The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-06-24
HOW YEGGMEN WORK.
Hobo Burglars Not Like the old
Time Cracksmen.
(New york SUM

inc OTdCkSmcns
New York SUM-
A Pinkerton detective says that the
average citizen has no idea of the
extent of the raids of the yeggman.
or tramp vault and safe burglar, dur
ing the last five years.
From Sept. IL, 1900, to the same
date in 1906. he says in the Banba-
zine, there were in this country us
banks attacked by burglars with ex-
plosives. From these banks SS57,S2i
was stolen.
These yegg or hobo burglars are
the successors of the professional
cracksmen who Travelled en- railroad
trains, hired conveyanccs to and from
the scene of the burglary, carried
tools weighing from fifty to seventy
five pounds. and after looting a bank
generally lived extraI agartly in TIE
larger cities until their money was
spent. With these the taking of a
human life was an exception to the
rule. only occurring when necessary
to escape capture.
Detectives were able from the ear
marks of the old-time professional
whose particular handiwork it was
and could invariably within a short
time locate them and cause their ar
rest.
The expert bank burglars of old di!
not number more than thirty first
class men in the United States, While
Johnny Yegg" grows like Il mush-
room in the night.
A common tramp, in many instances
cripple or peddler. known in the
vernacular of the "yegg" as a gay
bank to attack, notes the surround
or wat oh
men there are, if any usually pre-
ferring a small town without protec-
ton of any kind, whether there are
burglar alarm or electric protection on
vault and safe, routes of retreat and
hiding places to evade pursuers all of
which he obtains in the guise of an in
nocent beggar or peddler of needles,
court plaster and small wares without
his real purpose being suspected, 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
to proceed separately to d water tank.
railroad crossing or camp within five
or ten miles of the place where the
burglary is to occur. One of the band
is delegated to carry nitroglycerine or
dynamite, another fuses, pocket electric
lights, decorators, etc The darkest
night, when there is a storm or no
moon, is usually preferred for the
work.
Once at the meeting place agreed
upon, the location of the bank to be at
tackled is divulged by the leader. One
or two, known as soup or "Oil mem
OF 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 outside 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 expio-
sion of nitroglycerin or dynamite used
in committing the burglary, usually
intimidates the people of the entire vii
lage from attempting their capture or
preventing attack.
Escape from the scene of attack is
like the entrance, each burglar usual
ly departing in a separate direction and
agreeing to meet in some larger near
by city or in some uninhabited house
or shack, or at some unfrequented camp
in the mountains or woods miles dis
tant, so that their capture or identifi-
cation is invariably difficult
They are in bands and tribes named
after their leader and known by such
names as Black Billy's gang, Slater's
gang, Canada Bits gang, Frisco
Sims gang or Cal Shorty's tribe
The increased operations of these
yegg burglars can be attributed to the
little experience required 20 attack a
vault or safe with explosives, as in
several hours one yeggman can teach
a novice how to use explosives effec-
lively.
While there are now approximately
500 yeggmen with a knowledge os bank
wrecking with explosives. the actual
bands operating can be narrowed down
to fifty. Most of these work IN the
middle west.
During the last ten years the author
tiles have tried to cone with these
burglars. but the trouble is that the av-
erage sentence of che convicted safe
burglar has not exceeded six years i'm
prisonment, which with good behavior
usually means release in four, and
there are few if any cases of reforma-
ton. Consequently with his release the
yegg reneWs his old vocation
The intent of the yeggman before he
commits his crime is murder if neces-
sary. xiii to avoid arrest and appre-
hension" is his motto.
He carries the best make of weapon
with sufficient rounds of ammunition to
force escape, and enough explosives if
properly used to demolish Il building in
which the attack is to be made and
igniting adjoining buildings 20 cause
CONGREGATIONS resulting in some in
stances in loss of life.
A strong effort is being made to Sc
cure the passage of laws which would
fix the penalty of the bank burglar
who uses explosives at imprisonment
for a term of not less than twcnty-fi five
nor more than forty years. Such law
has been passed in Maryland. 1t is
thought that it will settle the yegg
problem.
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