Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1912-02-22
A Bowery
Experience
Bv MAR TIN SHARPE

trip to that city took occasion TO visit
IT, was strolling along 1t when
man suddenly confronted me. and by
his manner knew that he was
crook
AZ to his appearance there was moth.
| hug very bad about 1t, Only small
thieves have rundown, disagreeahle
look He beckoned me to follow him
and went down into a dive very near
where | had met him. heSitated for
a moment; then my caution gave way
before what | fancied might be an
opportunity to see something of New
York crook life. and | Joined him NJ
a table in the saloon,
| Il didn't know you were out" he
said
The man had evidently mistaken ME
for some one else. Willing TO let him
talk feigned rcticence,
i've got job in view and want
another man Are you open:
| told him that 1t depended on what
the job was and led him on TO devel-
op his scheme A butler to n wealthy
family was ready to act with him and
had told him that a daughter Of the
house was about to be married and
valuable wedding presents were com.
ing in
The butler. whose regular duty was
to shut up the house nights, was To let
the crook In In order that he might
have free access to the gifts | was
wanted to help carry off the swag
| endeavored to get the man to tell me
| the location of the house, but he was
too sharp for ME. He agreed to meet
me at designated place on the night
| he proposed to make the haul and take
me with him. l was to keep watch
and help carry or the plumber After
settling all details we parted. and
went straight to police headquarters
and reported my experience,
was told that my information
would be worthless unless | would con
sent to go with the man to make the
robbery We would be Swallowed and
caught red handed, didn't like the
might expect liberal reward from
the family who were to be robbed, and,
since was not over well supplied with
funds, l consented.
was to call every day at the saloon
where l had met the crook for Motif
cation of time and place of meeting
with him. On the third day the bar
keeper handed me an envelope. in
which was a slip OF paper advising me
to be at a certain corner on the Bow.
cry at certain hour the same night
My pal would pass me. and was to
follow him, but l was not to recognize
or notice him. When he neared the
house he was to slow up under gas
light, which was to tell me that he was
within few doors Of the crib. Then l
was to draw near so that l could keep
him in view. My position was to be Mt
the point he entered. to watch and wait
for further orders.
At the appointed hour l was at my
post and took pains to stand directly
in the light where those who shadow
ed me could see me. My man did not
keep me waiting long and walked
straight past without looking at me.
l followed him us he had directed, and
he led me into a street where there
were several of those old fashioned
downtown residences that when built
were the finest In the city and some
still occupied by the descendants of
their Dutch builders. lie stopped near
one of them. looked ut his watch, then
went on slowly, 1t was o'clock In
the morning, and the street was &c
serted. He went up onto II front b t
cony OF "A large house, opened WIN
dow that had been left unlocked ana
disappeared in the darkness.
Time was given him by the police to
get together considerable property.
Then | was relieved 10y plain clothes
man and went back OF to the sidewalk,
where saw men surrounding the
house When my pal had filled a sack
he brought it to me aud was quietly
told to throw up his hands. Then ut
a signal several men ran In from the
street and The capture was made with,
out disturbance.
The burglar, | was told, was very
hot against me for giving him away
and vowed that If he ever got chance
he would kill me, though he still be
lieved was the crook he had mistak
en- me for The police kindly went
through the photographs in the rogues'
gallery and found me-that Is. my OK
act counterpart. | was not especially
pleased 10 find that | 50 nearly resem
bled criminal. but was cOmforted
that the picture did not give such an
impression insisted on the burglar
being informed of his mistake lest he
should carry out his threat on the
wrong party.
1t turned out that there were $1,000
or $1,000 worth Of wedding gifts In the
house to be robbed. and the burglar
had put more than half Of 1t In the
sack he had brought to me. Had he
been properly supported be would IN
doubtedly have got away with all the
brides property. | received thou
hnr IA a