The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-04-06
MANY JOBS LAID
To POLITE BURGLAR
Eddie Fay, Who Lifted" Million,
Has Career of Crime That Spans
: Long Periods Gagged at Last

through the checker-grated door OF
Eddie Fay's cell In the Tombs prison,
and see the fierce scowl on the face
OF this, the most dangerous criminal
In the world" who is at last behind
walls that hold him fast.
Eddie Fay is undone and knows H.
The robbery OF the Richmond, Va.
postofiice of $SS.OO0 in stamps and
cash will be the notorious yeggman )
flial job.
He Is like a Gagged tiger now, his
anger flashing him into furious TEN
pests OF passion. Desperately. hate
fully gnashing his teeth, he shakes
the stout steel door His guards are
10 him what the trainer is TO wild
Gagged beasts Madly would he tear
them to bits If opportunity offered an
escape.
He was the most successful under
world crook of modern times, and
used skill In his work which indicated
large thinking capacity. II Is esti
mated that his various robberies
brought him at least 81 100000 some
or which he invested like a good busl-
ness man in Chicago real estate, and
some OF which he spent recklessly liv-
ing the life OF n sporting gentleman.
His string OF race horses did not net
him any profit. and he was a desper-
ate gambler. But the value OF his
property is today estimated at $780,.
600
The thing behind the criminal
career OF Fay seems much like
that of the Jesse James gang, though
Jesse and the Younger brothers were
crude in their methods as compared
with Fay No wild west war.whoop-
Ing tactics for him. His way was 70
dress we'll pose as London banker.
associate with race track followers
and only shoot when he was cornered.
But then he would shoot 20 kill. The
police OF Chicago say there are four
murders traceable 20 Fay The least
valuable thing in the world TO him
was human life.
Fay probably would not have been
caught II he himself had managed thu
get away. He trusted too much 70
Chester. aud Chester bungled He was
nervous, and foolishly made the bag
gage mas,er az the Richmond depot
suspicious. He demanded that the
three trunks holding the booty he put
aboard train watch was almost du"
10 leave. He cursed and swore, and
finally assisted The porter in loading
the trunks on the cars Mr. Station
master thought IL over later. and d.
Cided that Chester was no travelling
man. and told the police This waG
the clue that traced the robbers %
New York. Then, when they came to
claim Their trunks, detectives were
present disguised a. baggagemen. and
10.
lug the mice. started 10 walk quietly
away, bur Chester precipitated the ar
rest by punching one OF the detectives.
Fay was clear into the crowded street
before the detectives surrounded him.
For years the police OF the whole
country have been after this man, and
there was price Of $4,000 on his
head. dead or alive.
Twice ne has escaped from Jail. both
times after pistol duels with officers
and guards once on board swiftly
moving train, h. held up his guards
and leaped TO liberty. lie made pos:-
Offices his specially, and when the New
York police and government secret
service men trapped him and dragged
him fighting. kicking and cursing to
the Tombs. the other day, they found
in his trunks $4,000 worth OF | ana
I-cent stamps. with complete and
beautifully polished set OF burglar
tools and diagrams. descriptions and
other data OF poetoftces and banks IN
dt least 40 cities
Some of Fays known jobs were the
robbery Of the Chicago postoffce OF
$4,000. the United States revenue o..
fee at Peoria, H.. or 10000 worth OF
revenue stamps. the Japanese-Ameri
can bank at Los Angeles OF S3S 900
cash, the san Diego postoffice OF &c.,
73S In stamps and $4,000 in gold, "a
nanl. at superior, Wis, of $50 900. and
the recent Richmond job, which was
his Waterloo
His methods are best explained By
a. examination OF the Richmond rob-
berry. Fay, accompanied by pa.
named Chester, who was also caught
.lere, took quarters at hotel near the
postofiicc, posing as commercial
travelling men.
On Saturday night they gained Ell
trance TO the pCstoflce, using skele.
ton KEYS Within II feet of the street,
where people were constantly passing
they applied what the yeggmen call
the plunge and squeeze" Ii means
that no explosive is used to open the
safe. but that the doors were first
drilled and then pried open Fay and
his pal turned the trick by boring a
little hole and inserting the point of q
small instrument made like a top
but with heavy handle, into the bo.e
at the crack OF the safe door The
top-like end has a thread running
about it, and screwing the handle re-
suits in terrific pressure upon the
door. When a sufficient opening had
thus been silently made, 1t was No
trick at all TO make the heavy door
yield TO the pressure of crowbar.
But think Of rays nerve In back
ing a wagon up 20 the postofiice and
carrying out packages of stamps
weighing several hundred pounds.
enough t. plaster half the billboards
in Richmond!
In New York ard Chicago there
are stamp brokers who. at discount,
.uy stamps in large quantities from
persons who are overstocked or need
ready money ON postage stock or for
other reasons wish - sell stamps. The
Io,ice say that Fay got rid Of stamps
through these brokers.
The robbers took their booty IN
trunks 10 their hotel and then sent
them TO the depot, checked for WasL-
ington.