The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1911-05-18
CLEVER ANIMAL CRIMINALS.
How Birds, Dogs and Monkeys As
sist Bill Skies.

France has been laughing over
Boschat and his crow, says an ex-
change. Boschat, youth Of 1S, went
into grocer's shop in suburb of
Paris, and asked for some sugar. The
shopkeeper turning to get the article,
was horribly startled by the sight of
a large black crow sitting on shelf
with it's head on one side and its
beady eyes fixed on him.
He made rush to catch the bird,
but it tapped away to the top of some
cases, cawing loudly. Eluding a
further effort to seize it, the crow
few out of the door, Boschat after it..
It was not till bird and owner both
had gone that the poor grocer found
that his till had been rifled.
Paris is a favorite centre for the
thief who uses animals as accom-
plices. About a year ago a foreign
looking man, rather fashily dressed,
entered a jewelers. shop in the Rue
de la Paix, and asked to be shown
some rings. A tray was placed be-
fore him, but he asked for another.
The shop attendant turned to get
them. The man did not move; but,
as it happened, there was mirror in
the opposite wall behind the counter,
put there for the special purpose OF
detecting thieves. In this the at
tendant saw a tiny brown head peek
out of the customers pocket; then a
long thin, spidery arm flashed out,
seized two rings, and vanished.
The attendant touched an electric
bell, which summoned help, and the
man and monkey were both arrested.
The man turned out to be Mexican.
He had been travelling with a menag-
erie, had stolen the monkey, and
taught the little animal to pick up
any article which it's owner had pre-
viously~ touched with his fingers.
His lodgings were full of stolen
lace and jewelry.
A jeweler in Budapest was asked
by a customer to procure two fine
diamonds, and obtained them from
Amsterdam at a price of $1,000 for
the pair. The customer was examin-
ing them in a private room, when
the jeweler was called away.
When he returned few moments
later the customer was sitting in his
chair, but the stones had disappear
ed. A detective was sent for, but
customer and room both were search
ed in vain.
The jeweler then noticed small
dog under the table, and it suddenly
occurred to him that the creature
must have swallowed the stones. In
spite of the indignant remonstrances
of the customer, the dog was taken
to a veterinary and poisoned; and
when the body was cut open, sure
enough, the brilliants were in its
stomach.
A great Dane was employed as ac-
compl1ce by two French thieves.
Some little time ago an elderly gen
tIeman was returning to his home
when a huge dog bounded against
him, placing it's forepaws upon his
waistcoat. Under the pretense OF
assisting the dazed man, and brush
ing the dust off his coat, the thieves
succeeded in stealing his watch and
chain.
The expert English burglar very
often carries a cage of rats and a
smart terrier. Having opened a win
dow of the crib he means to crack, he
slips a rat inside, and then lifts the
dog in. If there is a burglar alarm
anywhere about the dog scuttllng
after the rat is sure to set it in mo-
ton, when it's owner leaves it to it's
fate and decamps.
ssWhen She PrimpS."