The Washington herald., 1911-11-05

the hotel and spoke to me.
- "Don't you know that you surrounded by
policemen. of whom are sure to spot you? 1
J. asked him.
"You're the only man in the world who knows me-
he said My name now is So and So-gIving me
Il,,. nar-e-'and I'm respected and pros 4rous
"a ~. just wanted to let you know before you
IA II out for yourself for knew you'd be the
y square with me- And I was. So far as I knew he
W. .--anted for anything. and what good would
Iccr~--o r0rnc Of exposing him?
N "Tbeves who resist the temptation to steal? Hun
dreds of them There's right here, only a few
, blocks from where are talking. He's the watch
man in a big silk warehouse-and If there's anything
YOUR professional thief likes to stea short Of money
diamonds, it's silk for you can get so much value
into so small package. This man was profes-
sionaI safe blower, and did several big jobs. When
he got out Of prison 1 helped him to get the Job he
has now His employer knows his record. told it
to him on the mans request. When work stops
for the day this is left alone in charge Of hun
dreds of thousands of dollars worth Of valuable silks
He isn't bonded for he couldn't get bondsman he
wanted to- He has held the job seven years now,
and not cents worth has been taken from the ware
house in that time.
You may say that he does not dare to steal
that ne knows a single false move on his part will
bring instant punishment But 1 say he has no de-
sire to steal-that he has reformed. And thousands
Of other criminals would reform society would give
them half chance.
Battling Hotel Robberies.
Several years ago there series Of hotel rob
berries in New York that bafied the police The thief
ALWAYS worked with keys opening doors and then
unlocking baggage left in rooms, and he always got
auav with the goods. At last night the word
came to headquarters that a man had been caught
in one Of the big hotels who was suspected OF being
the author of all the robberies was visiting Chief
Devery at the time and he asked me to go with him
70 the West Thrtieth street station to look the man
over.
THE man arrested was well dressed, respectable
looking little man, with white beard-the last man
who would be taken for thief If seen in hotel
corridor His face was vaguely familiar to me, but
had some difficulty in placing him. Finally It struck
me. had him nearly thirty years before on
the occasion Of big prize fight in New Orleans when
he had been arrested for the trick 1t came over
me like fash, and told him knew him.
whats the Of making uoubler he asked
These fools don't know anything ABOUT me unless
you put them wise
'I told Chief Devery what remembered about the
man. who protested violently that he had never been
IN New Orleans in his life Then an, her thought
struck me.
you've been in New Orleans more than once
said The last time about six months ago, when
YOU got Denman Thompson's diamonds in the St
but it was a chance shot my part for no one had
seen the thief The old fellow denied this Vigor
ously.
He was wearing a new derby hat I don't know
what impulse prompted me, but took the hat OF
his head and looked itside. 1t bore the mark Of a
New Orleans halter.
"The Chief and left the station and had just
turned into Sixth avenue when remembered the old
fellows name. We went back to the station house
and confronted him again. told him lis He
denied that it was his.
whats the use of making trouble, MIR Pinker-
ton? he pleaded His inadyertent OF my name,
which had not been mentioned there, gave him away
81 don't know what kind of case the police here
have on you told him. but retained by the
Jewellers Protective Association and If you get after
any jewelry drummers I'll make it hot for you And
as a precaution 1 got his photograph from the New
York police. They didn't have much Of him
and he got of.
Not long after a jewery drummer was robbed in
a Chicago hotel Of about three thousand dollars
worth of diamonds which he had carelessy left in his
grip instead Of putting them in the safe. The
day friend of mine who stopping in another
hotel lost his new overcoat and told me about It.
thought of the old Il the first job, and found
chambermaid and bellboy who had see:. him the
floor, but didn't connect him with the second be-
cause he had stolen anything but very valua-
BILE articles, far knew. Ny friend had to leave
for New 1ork tnat ngnt, ana some time In the even
ing got a telegram from him which had been fled in
Fort Wayne.
positive who got my coat Is in same sleeper,
ticketed New York it read. wired my friend at
point farther along the line to get on at Pittsburg
and hold a white handkerchief in his hand he
could be identified and be prepared to point the
thief. Then got In touch with Pittsburg by wire,
and sure enough back came a wire after while to
the effect that they had got the man, whom my friend
identified, and found him besides the overcoat
about $4,000 worth of diamonds. l asked for de-
scrption. and the they wired fitted that OF the
man had seen in New York. / referred PittsburH
10 the mans photograph, which had been published
hat week In police periodical, and they were sure
hey had the same man. And so it proved He was
brought back to Chicago and convicted Of the lew
elry theft He served short sentence, and when he
got out he came to me.
Mind you, this old man. who had been a
hief all his life-I had known him a thief mora
han thirty years before 1t Is criminals Of that kind
hat commonly regarded as the most dificuIt 70
eforfn but even hardened and lifelong offenders lEa
his will go straight If they get the right Kind
II encouragement. found this old man annaren+I-
nxious be honest, but he had never had q ohar-s