouble Is that tho
aver gn sentence of the convicted
sac9 bu glar has not exceeded sl
,cdrs Imprisonment, which witt
good b ihavior usually meant release
m four. and there are few If any case.
Of reformation. Consequently witt
his release the yegg renews his ole
vocation.
Tho intent Of the yeggman before
he comm is his crime is lnurder Il
NECESSARY xiii TO avoid arrest ant
apprehen, on," is his motto,
he ca ries the best make o
weapon. 18th sufficient rounds OF am
munition to force escape, and enough
explosives If properly used to demol
isn a building in which the attack Is
20 be made and igniting adjoining
buildings to cause coniagrations re
sultipg in some instances in loss o