New-York tribune., 1910-09-11
THEN SKY THIEF COMES
.4croplane In Crime, as We'll as IN
War, May Soon Be Seen.

--,rllfiDly from m0nLS 10 lnouLD IiusS wiio iSse
watched the growth of aviation most closely are
s,,ecuIating upon the probable appearance OF the
zeroplane burglar. or Sky pirate" as he might
~ called He is not likely to be long in coming
ance the noise Of the aerial motor can be sup
pressed.
The aeroplane's best friends have 10 own that
its very virtues ft it for a career Of crime 1t
goes fast and far, il leaves no track behind, II
csn escape from any pursuer except one OF It's
swu kin and even then chase would be most
uncertain one. Worst of ALL il the bird-na
&c minded rather Ike a vulture than like
eagle he can strike his prey in its most vul-
,>-sble part. The easiest access TO a locked
house is TO be had from overhead. as any city
sweIler can see for himself il he VIII go Up and
look n the door in his own roof
a hinge Of strap IRON, or at best an iron bar,
fastened with a paddock that would yield Ike
uaper TO a skiIfully handled jimmy" Is all that
prevents the ordinary trapdoor from being
lifted from without Indeed, the roof is the
r,s,.sl route Of the rObber OF vacant houses. and
4 Is only the difficulty Of reaching it that keeps
such crimes from being far more common than
tlley are
ONLY one step more il aviation is needed to
MAKE the aeroplane the burglars mount II
must De made to alight upon a restricted space.
s-., es tlla roof Of q house and TO go up from
the same spot without difficulty. When that
ti-,a has come il is easy to forecast what Is
likely 10 happen
First the police VIII hear frequent complaints
that vacant houses have been entered by way OK
-,,a roof. Perhaps a caretal1er viii tel OF hear
i3r strange sounds overhead AT night A silver
77aner knife which is recognized as part Of tho
missing plunder. is found by a nlilknlao IN q
-rst7-7.7ss backyard IN WiIliarnsbridge-
detective puts forth the theory that the
-,+47s-s fed BY aeropIane and dropped the knife
l,z- accident The newspapers take II UP and
,,-re = more stringent enforcement Of the avta-
ton laws Policemen are ordered to shoot AZ
ae-0Fiares which fly by night without the ols-
tiDglishing lights required under the statutes
7l,a, Al old caretake- is found with his skull
crushed IL. the house looted and the trapdoor
o7,er and : policeman recalls seeing An aero
plane start from that house the night befor.
The whole country is aroused
There IS q new cry Of police incompetence
Wealthy amateurs. taken with the novelty OF
the thing. offer their services TO the department.
which sets them 10 watch from the high hotel
roofs one night rocket scars Up over the
CITY Il IS the signal which every policeman has
te.n prepared 10 give and II points the cuiprit's
!i7e of fight toward the west
With = whir Of angry engines one OF the
waiting machines swoops from her perch
Swiftly she climbs upward, hunting for her
quarry Her two See the shining double
chain Of Broadway lights wink out at one place
aai then fash hack again That was where the
lirate craft went by. The pursuers swerTe
t0ward her trail. leaping in 3 terrific downward
glide The man in uniform sees her first and
points her out 10 his taUt nerved companion
They have the upper plane Of her, and as they
follow her out above the silent river the man at
the wheel coaxes his Quivering mount higher
sas higher still.
Al 4 word from him the man in uniform IN
f5lds the wicked little four-1luked anchor. With
: turn Of its silken cord brought around the
aluminium keeIpost he lowers il until II IS
swinging . hundred feet below them
Now their prey is outlined against the great
wal Of electric signs that blazes along the Jer-
eey shore She is flying high, meaning to clear
The Pal.sades i she can And even at that her
rursler Is a good three hundred feet higher than
she is
Tn man al the wheel wheedles few more
revolutions Z second out Of his gToaning en-
-tnes Then, gently. he turns down the forward
ruGde- The great signs leap up at them,
blurred through the tears that start behind the
gocg-es The siIken anchor cord trails whistling
behind tler1l like the tail of kite. That sicken
ing plunge overtazes the fugitive as if she were
standing stiI.
= sc4re6 face looks Up at them; the dark craft