The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-06-08
thy far the most remarkable criminal
IN | ever knew was my friend, Mark
Shinburn, the acknowledged King

N ever knew was my friend, Mark
Shinburn, the acknowledged King
Of the Burglars"
''The safe / can't open. hasn't been
built" he used to say.-and the surprising
frequency with which he made his boast
good, caused the police everywhere to fear
him more than any other man. The large
sums he stole from banks every year
threw American bankers into panic. and
they spent a cool million dollars In their
efforts to put an end to his dangerous &C.
tivities.
Mark Shinburn was a genius in bur-
glary-a man before whose skill steel
vaults opened noiseessly or crumbled vio-
lently according to his desire and method
He and his bands of operators stole many
millions OF bank funds. He stood at the
head of his profession without peer-and
yet shall show you. as I lead you through
the amazing exploits Of this great crimi-
nails career, that even for one 50 skilful
and successful" CRIME DOES NOT
PAY!
Shinburn revoutionized the burglars
methods and put them on a scientific
basis. The banks feared him not only
for the crimes which he himself COM
mitted, but because his wonderful inveu-
tive ability gave scores of other robbers
the means of getting inside their strong
boxes.
When Shinburn robbed his fret bank. a
burglars tools were crude cumbersome
affairs, so heavy that three or four men
and sometimes horse and wagon were
required TO carry them around. This made
the risk OF detection very great, and when
the burglars were forced to leave the
scene OF their crime in hurry they would
often have to leave their expensive tools
behind.
Shinburn succeeded in remedying this
difficulty Not long after his appearance
In the UnderUo he devised a practical
set OF tools more powerful than those for
nerly used and at the same time compact
and light enough 10 be carried in a small
satchel. This was stroke OF criminal
genius which proved of tremendous ad-
vantage 70 him and every other burglar
But ShiDburn was not content with
merely improving the tools OF his criminal
trade-hc took up the study Of safes and
locks and soon became greater expert in
this line than any Of the manufacturers
could hire. AS soon as new safe was
advertised Sh'nburn secured one of them
took 1t TO pieces and studied with the
area test care every detail Of its construc-
ton by the time the new make was fairly
on the market ne knew It's strong and
weak points better than the men Who made
ft-and to prove he did. he robbed one OF
the new safes at the first opportunity
He Learns Safe Making U
Mark Shinburn called At our home in
New York one day to bring an improved
type OF Jimmy which he had devised and
which my husband wanted for use in get
ting into country bank we had our eyes
on. The conversation turned. as II always
old. to banks and safes and troublesome
combination locks
What do YOU think OF these new Lille
safes - Ned Lyons said From what they
say about them, they must be pretty hard
nuts to crack ! see the company offers A
reward OF 10000 to the burglar who can
get into one OF them within any reasona Bile
time
Nonsense" Shinburn replied "If thew
live UP 10 tina. offer they'll 80 into bank
Fuptoy I'm going up 10 their factory TO
zee for myself just how these new safes
are made and by the time I've served nv
apprenticeship. III be ready to earn that
N"aro every time can lay my hands on
Liihe safe G.,
shiuburn had learned ,ac mechanics
Gade before coming 10 this country from
Germany Disgusting his distinguished
snpearance as vel as he could nv shaving
on ms beard and putting on suit Of
VofSmans clothes, he packed his tools
no q saichel and went 20 Albany. where
me Lille safe works were located
For t"o years Shinhurn laborcd faith
itilY IN The Lille shops learning the con
sFutiion Of their safes from casters TO
Combine ion locks he was such ran.
aaie mechanic that the superintendent TO-
efetled 70 near that ne was going tn leave
,nd ofered to make him a foreman. But
shlhourn said no~-his health was not good
rest '"
the truth OF the matter was that he had
lesfneo everything there was To know
about Lille safes and was impatiep, To M,
MS hard earned knowledge TO the nrar,+is
cal test Of burglary
HIS hrst opportunity unexpectedly camo
In The robbery OF the Ocean bank in Nay
YolS Shinhprn laid the plans for mis-
ano carfied them out with the sssis,spce
OF Harry Raymond George Bliss and Ned
Lyons my husband
Shinourn had said little about his ex.