The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-02-08
Watch MY Cat On Page 8.
GOOD Mr.. BURGLAR
KILLED BY.P0LIGE

OUlSLuIDFO lkS ne
Said But Never Harm
Anyone"
KANSAS CITY, Mo-, Feb. SHAT
polite burglar, the late Charles E.
Smith. sought to bring to his craft q
degree Of geniality and consideration
that would gain and retain the good
will and esteem Of his CLIENTELE. But
Burglar Charles overestimated his
standing in the home Of James 2.
Welsh. 1894 Jefferson street. when he
sought to make a return call at that
home the same night that he had tried
and failed to rob the vault at the
Girls Hotel nearby.
Several bullets narrowly missed the
fleeing Charles. and had Mr.. Welsh's
aim been a trife straighter the ca.
reer of the burglar would have ended
the and there. AS It was, the burglar
escaped, only to be killed in a Skin.
mish with two policemen after rob.
bing q house at 1910 Washington
street.
Details Of Smiths two calls at the
Welsh residence were revealed when
police headquarters received a visit
from Mr.. Welsh. a real estate man.
He was accompanied by Mrs. Welsh.
They identified parts of a manicure
set stolen from their home about 8
O'clock Christmas morning. 1t had
been found in a c%ollectijn left by
Smith. Some rings also were stolen.
Mrs. Welsh had been awakened
Christmas morning when the light OF
a dark lantern fell upon her face. "A
youthful. well modulated voice reas.
sured her.
The voice from the vicinity Of the
lantern explained that the visitor
was "just a burglar making an honest
living"
Mrs. Welsh, who is corresponding
secretary of the Y. w. G. a., was
much interested In the young mans
attitude. She asked him II he thought
It right to go into other peoples
houses? Didn't he know that he would
be imprisoned, II net killed?
II Just take the chance" said Bur.
glar Charles. "Life Is a gamble.
Everywhere you hear that. I am Just
a chap out Of work. OF course l am
sorry to disturb folks. But, on the
other hand, l rob nj poor men, and I
never harm any one"
Mrs. Welsh sat up in bed. The
burglar took a chair. A long CONVEX.
sation under. unusual circumstances
followed. Some Of the serious as.
poets Of life were discussed by the
church and Y. W. C. A. worker and
her thief caller. During the CONVEX.
sation Mrs. Welsh told the burglar
that she trusted he would not 60 into
the room occupied by her mother, q
woman OF IS. who might be badly
frightened.
II won't" he agreed.
But the burglar, perhaps by acci.
dent, found his way into that very
room. Mrs. Welsh's mother sprang
from bed.
"Are you a b~urglar?" the woman
demanded.
81 am" the burglar REPLIED "And
you are the lady's mother-and I Just
promised no ito disturb you. am
very sorry. You r not afraid?"
Just SO you don't do anything
mean"
The older woman began to appre-
ciate the situation.
Young man." she said sharply, "do
you know you are going right straight
to the deyil?"
The burglar politely replied with
his oud argument that he was engag.
ed In his only means of livelihood.
The robbery over, Burglar Charles
gracefully and quietly withdrew be.
fore the woman could give an alarm.
When the robbery of the Girls Ho.
tel failed the polite burglar needed a
friendly shelter. Very well, he would
make another professional call to thu
Welsh home.
In through the same window went
the burglar. Up the anne stairs.
With the confidence Of being among
friends, he got into Mr.. Welsh's
room.
A started exclamation! A revolver
shot! Mr.. Welsh had flred!I
AS the burglar leaped through tho
front door. MI Welsh took Q second
shot at the too trustful visitor.
Down the street the burglar dash.
ed. A pajama clad figure appeared
on the porch and three more shots
followed the burglar down the side.
walk.
Mrs. Welsh told the police that she
could not but be sorry that Smith had
been killed. He did not seem, to her
mind, to merit quite that fate, Yet
she deemed It perhaps better than the
prison term that otherwise would
have been ahead Of him.
Mrs. Welsh was shown q photo,
graph Of the man who had become
known to the police as "the best INK.
ed burglar in Kansas City" She rec.