The chronicle=news., 1912-12-04
neGentlen,an { Criminal
Highly Educated and Well-born Men Who Be-
came Famous Crooks
came Famous Crooks.

Fifty-seventh street district In little
more than one year. and he got away
with about 100000 worth OF loot.
lie confessed to $4,000 worth.
And his was one OF the few cnses
where We could never learn what he
did with the stuff-that Is. most Of
1t: some OF the silver and gold he
melted down In u cruciblc and sold
to the government assay office In
Wall street.
"Oh. he was good burglar" said
Faurot regarding the the photograph
with an expression OF resretful Ad-
miration. He scorned to operate
east of Madison avenue and often his
work took him within block OF J.
Pierpont Morgan's house.
Yes. he wore evening dress when
he went out on job. but It was
no affectation. II was simply because
in the locality where he worked he
was apt 10 attract less attention
clothed that way than II he had worn
an everyday suit. Aud for the same
reason he lived well. although 1; was
10 be able To buy the luynrics OF lite
that he became II thief: he stayed In
fashionable hotels and boarding
houses. and he kept his wife a, Lake.
wood and Long Beach and other sty
iish resorts most OF the time.
She. by the way. did no, know
until his arrest that he was "a burg
lar. He never associated with thieves
and We never found his fence
"Robinson's plan was clever one.
lie would engage for n week or 10
u room on the top OF some harding
house or hotel in the block where he
had planned to work. and he al
ways went out over the roofs. often
using 4 Siikcn rope ladder. iic never
worked from the street. 50 II was al-
most impossible to catch him by sur
rounding house or a block. when
nc had covered locality In this
way he would change his quarters.
"a smooth swindler and cold
bioddcd one. II ever there WAS one. In
tho gentleman class, who would
never have attempted anything -
rough MS burglary. wss Philadelphia
Hart. He was q sood.lookinE
elderly pcrson. who made speciality
OF cheating women.
His favorite stunt was the bogus
employment agency. and he had a
variety OF tricks for getting the
money. lie would answer advertise
ments. In many casSsI he would
ray he had . most desirable position.
one OF great trust. but that the pros.
pective employers needed cash
bond. insurinE the Integrity OF the
employc. nn
THE young woman. anxious that
such n good place should not escape
hcr. would move heaven and earth.
ms rule. to raise the money. or part
OF IT, She would turn II over to Hart
and then II was an easy matter for
him to disappear.
Frequently he would rent an Of.
flee Just to put over one Job Of thi.
kind. rnd his hauls from these poor
girls have ranged from $50 TO moro
than $1,000.
Even as n prisoner. doing time In
Long Island Jail. Philadelphia
Jimmy did not lose his power TO win
the confidence OF women. He recog-
nized the power OF advertisement.
and he let II be known that he had
Invented a wonderful Airship.
''All that was needed was the cap
itaI-grent profits were sure TO ac-
cruc. Somehow wealthy widow
heard OF the invention and went TO
see Har, in jail.
She was profoundly impressed
more. perhaps. with Philadelphia
Jimmy's sauv!ty and grand manner
than with the nirship. and she left
the jail convinced that he was an in
nocent and maligned man. She i'm
ncdiately took steps to procure his
release. and Interested certain In
iluenccs that brought him his free
dom.
Then. under an assumed name.
Hart. as head OF company for which
the widow and friend. doctor of
good standing in Richmond Hill. fur
nished the capital. started factory
for the manufacture Of the a!rship.
Everything went well until one day
the widow and the doctor called. they
were told that the inventor had gone
West for aluminium
Evidently he is still on the hunt
Tor that precious metal, because bis
partners have never heard Of him or
the several thousands dollars OF
their money he took with him.
Hart was "A notable example OF the
well educated. gently born and bred
man with crooked kink In his make
up that irresistibly impelled him to
crime. He could easily have made
IA good living honestly. hut he told
me 1t was too siuw-he needed the
money to come in rapidly"
At this point the inspector took
out the photograph Of hoy Of not
more than 10. a well-dress6d, ath-