Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1912-10-04

| determined to take whatever risks
there might be. | laid down certain
rules to follow that ! hoped might
eliminate unpleasant contingencies.
First, | determined to direct my ener-
gies, my education and whatever
talent l might possess against people
of my own station in life. By this
| mean in intelligence and breeding
as we'll as wealth. / had no desire
to win great wealth in my new career,
as my family has considerable money
although it belongs to my mother. My
principal idea was to experiment upon
these who were able to defend them
selVes-to demonstrate my theories
through persons who would not suffer
seriously by my success.
My second resolution was to refrain
from all violence. l had no idea Of
sacrificing my life foolishly to a the
DRY. The law of self-preservation is
able to set aside. But | wanted no
robbery of mine to end in murder. To
make such a thing impossible, | laid
my plans with extreme care and Sc
lected the time and place with un-
usual solicitude on that point. Ere
quently | accomplished my robberies
without carrying any weapons.
When / started out on my career OF
burglary in February, decided to loot
the homes of my wealthy neighbors.
Many of them | knew quite well; 9th
ers only by sight, and some by name
or reputation. While that perhaps
was a natural beginning, it was in a
certain way a safe one. Few Of my
intended victims knew much about
me, but most of them knew | bore a
good reputation.
Made List of Intended Victims.
When / decided to broaden my &C
tivities, 1 prepared new list Of
wealthy citizens. | made it up from
the Blue Book of Chicago, the reports
of the board of tax reviewers and the
society columns of the daily papers.
Being on my list was conclusive evil
dence of wealth. All of them were
millionaires and many Of them multi
,millionaires. l watched for the an
nouncement of their going abroad or
away and closing their homes.
thought that a good time to commit
my burglaries, as private Waterman
or perhaps a servant or two was the
only person to hinder me. Often
there was no one. Things went 30
we'll / grew more ambitious. | cut
down my list. l raised the financial
entrance requirements. | wanted
nothing but the homes Of the wealth
lest in which to prove my theories.
I loved to roam through the beau
tiful rooms and at my leisure to pick
out the rare art treasures that ap-
pealed to my educated taste. Then
there were paintings to pass upon In
the weird light Of the closed houses
and jewels to be had for the opening
of a drawer or the raising Of lid. I
had learned In everything l read how
easy crime is. The stories are true.
1t is the easiest thing in the world.
A criminal gets caught because he
grows careless-because he becomes
reckless. In my own short experience
I went through both those phases.
The way was so easy l soon lost my
sense of fear of being discovered.
Then l began to long for hazardous
exploits. l wanted to rob house
that had every safeguard, with all
the odds against me. | wanted to
prove my talent to myself
Not often. In Danger.
had only a few scares. A watch
man with a drawn revolver surprised
me IN the Durand home. I drew my
own weapon and grappled with him,
forcing him to drop his revolver be-
fore he could use it. Then | fired in
the air to brighten him. He was so
scared he couldn't move. He watched
me pick up his revolver and empty it
Of all it's shells before | returned il to
him. Then he watched me leave the
building without daring to stop me.
That experience taught me one thing
and that is that the learned man and
the ignorant one alike resort to prim-
al instincts when 1t comes to self
preservation.
One Of my most narrow escapes
was when I was leaving the Allerton
residence at No. 1918 Prairie avenue
I had just stepped through a rear
window when / heard the Waterman.
I barely had time to conceal myself
behind the stairway. He was so near
l thought he must hear me breathing
But he passed on without hating and
went away.
1t was not luck that was with me;
it was science. And II ! had only
stuck to it, | could he out with a
Jimmy and dark lantern now. get
ting more plumber.
For what purpose did / make no ef-
fort to realize any money on those
nine trunks crammed with diamonds
and precious stones, gold and silver
silks and satins and laces,
antiques and trinketsy
Just to prove how easy it is to be a
Paffies; just to demonstrate what an
education is worth In every walk or