New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-10-29
They Decline to Aid in Future
Any Member of the Pro-
fession Arrested With
Firearms Upon Him.
Copyright 1911. by Fred c. Kelly)

Copyright. 1911. by Fred G. Kelly)
- lot long ago a meeting Of leading
nj burglars from all parts Of the coun-
L V try was held at a rendezvous over
= saloon I'm Clark street, Chicago. A fall
lawyer was present at the meeting TO aG-
wise them concerning new laws i'm various
states and ways and means for lodging
them. II was the sense Of tho meeting
on the advice Of tho fall" lawyer-that
they would refuse 20 aid any burglar found
carrying firearms when arrested.
Many states now have laws providing
q maximum penalty Of life imprisonment
for a man who robs an inhabited dwelling
house in the night time, the theory being
that a man who does so viii Kill the occu-
rants rather than he captured. burglar
found CARRYING firearms is naturally more
il,kelv TO receive this maximum sentence. II
he Is convicted. than one who was I'M
armed al the time % his arrest The men
~ the Chicago meeting took the stand.
therefore. that burglar assumes too much
risk when ne enters a house armed. IT
caught, his bond will Re so heavy that II
will be a hardship on his friends 10 make
,up enough fall money 20 get him out OF
s5an Thus g. may come to pass that in
the future there will be a surprisingly
sisrge decrease in the number Of burglars
who are prepared 10 shoot II necessary.
And this condition, be it said to their
credit, will doubtless be due in a large
measure 10 fall" lawyers.
Now. what is fan lawyer?
fail" lawyer is n lawyer who makes
n speciality Of defending crooks. and act
rng as Intermediary between them and
sfheir pals The nomenclature appears 10
Ire based on tho fact that when crook is
scsst into prison his pals say he has fallen
Tor "tumbled" Likewise. the money put up
40 spring hm-that is. 10 get him out
ass called fall money" However, the cX-
,Jression fall lawyer IS used moro by the
police and by other lawyers as term OF
idisregard than by the men Of the under
world They mostly refer 20 lawyers as
'nouthpieces Fall lawyer is the moro
specific term.
Honor among thieves, when existing al
ell. runs I'm direct ratio 10 the usefulness
7of honor. Only TO that extent is the old
saying true \ thief will adhere to
rough code Of LOYALTY so long as he finds
ahat ~ pays. Tho average porch climber
a. pickpocket might sell his wifes clothes
80 provide DIS snare OF luiQS 10 XII a
yellow porch climber or plckpocket out of
3all lie would not do Il because he is
attached n tho brother thief, or because
ihoy belong 10 the same lodge, but he
cause 81 IS not good policy 10 refuse. The
next week or the next year he may be In
core need Of funds for a hail bond himself.
aud II a. has been nosed about that he
once failed 10 come across for the aid Of
. diliRent Co worker IN the porch climbing
craft he may get the "hoarsc hoot' when
he runs mp his own signal Of distress.
Tho most potent factor to-day i'm keeping
men out OF the pcnitentiarics who should
lo i'm uenitentiarics "a tho system I'm prac-
iico among thieves throughout this coun-
try Of supplying one another with funds on
request without waiting 10 ask questions.
II ie here that the "fall" lawyer comes IN.
TO achieve sacccee ~ hie limo q "faiI"
lawyer must have flexible conscience. lie
must show enthusiasm and sympathy over
the work Of criminal who violates the
law and escapes punishment. lu a way ho
comes 10 be- regarded as ono Of them. hay
ing the same grade Of ideals. $50 they be
Heve, and the same zest for tho contra
Neuuon Of Justice