The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1912-08-17
IS
LEADER TO KEEP
BURKE. IN BODY
Reform Alderman Hands in Re,ir-
nation and Tells He Is
Former Thief
"cR0oK" BLAcKMA!LS HIM
Started in Life in Gotham as News.
boy Waif and Then Became 4
Robbers Aid
CROOK, BLAcKMAILs HIM

Philadelphia, Aug. i6. Mayor
Rudolph Blankenburg Of this city,
in statement issued tonight from
Pocono Pines, leads movement to
turn back the resignation Of Councils
man William Burke, whose remark
able story Of being former con-
eict was published here today, with
the news that he had sent his resig-
nation to the president of the city
council The mayor says this Is n
time for the application OF the gol-
den rule.
Members Of the city council say
iBurke's career has been marked by
a number Of eccentric episodes and
1t Is recalled soon after his election
he was taken into custody by po-
lice in the tenderloin district, after
he had spent the evening handing
out his cards to women Of the street
and telling them they would have to
leave, After threatening the police,
he was locked up, but later re-
leased by magistrate.
An underworld drama In real life
was disclosed when Burke, elected
city councilman on the reform
ticket headed BY Mayor Rlanken-
burg last fall, resigned his seat and
told how, under the name Of Benia-
min H. Tripp, he had served a long
term in the Massachusetts, state
prison after a career of crime In
Boston and New York,
Coming to this city in 1907. after
completing his sentence in the Mas
sachusetts prison. Burke earned an
honest living as wood carver, q
trade he had learned while In
Jail. Taking an active Interest in
reform politics, he was prevailed
upon to accept the nomination for
councilman.
Shortly after his election, he was
recognized by former fellow COM
Wet and hlackmailed until driven to
desperation, when he determined TO
resign and tell his own story. he
says.
According to Burke's story. ap-
pearing in the Philadelphia In@
duirer today under his signature
for years before he became con-
vict at Boston he had led the life OF
a thief. a pickpocket and q porch
climber. When he was arrested,
previous to his conviction at Bos-
ton, he was called the Prince OF
q"
He says he started In life al q
street waif on the East Side OF New
York. selling newspapers. While
hanging around the corners Of the
East Side he began the life Of
crook, he says. He is about Az
vo,rs ota -
Gopher men," the crooks who
confne themselves to cracking and
robbing safes, we're the first Of the
underworld he fell in with, They
used him, he says in his story, to
visit establishments where they
thought safe might be worth
rifiing.
Then he drifted in with gang
of "mol buzzefs," that class oE
thieves who he explains. are pick
pockets, making specially OF
snatchlng swomen's handbags.
After this, Burke says, he went
west with several "yeggmen. and
In Chicago, Kansas City aud San
Francisco, in the SOS, was the assoc
ciate of desperate thieves. Upon re-
turning to New York, he became y
gambler and then sneak thief.
Later he went to Boston. where.
after rohbing many houses, he was
caught, and convicted.
Judge Bond sentenced him. ON
Dec. i6, 1896, to not less than seven
years. Upon his release he settled
in this city. in the northeastern sec
tion, where he worked at his newly
learned trade and saved enough
money to buy little cigar store
He has married and has q little
girl.
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