The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1908-07-16
WORKS or JOHN YECG
A Daring Burglar Who Attained
Fame In His Line.


u 10 Now Applied TO the Most Danger
Gus Criminals With Whom the ON.
Gers Of the Law Have to Contend
NItropIyoerin In ssfs Bursting.
In the expressive slang that per
mcatcs police circles throughout III,
country, a "ycgg' IL one Of the dan
gcrous criminal class.
The question 10 often asked, "Whal
In ycgg, and how did the expression
0riginatei An answer 10 the latter
part OF the query will lead TO an cluci.
datlon OF the first
Some ycnrs ago, when the United
States government was experimenting
with high explosives. wishing to secure
some death dealing and destructive
shell that would cause more damage
than any before manufactured, some
ono suggested that introglycerin bc
tried. Up 10 that time this most pow
erful Of explosives had not been util-
ized In this way.
The government experts went 10
work. and the results OF their expert.
inonts were from time 10 time pub.
lished broadcast through the commu.
nifty. AT last they succeeded In max.
Ing shell In which nitroglycerln was
the chief component part and which
made oil former ones sink into insig
niAcancc.
In town In the middle west at the
time there lived q man named John
Yegg. ln his earlier days be had been
one OF the most expert electricians as
well as all round experienced mcchan.
ics In tho country. Later. through drink
and bad associates. he had descended
TO life Of crime. his principal art be.
ing that OF safe blowing.
He was attracted by the published
accounts OF the experiments OF the
government authorities with nitro.
glycerin. The thought struck him.
Why could not this be used In blowing
safcsi
The method at that time was to drill
hole In the safe TO be wrecked. I'LL
this with powder or dynamite and
then touch the fuse. This method.
however, required considerable time 10
pull Off "a Job" and was noisy and
dangerous
Yegg went TO work on the nitro.
glycerln method. He tried Il, and II
was complete success, Furthermore.
after he had performed Job after Job
ne had the police OF the country baf-
aed. They did not know how the
work was done. Yegg instructed
others In the art, and soon from one
end OF the country to the other safes
were being wrecked. but by what man.
ncr no one knew.
Yeggs method was to take some OF
the explosive which he and those with
him called "soup'--and. by the way.
this term Is still extant--and pour II
IN the crack OF the safe near the
hinges OF the door. The small aperture
was then covered with soap to hold
he explosive In place. The fuse was
applied. and with the explosion or |
vent the doors, slick and clean. The
'ntire Job took but few minutes. II
for young Pinkerton de-
ective TO solve the matter on u safe
hat was blown In Coldwater, Mich.
where a bank was wrecked and many
thousands OF dollars secured.
The crime was traced to Yegg and |
ome OF his companions. and they
we're found guilty and sent to prison
Thereafter those who employed the
'itroglycerin instead OF the older
Methods were called 'yeggmen" or
yeggs."
This was the beginning OF the term,
ut since that time the application of
has grown greatly, Today ''yegg."
iewed from whatever aspect Is the
lost dangerous criminal with whom
le police Of the country have to deal.
10 Is one who rides the country DER
D freight trains, working through the
outh In the winter and migrating to
lore exhllarating cllmes during the
immer. He WIN beg when he Is
nngry and WIN steal and commit
Iurder when he sees an opportunity
hnnantInay htnoalPs
Today there are thousands of "yeggs"
altered throughout the country Most
them belong to some certain band,
lch one Of which has a leader. He
the king. 1t Is his duty to enlist
crults. To him also is shipped all
e loot, and he in turn converts 1t into
oney and places the amount to the
edit Of the member sending II In.