The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1912-07-07

was founder OF one
of the queerest monopoly on record
"Thief Trust"
Wild was born in 1852. He was Bir-
mingham bucklemaker by trade and
came to London as a young man to I'M
prove his fortune. A life OF dissipa-
tion quickly landed him in prison for
debt There he stayed four years. be-
coming acquainted with almost every
thief In London and gaining a strong
influence over most Of them. BY the
time he had scraped together enough
money to buy his freedom he
had already outlined his fu-
ture career. He saw that crooks
never really succeed In life. So he
decided to stay technically" honest.
and to profit by others crimes. Rent
ing low waterside tavern, he made
friends with more outcasts and at last
had large enough following to take
up the profession he had planned.
Calling to him a number Of notori-
GUS thieves, Wild made them a lit
tie speech. He explained that the
new laws had made life hard for rob-
bers. Theft was not only hanging Of
fense," but the receivers Of stolen
goods were 80 closely watched that
they dared not do business. So he
suggested an improvement on the old
methods. Any one committing theft
was to come at once to Wild and tell
all about 1t. Wild In turn was to get
to the person robbed, and, on the lat
ter's promise to ask no questions. was
to offer to return the stolen articles
in payment Of substantial reward.
This reward he would give to the thief
in exchange for the plunder, keeping
one-third of the money as his own COM
mission.
1t was q simple arrangement The
victim would get back his property
by paying a certain sum; the thieves
would make more money than by deal.
ing with regular receivers" or
fences" Wild, with no danger to
himself. would reap tidy commission
on every robbery.
From the first his business prosper
cd. He himself stole nothing, nor did
he In any way come within reach OF
the law. A house, for instance. would
be robbed of $4,000 worth Of valuables.
Wild would 60 to the owner and tell
him that for $500 he would find the
lost goods. The money was paid and
the goods were returned. Wild clear
Ing 5000 on the deal. The work was
profitable to him and to the thieves
alike. BY the world at large he was
regarded as shrewd detective, who
was singularly fortunate in tracing
lost property. Most people were glad
enough to get back their belongings
without insisting on the thief's ar
rest. Wild grew rich, bought a big
house and was highly respected. He
even added smuggling as side line"
to his business.
He managed to get thieves wholly in
his power by hunting up evidence
which (should he place 1t in the hands
of the law would hang them. BY hold
ing this threat over their heads, Wild
made the great army Of crooks give
him slavish obedience and deal exclu.
sively with him. 1t was regular
Trust" Once in awhile some stub
born rogue would disobey an order
or would refuse to dispose of his booty
through the trusts agency. Then Wild.
as reputable citizen, would lay his
evidence before the police and would
help personally in the capture. Some
times these arrested slaves of his
would turn on him. His body, in fact,
was covered with wounds, and In one
tussle his skull was fractured. But
these cases OF rebellion were uncom.
mon.
Robbery throve as never before. At
last parliament was forced to pass
law making 1t felony for any one
TO take money on pretense Of restor.
ing stolen goods unless he should also
produce the thief. Wild was rich
enough to have retired, but the spirit
OF graft was too strong for him. Hith.
erto he had been on the right side OF
the law. Now he found himself on the
wrong side Of 1t. He continued to
wiring thieves ill-earned money from
them and to betray such as failed to
follow his orders. At last, In 1725, he
was arrested, tried. convicted and sen
fenced to be hanged.
AS the hangman's cart bore him ia
Tyburn Qondon's place Of execution)
the crowd mobbed him, yelling "Ju
das!" and stoning the trembling old
rascal, leaving little work for the eI
ecutioner to do when the cart at last
reached Tyburn