The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-08-31
Written by Sophie Lyons
Copyright, 1913, by the Star Company.

police we'll come back and murder you
and your family in your beds"
The check signed. the burglars tied the
banker up again and returned to the en-.
1oyment of their fragrant Havanas and an
assortment of expensive wines and liquors
which they had selected from the side.
board
Dawn was close at hand before this
strange party broke up The burglars
gave their victim few parting threats
and walked out of the front door like gen.
tlemen-the bag of loot under Whelan's
arm, the check for $1,000 in Ellwood's
pocket.
Servants discovered the bankers plight
few hours later. So deep was the i'm.
preston the burglars threats had made
upon him, however. that he swore his
household to secrecy and made no effort
10 stop payment on the check or notify
the police. 1t was several years later.
when Ellwood was under arrest for an.
other crime, that the banker confessed
what had happened to him.
gentleman George was fond of good
Things to eat and drink-so fond that
when he had finished looting some man.
sion or It's cash and jewelry he could
rarely resist the temptation to sit down
IN the dining room and enjoy as SUNNI.
tuous rrepast as the lardcr afforded.
one night he and Whalen entered a
house in fashionable section of St. Louis
where lived young man and his bride of
few weeks. The couple had lust re-
turned from their honeymoon, and the
wedding presents with which their home
oVernowed were what had attracted the
burglars attention.
Inc husband awoke to find the two men
IN MS room He put up a good fight, but
was quickly overpowered, tied gagged and
locked in closet
The burglars then turned their atten.
ton TO the wife, who, by this time, was
nearly faintins from fright In the most
prutal manner they stripped her fingers
OF their rings and tore the diamonds from
her ears. Dragging her from the bed.
they tied her securely to a radiator and
proceeded TO ransack the house for valu.
ables.
When they had filled their bags with as
much punder as they could safely carry
they proceeded to the dining room TO pet
little supper. Suddenly what he thought
an unusually bright idea struck Gentle
man George" Why not make the newly.
weos' whose unwelcome guests they were,
serve them with food and wine?
They hurried upstairs, unbound their
victims and marched them to the dining
room at the point OF their revolyers
no Stranger scene than what followed
was ever set anywhere The burglars
lolied at ease around the table. rorrinq
themselves with food and drink The
young wife, in her nightgown. pale and
shaking with fright at the desneradoes,
profanity and their menacng pistols
waited on them with hands that drinnnd
oiood where her rings had been wrenched
on Her trembling paiama-clad husband
opened wine lighted matches and eyecuted
al the ridiculous orders the ingenuity NJ
MS tormentors could suggest
AS remarkable character "a "certlo
man George but In an entirely different
way was the burglar knew as
Sweeney Mike. told YOU in a previous
arlicle now ne secured his release from a
massachusetts, prison by drinking soap and
water ana by cutting an ugly cash in his
que out ala not go into details about
the amazing methods which made hin, q
unique nguTe IN the underworld.
MS real name was .dichael Kurtz. Na
ca!ieo MN "Sheeney Mike" because Of his
naolt OF squeezing every penny he could
from the fences" 10 whom he sold tha
diamonds and costly silks which formed
MS criminal stock in trade He could mako
ciober bargain than any other man evar
knew. -""' ever
"Sheeney Mike" was for years associated
with the gang OF clever burglars OF which
George Howard was the leader This VS.
one OF the most desperate bands that eyer
operated in this country
howard had long made a special study
or safes and locks, and he held mis- place
as chief through his expert KNOWLEDGE of