The Washington times., 1922-05-14
LAUGHS AT VICTIMS
OF HIS GAY ROLE AS
BACHELOR sRAFFLES'
Million DOLLAR Jimmy Thief, Whose Adventures
Read Like Fiction, Studied Crime as Science
and Planned Each Job With utmost Care.
Gives Fundamental Rules of "'ProfeSSion."


time to time. A long career as
a Jimmy thief in Cleveland and
Detroit finally resulted in his ar.
rest on sixteen charges Of bui.
glary' in Cleveland. He settled
the cases for cash, $500, all
profits of the loot from Cleveland.
They sent him to prison though
fourteen months in the Ohio
State penitentiary for carrying
a pistol without a permit.
Back in Chicago in 1915 they
"nabbed" him for robberies. bur-
glar Jobs, wearing sneakers"
carrying a flashlight-the whole
works. They sentenced him to
from one to twenty years in
Joliet. Two years later he was
out-escaped.
In Detroit he led an interesting
life. He declares he stole $3.50 900
worth of jewelry during Jimmy"
operations. They got him at last
but he hung on to more than
half Of the stolen stuff. An inde-
terminate sentence in jackson
penitentiary didn't delay him long.
They made him record clerk and
he learned where the master keys
were. A few wax impressions, a
little under-the- blanket work with
a file-in the end he sawed
through a window and dropped
fifty feet. breaking his ankle and
wrist, and got away.
PONIES TOOK $4,000.
He laid low in Kalamazoo.
thence he went TO St. Louis and
continued his career. In Ha-
vana he dropped $4,000 cold cash
on the ponies" From there he
went to Richmond, where he
reached the height Of his career
as a 'Raffles." He drove a Stutz
car and was on familiar terms with
the best families"
Did you ever come on people
when you were burglarizing, like
they do in stories?" "Dapper joe"
was asked.
Dozens OF times" he replied.
IF it's a man I run. II it's a
woman. talk. A woman meets
me Unexpectedly while I'm visiting
her home, I show a pistol. don't
aim It at her. Just show it. She
starts to scream. Don't yell,
madam say in brusque. busi.
nesslike tone. I'm here to rob
your house. Just come with me.
won't hurt you-but come with
me- I take her along. don't let
her get out OF my sight. Keep
talking to her, businesslike, OF
course. She's interested, fascin-
ated. and she comes. They're all
alike. A man-thats different.
There are many kinds Of men.
You can't tell what they might do.
run, tnat all.
Once l entered a bedroom that
I thought was empty. I had mis-
calculated. heard woman
scream. but cut the scream
short. Don't yell. madam I or.
dered. sharply. She shut up. I
switched on the light. It was q
hot Washington night, and thero
she lay on the bed, the covers
over foot, not a stitch Of clothing
on her.
AND THEN SHE HELPED.
"She wasn't scared, but she yelled
again for clothing. I switched or
the light and threw her a kimona.
After a moment I switched on the
light again. She proved to be one
of the incest ladies l ever robbed.
She really seemed interested in my
work and was very helpful in get
ting the stuff together. OF course
suppose she was mad about It
afterward."
"A petty thief ought to be hung"
said "Dapper joe" He gets moth
ing from his operations and he's a
nuisance to the public, A man who
goes out and commits a crime In
desperation is usually a blunderer.
always a fool.
IF there's any lesson in my pro-
dicament," said ''Dapper Joe" IT'S
n lesson for fathers and mothers.
Play square with the kids. Be
frank with them. A kid turns
crook trying to 1.-Two beyond his
means, Teach the youngster the
value OF money. Give him the best
homo possible-it isn't always pos.
siblo to give him a luxurious one
but mako II attractive for him. Let
him read the books he wants Then
make sure ne gets the idea pnd
play sauara with yuS."