The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1912-11-30
CLIFF DEMPsEY's STORY.

CLIFF DEMPsEY's STORY.
1T never asked credit said CLIFF,
Afor doing good to any one, and 1
never feared censure for doing evil,
because ] have always made it rule
to do what was right according to my
Judgment and the way was brought
up What might appear right to me
might be condemned by a preacher
many times, and then again what
some preachers do might not seem
right to me, and SO it goes. It may
not be in accordance with the teach
Sgs of good men to stick to friend
n matter what trouble he may get
into and to kill the friend who does
you serious harm while having the
smile of friendship on his lips. Well,
that's my doctrine, and everybody
knows it. 1t has made my path thorny
at times, but it has given me some
of the truest friends who ever lived
on earth.
ut is astonishing how friends will
sometimes go back on you, even these
who have been very close to you IN
danger, and when the blow comes
there is to my mind only one way to
wipe out the disgrace. The way ]
gave it to Abe Baker is a good idea
of what I mean. 5
~ ABE and I were raised togethe--,
and for many years we worked in the
same line. / was with Abe in the
Connecticut and Long Island masked
/ burglaries. When Abe was shot in
Islip while we were leaving the house
of Judge Reynolds with about $4,000
in property put him on my back and
carried him several miles to plant him
In a spot that I knew was dead safe
He paid me back FOR this in way
| that no one would ever believe him
capable Of doing, and I had to suffer
for it.
Ling DAILY, Abe and I went into
the bank business when the masked
burglary trade played out, and We
/ travelled over the country together
with great success. We tapped alto
gether about thirty banks, and there
was no reason why we should ever
have been nailed. It was lucky trip
and we did not have the slightest trou
BILE in any place except the little in
conveniences which come to men II
our line who are being logged by The
police all their livess
Zone of the tricks was the Empire
bank in Troy. They had an old-fash
toned vault which was then looked
upon as the best safeguard In us'
against attacks of burglars. But
knew its weak point. We got into i
two hours after dark and were on thu
midnight train out Of Albany witt
$375,000 in cash and securities. w
read the account of the robbery j
New York the next day. 1t was yer.
evident that we had not left any clu'
for the police to work on. 1t was
sure thing, as looked at it, and VI
lay down for chance to get rid o
the bonds.
81 was then living in st. Mark
place and was taken by surprise whel
a couple Of detectives carried ava.
my door and took me to headqual
tiers. They told me T was wanted TO
the Troy job. I found DAILY and Bake
there, and glanced at them in thei
cell as I was brought in. BAL
smiled, but Baker looked suriy an
sat on the edge Of his bed and did nc
give me a glance. j supposed, G
course, that he was ugly at bein
pinched, but / knew that we coul
beat the game if we did not say any
thing.
Thieves convict themselves by tall
ing about half the time, and though
that could trust the men had bee
pulling with. We were taken to couI
the next morning and were remandet
This showed me that the police wer
not satisfied with the evidence the
had against US, and I had chat wit
Baker about the business. He di
not seem to act right. but did nc
mind it then. could not see throng
the scheme until we were taken
court again. Then was dumbfouns
ed to hear that the detectives had 81
possession Of the securities and pal
of the cash.
i There We're only two others besid
myself who had a knowledge OF Wher
the property was. They were Sake
q and DAILY. I knew that one Of thel
had given up to the police. I though
Of the two men that 1t must be DAILY
i but ! did not say anything e either I