The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-01-20
A Bowery
Experience
By MARTIN SHARPE

/ had always had fancy to see the
/ Bowery, in New York. and on my first
! trip to that city took occasion to visit
: 1t. / was strolling along 1T when a
man suddenly confronted me, and by
his manner knew that be was a
crook.
As to his appearance there was moth
ing very bad about 1t. only small
thieves have a rundown, disagreeable
look. He beckoned me to follow him
Sgand went down into dive very near
g3wbere l 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 at
a table in the saloon.
II didn't know you were out" he
: said.
Il The man had evidently mistaken me
Z for some one else. Willing to let him
talk. feigned reticence.
1--WE got a job in view and want
another man. Are you openY
told him that it depended on what
the Job was and led him on to devel-
Oh his scheme. butler to 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 We're COM
ing in.
The butler, whose regular duty was
10 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 of 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. / was to keep watch
and help carry off 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 shadowed and
caught red handed. 1 didn't like the
Job very well, but they told me that
might expect liberal reward from
the family who were to be robbed, and,
since / was not over well supplied with
funds, consented.
/ was to call every day at the saloon
where / had met the crook for notifi-
cation Of time and place of meeting
with him. On the third day the bar
keeper handed me an envelope, in
which was slip Of paper advising me
to be at certain corner on the Bow
cry at certain hour the same night.
NV pal would pass me, and / was to
follow him, but 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
was to draw near so that ! could keep
him in view. My position was to be at
the point he entered, to watch and wait
for further orders.
At the appointed hour I was at my
post and took pains to stand directly
in the light where those who shadow
ed me could see me. Ny man did not
keep me waiting long and walked
straight past without looking at me.
followed him as 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. He stopped near
one of them, looked at his watch, then
went on slowly. 1t was o'clock in
the morning. and the street was de
serted. He went up onto front bal
cony of a large house. opened a win
dow that had been left unlocked and
disappeared in the darkness.
Time was given him by the police to
get together considerable property.
Then was relieved by plain clothes
man and went back on to the sidewalk.
where / saw men surrounding the
house. When my pal had filed a sack
he brought it to me and was quietly
told to throw up his hands. Then at
a signal several men ran in from the