The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1912-10-25
"LEFT" FLANNELLY'9 STORY.


stream Of life and joy, and there were
more Indians to the square inch than
ever ran loose on the plains. Among
the old sinners who used to sparkle
and overflow with such wisdom as de-
lights the heart Of a crook was JEFF
Henry, who was born and died In
State prison.
Jeff was a dandy and no mistake.
His mother was just shade the best
confidence woman that ever lifted a
yailor ticker. She was doing stretch
Of five years when JEFF saw the light
Of day. His early education was
picked up in the books during the off
hours in the penitentiary. Well, you'd
be astonished to hear the old cove's
talk. There never was book sharp
who could give jeff any points when
It came to shooting of genuine chunks
Of learning.
Il was a young fellow then, and
guess 1t was the cheerful words of
jeff that led me away from the job
that had as an apprentice to BUTCH
er, aud started me on the road lifting
other peoples coin and jewels. ] never
though his advice: never brought me
anything but trouble.
Il heard Jeff say one time, talking
to Sam Perrin. as he sat on billiard
table in Sheeny Backus joint, that he
had in his day tried his hand at every
line Of crooked work from lifting bank
vaults to tapping tills. and he found
that OF all the tricks that he ever
worked he picked up the most money
in country jobs In localities where the
people were simple-minded and hid all
their money in different places around
the house.
>>"Jen went into the business so care
fully that he had a lot of statistics
showing the wealth in the country.
and how much of it was out Of banks
and locked up in houses. It was my
luck when JEFF got nailed for the rob-
berry Of Aaron Burr's old house on
Staten Island to get his list Of places.
which promised we'll II worked. I
was in that job. but. being new to the
business. was left on the outside to
watch the house. had their extra
clothing to look after. In some way
the constables Of New Brighton goe
tip on the movements of the gang and
nailed them.
Maybe I was not tickled when
found Jeff's books in his overcoat. It
was rich prize to me. landed on
the Bowery bigger than one Of Bill
Dooley's fighting cocks. I got under
cover Tor a couple Of weeks just as a
matter Of form. When l came out I
got together the gang that will go
down into history as the Red Robins
that did not have a murder to his
credit, and they would every one Of
them rather fight than eat. was al
ways a bit lively in any game. and l
won my spurs by doing Jim Bradley
with pitcher in his sailors boarding
house in Cherry street when Jim was
in his prime and nobody else dared go
near him. got the gang by giving up
Jeff's book. As I had all the facts I
was made the pilot. Then we started
OF on the tour that set Long Island
crazy and made the name Of Red
Robins feared as the devil by all good
people.
"Jeff not only had the names of per.
sons living in each house. but he had
,plans OF the houses, the easiest way
Ito attack them and the obstacles that
might be met with. In some instances
Inc had gone so far as to give the mum
.ber of dogs. and their breed as well
AFTER studying over the book carefully
y laid out route which began al
;Riverhead and wound up in Jamaica
This would give us altogether about
Isixty places to vista very fail
'amount of work for the dull season
il arranged the program so that 'ht
homes to be robbed were widely scat
tered for the first week. After tina
they were all close together, the ide;
being that people, after hearing of tn,
first robberies, would think that the!
were safe. as the lightning did no
seem to strike twice in the SANE
'place.
I'VE had to get transportation from
place to place. had rig Of my OWL
to start with that was fitted up as ;
farmers wagon. 1t was large enough
ito hold the gang and such property a
was worth taking away. This schem,
did not work we'll, as the wagon be