Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1908-07-18
WORKS OF JOHN YEGG
A Daring Burglar Who Attained
Fame In His Line.
HIS NAME A POLICE LEGACY.
Il Is Now Applied to the Most Danger
Gus Criminals With Whom the Off
GERS Of the Law Have to Contend.
Nitroglyeerin In Safe Bursting.

In the expressive slang that per
Ineates police circles throughout the
country. "yegg" is one Of the dan
gcrous criminal class.
The question Is often asked. What
Is Il ycgg. and how did the expression
originate? An answer TO the latter
part OF the qrrry will lead to an eluci-
dation of the first.
Some years 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
one suggested that lntroglycerin be
tried. Up TO that time this most pow
erful of explosives had not been util
lied In this way.
| The government experts went 10
work. and the results OF their expert
ments were from time to time pub
lished broadcast through the commu
nifty. AZ last they succeeded In max
ing shell In which nitroglycerin was
the chief component part and which
/ made all former ones sink into insig
nifcance.
In town In the middle west ut the
time there lived man named John
Yegg In his earlier days lie had been
one OF the most expert electricians as
well rs all round experienced mechan-
les In the country. Later. through drink
and had associates. he had descended
To life of crime his principal art be
| Ing that of safe blowing
lie 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
safes:
| The method at that time was TO drill
hole in the safe to be wrecked. ill
this with powder or dynamite and
then touch the fuse. This method.
however, required considerable time To
pun off n job" and was noisy and
dangerous.
Ycg- went 10 work on the nitro
glycerin method lie tried II. and II
was n complete success. Furthermore.
after he had performed job after job
he had the police OF the country baf
fled They did not know how the
work was done. YcgG instructed
others In the art, and soon from one
end Of the country TO the other safes
were being wrecked. but by what man
ner no one knew.
Yegg's 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 10 hold
the explosive in place. The fuse was
applied. and with the explosion off
went the doors. slick and clean. The
entire job took but few minutes II
remained for young Plnkerton de
:ectlve to solve the matter on safe
| that was blown In Coldwater. Mich.
where bank was wrecked and many
thousands of dollars secured
The crime was traced TO Yegg and
some of his companions. and they
were found guilty and sent to prison
Thereafter those who employed the
nltrogycerin instead of the older
methods were called 'ycggmen" or
''ycggs."
This was the beginning of the term,
but since that time the application of
II has grown greatly. Today "ycgg
viewed from whatever aspect. is the
most dangerous criminal with whom
the police of the country have to deal
He is one who rides the country DER
on freight trains. working through the
south IN the winter aud migrating to
more celebrating climes during the
summer He will beg when he is
hungry and will steal and commit
murder when he sees an opportunity
OF beueiitIng himself.
Today there are thousands OF ''yeggs"
scattered throughout the country. Most
OF them belong to some certain band
each one OF which has II leader He
Is the king. 1t is his duty 10 enlist
recruits. To him also Is shipped all
the loot, and he In turn converts II into
money and places the amount 10 the
credit OF the member sending II III
For this the king receives commits
sion.
Most Of the ''yegg" gangs carry what
is known as "kitten" with them. The
kitten" is IA boy. young man or Grip
pie. whose duty II is to visit houses
and places of business. apparently beg
cling food or selling shocstrings, lead
pencils etc. and who then reports "a
the gang the lay of the land" so that
when the time comes for pulling Off
the job all are familiar with the prem
ises. The Kittens" are often runaway
boys and later become "yeggs" them
selves. destined to follow life OF
srime and degradation Plttsburg Ga
zette-Times.