Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1907-04-16
4 DANGEROUS HOBBY

To Study the Ways Of Rogues
May Make a Roaile Of You.
CRIMINALS EY slGGEsTi
An Abnormal Interest Ia the Methods
8 ct LaWbreaksrs 10 Liable Is Arouse
Even Ia Normally Honest Man a
Spirit Of Emulation.
1T Is quite possible FOR a normally
honest man to become a criminal by
suggestion was the curious state
ment made by well known New York
detective who was In Washington re-
Gently on business. II am referring
now to men who permit themselves to
develop an abnormal interest In the
ways Of professional criminals.
II wouldn't call it a safe thing for
any man to attempt to figure out In
his mind what he would have done to
escape arrest had he been In the boots
Of some captured criminal whom he
had read about. But that's thing
that thousands Of men who think
they're honest are doing all the time.
When there's big man hunt on, they
follow 1t with acute interest put them
selves In the place OF the hunted man
and dope out schemes OF escape for
him. A certain percentage OF such cal
culators are bound to experience the
hankering sooner or later to put their
schemes for eyading the officers Of the
law into practical operation, If only
for the foolish purpose OF finding out
how their plans will work.
Working in New York now on a
salary Of few dollars week is a
broken middle aged man who used to
be the treasurer Of q bonding and In
demnity company at a salary Of $1O,-
600 a year. This man developed a
queer bug for mentally tracing the
movements Of fugitives from Justice,
especially embezzlers. ;s..s Z
II was acquainted with this man,
and he endeavored to pump me for all
I knew about such cases. He liked to
talk about the fleeing ones. He laid
out routes for 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 a pursued
man could run without fear Of extra
ditiOn. Once I gave this man a talk
Ing to about this hobby Of his.
You'd better can that stuff, 1 told
him, or it'll begin to tester In the back
Of your head and get you going. rye
known such things to happen, and no
man Is more than one eighth as strong
as he thinks he is.''
Well, he only laughed and told me
that he was interested in the subject
just as other fellows were interested
in old hddles or rare postage stamps.
~ Anyhow be laughingly added, &c
I did jump and you were sent after me
you'd never be subjected to the en-
barrassment Of taking me, because
you'd never get me. If couldn't Beat
all Of these pinheaded fugihves IN. maxi
ing safe and sure getaway, SO that
none of you would ever nail me, I'd
want to have my head bagged.'
Not more than six months after that
he made his jump, and got him as
easy as hotfooting banana peddler.
] went straight to the little villa he
had taken outside Genoa, Italy. When
/ nailed him, he was the most stupe-
fed man you ever saw, for he'd made
his hop at the beginning Of his months
vacation and had laid all OF his plans
with what he thought was mastery
adroitness, 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 flee
Ing absconders developed an irrespon-
sibility 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 yet he was an honest man.
There Is no calculating how many
buUktllItCISys respectfully yOuuS WOAkCA,
are led to try that sort OF thing through
hearing and reading about professional
filters. Not long ago In New York
department store a girl was nailed
while trying to lift a pair Of inexpen-
slYe 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
TO the rear Office and chided by the
head Of the firm In gentle way.
Perhaps you should put yourself
In the hands Of specialist for treat
ment, he said to the girl, who wept
softly. With you, beyond q doubt 1t
is kleptomania. It must be.
No. 1t isn't replied the girl, with
the utmost candor. It's not kleptO-
mania at all. / don't believe Ia such
Stiffness. just wanted to see IL
could do 1t without being caught; that's
all. a lot OF girls were, talking about
shoplifters they seemed SO fascinat-
ing and the girls dared me to try.
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