SNEAK THIEVING

 

SNEAK THIEVING.

       An Apparent Gentleman.—His noiseless footstep.—A Bag for Booty.—Skeleton Keys.—Entrance to the Bank Vault.—Co-operation of his Stalls.—A Preference for Country Banks.—Engaging the Bank Officials.— Inside of a the President and Cashier.—Buying Drafts and Claiming Shorts.—Arguments and Re-counts.—A Queer Stepladder.—A stray Note Dropped on the Floor.—Done Up in Brown Paper.— Safe Deposit Companies.— Gaining Admission to the Vaults.— Mingling with the Depositors.— Warning Advice to Safe Deposit Companies and Customers.— Daring and Successful Robbery by Sneak Thieves in New York.— The office of James H. Bloodgood.— $250,000 Carried off.— A Hunt for the Thieves.— Watchful Surveillance.— Shadowing a Suspected Rendezvous.—A Dashing Woman.—My Detectives on the Track.— Of for Baltimore and Petersburgh.— The Strategy of Robert Pinkerton.— Arrest and Recovery of the Bonds.— Recovery of $51,000, Government Bonds, for the National Bank of Courtland, N. Y.

AMONG all the many branches, or departments of crime, there is not one so pernicious, and perhaps so uniformly successful, as that of sneak thieving. With noiseless, cat-like step the sneak will crawl to his prey, and without leaving a single trace of his presence, will escape unobserved, with large sums of money, under the very eyes of watchful and alert businessmen, whose duty it is to guard the treasures entrusted to their keeping. No trade or profession is exempt from the visits of these sneaking thieves, who penetrate through all the ramifications of both business and social life and exercise their vocations in the broad light of day. Unlike the burglar, the sneakthief does not await the coming of night, and under the cover of the darkness pursues his desperate calling. He needs not to be assured that his victims are sleeping to ensure his safety in his undertakings; his fields of operations are always among the active, the wakeful and the bustling. No dark lantern and ponderous "jimmy,” no giant powder or diamond drill form the implements of the trade of the sneakthief; for the doors of wealth are always opened to him without force or violence, and the money and valuables which he takes, are placed within his easy reach.

The proselytes of this branch of crime range from the children in their teens, who rob unsuspecting merchants of small articles of merchandise, to the full-grown man who enters a bank during the bustle and activity of business and steals thousands of dollars.

In the larger and more ambitious operations of the sneak thief, success requires the association of three or four men, who thoroughly understand their business, and who by appearance and education are fully qualified for the delicate duties which devolve upon them. This association, as in the case of other combinations to defraud, is called a “mob,” with their “stalls,” and with the man who does the actual stealing, who is called the “sneak.” The "stalls" are handsome, well-dressed men, often highly educated. They are knowledgeable about general business and can discuss complex banking issues. Never loud in their appearance or conversation, their entrance into a banking institution occasions no surprise or suspicion, and cashiers and clerks afford their desired information with as much consideration and politeness as they bestow upon their well-known and responsible depositors. While perhaps not subtle, the “sneak” frequently exhibits gentlemanly conduct.

It might be helpful to list some of the items needed for a successful operation before we talk about how these criminals operate. Quiet shoes or slippers are essential for the sneak. The sound of squeaking shoes, especially those with felt soles or without heels, makes detection almost inevitable. The foot-coverings of the sneak thief are as noiseless as though he walked in his stockings. The low heel is a wise precaution, for every bank vault has an iron step or a bar on the floor, against which the doors close, and there would be great danger in striking against this if the heels were high. The slightest noise in the direction of the bank vault is certain to attract attention, and then detection is sure to follow. The "sneak" must also have a big bag to hide their loot. This bag can hold multiple tin boxes like those in bank vaults for valuables. Sometimes the pockets in the coat worn by the “sneak,” will extend around the entire inside lining, which makes the inner lining of the coat one immense pocket. It is used when one of the stalls has not looked after the bag, or when a robbery just pops up out of nowhere.

Skeleton keys of all patterns are carried by the “sneak”, so that if time allows, he can readily open the tin boxes in the vaults, without the dangerous and troublesome task of removing the entire box, and at the same time delaying the period of discovery of the crime.

Suppose, for instance, we consider a bank with its vault doors open, and boxes unlocked during the day. The vault, we will assume, is at the rear end of the banking room, and the clerks, as they stand at their desks facing the customers, have their backs towards the vault. Should this be the case, and it often is, there is a passageway or small gate at the end of the desks by which the clerks enter, and through which also the sneak “can readily work his way. This is one of the simplest operations for the “sneak,” and in which he is uniformly successful. A couple of the "stalls" will go inside the bank and, behaving in a professional way, will speak to the clerk, pretending to have a question related to banking. They either want some information about opening an account, or drawing a draft—and it is a very easy matter to prolong a conversation of this character sufficiently long to enable the “sneak” to crawl, on hands and knees, into the vault, and to hastily pick up all that he can conveniently carry away, and then to make his way again to the front of the bank. Of course, this style of robbery is generally attempted in country banks, where there are but few clerks, and where the number of customers is small; but the number of such banks is far greater than the well-guarded city banks with their army of clerks, and stalwart guards—and therefore are more generally selected by the watchful thieves.

It may be as well to state that of late years, it has become almost impossible to rob a well-appointed and well-guarded city bank. Every precaution has been taken, and every safeguard adopted which experience and sagacity can suggest, and every bank of any prominence has one or more strong limbed and alert police officers who are on duty about the interior during the entire time that the bank is open for business. The thieves, however, are as well posted on these particulars as the banks themselves, and therefore, they do not try the impossible task of robbing these institutions but confine their operations to the more fruitful fields of country banks and those of the smaller cities.

If the bank's vault is by the counter and cashier, the cashier can easily watch arrivals. In this case the "stall" plays a crucial part in the proceedings. Entering the bank, he addresses the cashier, and engages him in the calculation of the interest due upon a draft which he has in his possession, or consults him about the collection of some coupons, inducing him by degrees, to perform the necessary task of figuring out the possible results. The "stall" is meanwhile positioning himself, so the cashier will have to move to help him. The ignorance of the visitor is quite surprising, and the questions asked are propounded in such an affable, insinuating manner that the good-natured cashier, all unconscious of what is happening behind him, will exert himself to the utmost to fully enlighten his gentlemanly but decidedly ignorant visitor.

When the cashier has been sufficiently engaged and has been turned around to the proper point of obliquity, the “sneak” will stealthily steal into the vault, and in a few minutes will appear with all the available resources of the bank, concealed beneath his coat.

Not only is the vault a point of attack, but very often there are large amounts of notes piled up on tables or counters behind the railings which surround the cashier or clerk, and if these can be safely taken, the labor of the “sneak ' is made easier and more profitable than if he is required to enter the vault.

Now let us suppose that the bank is duly opened for business—the vault doors are open and the clerks are at their desks; that they would not be able to see anyone who entered or left the vault, and that the only way to get behind the counter is through the room of the president, which is in the rear of the building. Of course, the president will of necessity perceive any person who comes into his room, whether to engage him in conversation or to pass through into the banking room in front. To the uninitiated it would seem an impossible task to pass this watchful officer unseen, but to the professional sneak thieves it is extremely easy of accomplishment. Here is how they will achieve their goal: —Two individuals will meet with the President about finances. The better the officer controls his room's entrance, the better this operation will go. One of the “stalls” advances to the desk of the president, and announces the nature of his business, while the other will quietly take a seat, and draw from his pocket a newspaper—and then opening it fully, will hold it, under the pretense of reading, in such a position as to entirely screen the view of the front door of the president's room. This will enable the “sneak” to enter the room; then the “stall” will quietly change his position to cover the doorway leading into the banking room, and behind the counters. It will be noticed that the “sneak” is shielded by the newspaper from the moment it is opened, until it covers the door which leads to the vault.

 

 

Once past the door, he quickly glides into the banking room. If notes are handy, he takes these, but, if necessary, he enters the vault and loads himself with all that is valuable within his reach. When he has completed his operation, the same manipulation of the newspaper is gone through, and again under its complete cover the “sneak” makes his escape. The entire procedure takes no longer than three or four minutes, which is the maximum time necessary to complete the task effectively. After the "sneak" leaves, the interview with the president swiftly ends, and the two "stalls" depart gracefully after thanking the officer for his kindness.

Another very frequent and successful method; where the above arrangement cannot be safely carried out, is for one of the “stalls” to get a carriage, and driving up to the door of the bank, request the president to come out and transact some business with a disabled person who cannot leave the vehicle. In such cases the name of the president or cashier is first obtained and being addressed by his proper name when the request is preferred, the financial officer is entirely unsuspicious of danger and appears from the bank to await the orders of his invalid caller. Also, clerks and cashiers were called out like this during dinner, when they were left alone to oversee the bank. Of course, the “sneak” is on hand, and while the president or cashier is engaged in conversation on the sidewalk, he quietly enters and robs the bank. At other times the “stall” will approach a pigeon-hole of one of the desks in front and request to speak to the president, who is in his room in the rear, and that gentleman, being thus called suddenly, upon the impulse of the moment, will answer the summons and thus leave the way open for the hiding sneak.

Often, the clerks, whose job was to stop anyone from entering the vaults, would be called away, providing the thief with a window of opportunity. The way the “stalls” get the names of the employees of a bank is at once simple and unique. They present themselves at one of the pigeon-holes at a distance from the clerk whom they want to call, and pointing out the individual desired, inquire:

“What is the name of that young gentleman opposite? He looks very much like an old friend of mine. The clerk thus questioned, without bestowing any thought upon the matter, will at once convey the desired information, upon which the “stall” acknowledges his error, and craving pardon for troubling him, withdraws at once. The information is then passed to another "stall," and soon after, this accomplice appears, approaching the other pigeon-hole and calling out the clerk's name with an air of familiarity and enthusiasm.

It is the first and governing principle of the “sneak”, not to allow himself to be seen by any one, for if any employee of the bank has noticed his presence, he will naturally feel uneasy and suspicious because he is aware of the fact that there is a strange man in such a part of the building, and his movements cannot be watched. To solve this problem, the "sneak" goes into the bank first and tries to find a helpful role to avoid suspicion. Then he will sit or stand engaged in some intricate financial problem with paper and pencil. Sometimes he enters the president's room, which may be empty at the time—and if discovered before his confederates enter, he will excuse himself by saying that he is either waiting to see the president, or is expecting his mother or sister to come for the purpose of making a deposit of money, or to invest in some securities for which the bank is an agent. At other times he will enter the president's room with one of the “stalls,” and then trust to the adroitness of his companion, in engaging the attention of the president, long enough for him to get into the vault quietly, get what is convenient to his hands, and return without his absence bring noticed.

At other times, particularly in a country bank, where there is but one man in charge of the bank at noon-time, and the position of this man is such that he can see any person who may enter, the two “stalls” will enter the bank, and while one of them is engaging the clerk by changing a large note, or in answered some question of a financial nature, the other will hold up a newspaper, and under the cover of this the “sneak” will make his entrance, and walking quietly as far as the counter, crouch down in a stooping position, and thus sneak towards his work, without his presence being known or even suspected.

The above modes of operation are among those most often used by the sneak thieves in robbing banks whose vaults, and the doors to their money departments are open during the day. There are also many thieves who will gain access into vaults and behind doors, when what are known as sneak or “day doors” are placed on the vaults and kept locked during the day. The entrance to the interior of the bank—that is, that part of the building reserved for the clerks—are often supplied with doors which are always locked; and every clerk and messenger who passes through this doorway must unlock this door before he can be admitted. In such cases all the employees are provided with keys that will unlock this door, or there is a spring latch upon it which can be worked from either side. The “sneak” under such circumstances, will place himself near to this door and wait until someone comes, who unlocks the door to obtain an entrance. As a rule, the locks on this door are spring locks, and as soon as the clerk has passed in, he will shut the door violently behind him, which will ensure its locking without further attention on his part. But the sneak thief is there, and as the door bangs close, he inserts a wallet or a wedge of wood between the frame and the door, and this prevents its locking. To enter through this door is the work of a moment, and with the "stalls” at work in front the rest of the story is soon told, and in a few moments, he appears again with his booty concealed about his person, and no one is suspicious of his presence.

The "stalls" utilize numerous expedients that fulfill their intended purpose. They would occasionally enter the bank, interact with the teller or cashier to buy a draft for a given amount, and then give the money, with a portion consisting of small bills. The aggregate amount will be three or four dollars less than anticipated. This will give occasion for an argument and a recount to discover the missing money. While this is being done, the object is carried out, and the robbery is committed. Again, at times a government bond is purchased, or gold is asked for paper money, or change will be requested for a large note by a man who has one of his hands in a bandage, who will request the cashier or clerk to place the money for him in the inside pocket of his coat and then to button the coat over the concealed money; all these things occupy time, and attract the attention of the bank officer— both of which are valuable to the “sneak” who is intent upon securing the funds of the bank, and in which he is generally successful.

Sometimes the thieves notice a pile of money on the counter of the receiving or paying teller and close to the pigeonhole through which those officers transact their business. The teller is stationed directly behind this pigeonhole, so that there is no chance for the thieves to get the money without being seen. The main goal to be achieved therefore is to get the teller away from that pigeonhole, if only for a moment. To call the teller outside to a carriage would simply cause him to lock the wicket at the pigeonhole and thus spoil the chances of robbery completely; to call him away to any distance would also result in the same thing. Now he enters the “stall” with his suavity and ingenuity. We will assume that the money is near the receiving teller's window and that no one is near either the window of the paying or receiving tellers. The “stall” will take from his pocket a genuine ten- or twenty-dollar United States note and, stepping to the window of the paying teller, address that official about as follows:

“I have just been over to the U. S. Treasury, and they told me that this note is a counterfeit—and it being such a good genuine-looking note, I thought I would just step in and let you and the receiving teller take a good look at it.” The paying teller takes the note, and surprised at the genuineness of its appearance, calls the receiving teller over to examine it.

As the receiving teller leaves his position, the “sneak,” who has been preparing himself by purchasing a soap box at some neighboring grocery, now proceeds to perform his duty. The “sneak,” who has wrapped the box in newspapers, has been standing at a desk outside, busily engaged in counting some money. No sooner, however, has the paying teller answered the call of his associate, than the “sneak” noiselessly carries the box to the counter, and setting it on the floor, leaps upon it and in a twinkling has taken all the money within his reach which he can readily grasp. Stepping down as quickly, he walks out of the door carrying his box along with him. He does this to leave nothing behind him which would give a clue to the officers, who would seek out the grocer who sold the box and thus obtain a description of the individual who bought it.

Sometimes the money is placed a short distance from the window, too far away to be reached by the hand, and in that case a cane and sometimes two joined together with a screw, with an iron hook at the end, is used. It is astonishing how successfully the thieves have worked an operation of this kind, and often hours have elapsed before the loss is discovered, and then too late to figure out how the money disappeared or by whom it was taken.

The above recitals detail fully the operations of sneak thieves upon the vaults and money of banking institutions, and we will now consider their modes of operating upon individuals,

Gentlemen who transact business with banks, safe deposit companies and other financial institutions of the country are especial object of attack from the sneak thieves. The manner in which this fraternity operate upon a gentleman, who is either making a deposit or drawing a check at a bank, is at once simple and generally successful, and many sharp business men, who have deemed themselves proof against the advances of the wary thief, have been robbed of large sums of money by a process which would seem to be almost impracticable.

In the thieves' parlance this operation is termed a “turn trick,” and consists in the clever act of turning a man away from his money, to enable the thief to make off with it.

To illustrate: a man receives a check for a certain sum of money, and for the purpose of receiving notes for the oblong piece of writing which stands for the amount to which he is entitled, he goes to the bank, and presenting his check to the teller, requests the money. The obliging official Counts out the required number of notes to satisfy the claim of the gentleman and politely hands them over to the waiting claimant. It is but natural that the receiver of the money should re-count it, to be assured that no mistake has been made, and that he has received all to which he was entitled. In all well-regulated banks, desks are provided for this purpose, and the gentleman carries his money over to the desk and tries to verify the count of the bank officer. Of course, the thieves have watched this transaction very carefully, and when the gentleman lays his money upon the desk, they are prepared for action. We will assume that the gentleman has received five thousand dollars in ten-dollar bills, and that they are in packages of five hundred dollars each. Placing the money in front of him, he takes one of the packages in his hand and goes ahead to count. This is the thieves' opportunity the “sneak” at once takes his position behind the man, and in such a manner that he will not be seen on either side, the “stall” then appears, and dropping a ten dollar bill upon the floor on the opposite side from where the money is lying, and about three feet in the rear of the man at the desk, politely touches the man upon the shoulder and inquires : Is that money yours, sir ?”and then walks away. The man will instinctively turn round, and seeing the note upon the floor, with no one near to claim it, and impressed with the fact that he must have dropped it, will stoop to pick it up. As he turns around, the sneak who has been carefully watching his movements steps toward the money, and as the gentleman stoops, he raises about three fourths of the pile of money, and at once makes his way rapidly out of the bank. He does not take all the money, because if the man were to notice the entire disappearance of his funds, he would at once rush for the door and seize the first man going out. If, however, he finds part of his money remaining, he may not at first glance notice any diminution of it, or if he does, he will naturally desire to see how much is gone, and that second look has occupied time enough to permit the thief to gain the street, and he is out of sight in a second.

The dropping of a bill is not the only means resorted to by the “stall,” to attract the attention of the man to be robbed. Sometimes he will have a check drawn upon another bank; he will then approach the individual who is counting his money, and holding out the check, will inquire in the blandest tones:

“Can you tell me where I will go to find this bank?"

The gentleman thus addressed will naturally turn to see upon what bank the check is drawn, and as he does so, the “stall” will step back a short distance, which will require the man to turn almost completely around in order to read the check, and while he is doing this, the "sneak” makes off with his money. Another method is to suddenly accost a man who is counting money, with the inquiry

 as to which pigeonhole he will have to call at, to obtain a draft, thus causing the man to turn around to point out the window at which the inquirer is to call. Some men, out of a pure desire to be of service to their fellows, have been known, on the impulse of the moment, to leave their money, and walk partly across the banking-room to point out the exact window to the doubtful inquirer. It is needless to add that this evidence of politeness is sadly repaid by the thieves, and that upon his return, he finds, to his dismay, that his money has entirely disappeared.

The next individuals who receive the attentions of the sneak thieves are the depositors at a bank, and in many cases, they have been successful in robbing a man in full view of half a dozen waiting depositors without anyone perceiving the transaction. The way this is done is as follows: A depositor entering a bank will remove his bankbook from his pocket and take his place in the line of waiting depositors. At several banking institutions, the receiving-teller, after receiving each deposit, makes an entry in his book kept for the purpose, and which is near his elbow, on the desk. And this entry is often made after he has returned the bankbook to the depositor whose money he has taken. As soon as a depositor receives his book from the teller, he withdraws from the window and makes way for the gentleman behind him, who at once steps forward and places his book in the pigeonhole, awaiting his turn to be attended to.

This is what the “sneak” has been waiting for, and should the teller pause before taking the book of the newcomer, to make some entry into his own book, he tries a robbery. The “stall” drops a bill on the floor and calls the gentleman's attention to it, and as he stoops to pick it up, the “sneak” steps up and in a flash makes off with the book, which is lying in the pigeonhole, and with its entire contents. The depositor, turning back to where he left the book and money, will naturally conclude that the receiving-teller has the book, and no exposure is made until the teller requests the book of the surprised depositor. This style of robbery when cleverly executed has caused many quarrels between depositors and receiving tellers. As soon as the teller has finished his entry in his own book, he will reach up for that of the next depositor, and not seeing it, will ask that gentleman to hand it to him. The depositor will insist upon having passed it over, and the teller upon not having received it, and the controversy waxes warm in consequence. Meanwhile the thieves have made their escape good and are regaling themselves upon the proceeds of their dishonesty.

There have also been many instances where young men, having been sent to the bank for money, and having received it in notes, not in packages, have been “turned “by a bill on the floor, and the thief has stolen the larger portion of the money already counted; the young man returned to his counting, and remembering the amount at which he stopped, has kept right on from the uncounted pile before him, and, finding the total correct, placed the money in his pocket, and returned to his place of business.

When the employer, however, attempts to verify the account, he finds a large amount shortage. The young man is positive that he counted the money correctly and is certain that he could not have been robbed, as he kept his hand upon the money all the way from the bank. The young man, however, has forgotten the note he found upon the floor. The employer revolves the matter in his mind, becomes suspicious, and sometimes he has the young man arrested, hoping thereby to induce him to make a full confession, and restore the money of the stealing of which he is entirely innocent.

Another phase of sneak thieving is in the bank, when the gentleman who receives the money upon a check, requests the obliging teller to wrap the amount up in a parcel for him. The teller complies with the request, and makes the usual neat package wrapped in brown paper. The “sneak”, who has been watching every movement, and is fully prepared for an emergency like this, draws from his pocket a piece of wrapping paper of exactly the same color, and with the aid of a few old newspapers, soon constructs a package precisely similar to the one handed by the teller to the gentleman at the window. Should this gentleman by any accident, or for any purpose, set this package down for a single moment, the watchful “stall” and “sneak” are upon him, and ere one can realize it, the victim has been successfully “turned,” and the “sneak” has replaced the bundle of money by the package of newspapers, and decamped. The reason for the substitution of a similar package is quite plain; for should the man miss the package, and find it entirely gone, he would at once cause the arrest of both the thieves before they could get away; but by the means of a “dummy” package, men have been known to carry the valueless bundles of waste paper for miles, and never discover their mistake until reaching their destination.

SAFE DEPOSIT COMPANIES.

ANOTHER prolific source of profit to the sneak thieves, but more delicate and difficult of accomplishment than those recited above, is the robbery of individuals whose valuable securities are deposited in the vaults of those estimable and responsible institutions known as “Safe Deposit Companies. “In all the large cities there exists one or more of these large edifices whose strong vaults are carefully guarded, and where the man of means may securely place his valuable papers and securities for a nominal sum. The value of these institutions to people of wealth cannot be overestimated, and the security they afford is well worth the small sum which is annually charged for the use of their vaults. The vaults of these institutions are filled with innumerable compartments or small safes in which the individuals deposit their securities, and each depositor is given a key which will unlock the safe which has been assigned to his use. One or more sturdy and reliable officers are constantly on duty in these vaults, and as the depositors make frequent visits to their strong boxes these athletic guardians soon become familiar with the faces of their customers. Every safeguard is thrown around the property entrusted to the keeping of these Safe Deposit Companies, and it would seem an impossibility for any dishonest person to obtain admission to their vaults, and far more incredible that they should succeed in their efforts of robbery.

Yet despite the many precautions that have been taken, the crafty thieves have not only obtained access to these vaults, but in several instances, they have succeeded in robbing unsuspecting depositors in a manner which was both simple and reckless in the extreme. It is therefore a warning to both the companies and their depositors that the following exposé of the movements of the sneak thieves is made.

In all these large institutions a room furnished with a number of small individual desks is set apart for the use and accommodation of their patrons, and the depositor, after receiving his strong box from the vaults, can take his treasures to one of these desks and there cut off his coupons or extract such securities as he may need for immediate use.

To reach this room, a depositor must pass an officer who is stationed at the gate leading to this apartment, and who will not allow anyone to enter with whom he is unacquainted with or with whose face he is unfamiliar. It would seem to be therefore, a most challenging task for the thief or thieves to obtain an entrance into these apartments, and it would appear as an act of foolhardy daring for Iny dishonest person to make the attempt. Such admissions, however, have been gained, and, I regret to say, successful robberies have been perpetrated within the closely guarded walls of these very chambers.

Among the large number of depositors of these institutions, there are many whose visits to the vaults are not very frequent, and sometimes two, or perhaps three months may elapse between their visits; as a consequence of this, the gate-keeper is sometimes unable to recall his face at once, and deeming it impossible that anyone not fully entitled to enter, should present himself, he simply asks the applicant if he is a depositor, and being answered in a confident affirmative, he allows him to enter without further questioning. This is particularly apt to be the case if he has recently stopped a depositor, who was determined to satisfy him of his right to enter. The officer has a certain amount of pride in his ability to remember faces, and rather than confess his ignorance, will sometimes allow individuals to pass on him without opposition. The “sneak” knows this and sometimes will put himself in the way of the officer to be seen by him, but without trying to enter, and engaged in business with the company of another nature.

About the time, however, that coupons are becoming due, and the number of visitors is increased, the “sneak,” accompanied by a “stall,” will present himself at the gate, and in a matter-of-fact manner will request admission. In his hand he carries several huge formidable looking envelopes of various colors, and he greets the gatekeeper with an affable nod and a smile of recognition, that at once disarms suspicion, and without the slightest difficulty he is admitted to the room reserved for the accommodation of depositors. The sneak “and “stall,” once inside of the room, go ahead at once to an unoccupied desk, and spreading their papers  out, indulge in an earnest conversation, upon some matters of business. Sometimes they will be engaged in looking over and assorting some papers. This continues until they notice one of the regular depositors with his tin box open before him, engaged in cutting the coupons from some of the securities which the box holds. Carefully watching this gentleman, they will learn whether the securities he is handling are of a negotiable character, particularly if they are Government bonds, which are great favorites with the thieving fraternity. Satisfying themselves upon this point they will approach him, the “stall” upon some ingenious pretext will then attract his attention or “turn “him away from his box, and while this is being done the sneak reaches over and quietly secures a package or two from the box and quickly starts for the door. If the victim has already examined the package taken, he may close his box and return it to the vault without noticing his loss. Should this be the case, his surprise may be better imagined than described when next he has occasion to use these bonds. On discovering his loss at this late day, it will be impossible for him to remember the trifling circumstance of a stranger asking him a question several months before, and the result is that he will fall back upon the bank, and will be ready to swear that his box has been robbed since he used it the last time, and he will be absolutely positive that the bonds were in the box when he last put it away. Safe Deposit Companies have been known to cover such losses, rather than suffer the publicity and injury that would follow an allegation that their vaults were unsafe or that boxes entrusted with their keeping had been tampered with by dishonest people.

In some cases, to avoid danger and loss in this manner, the companies have arranged small private apartments in their buildings, where a depositor can be perfectly alone, and can lock himself in while engaged in handling his valuable property, or in detaching the coupons from his securities.

From the above it will be seen that the utmost care is necessary to be seen by a person who avails himself of the conveniences of a Safe Deposit Company—and by instantly suspecting anyone who approaches them while engaged with their strong boxes, losses may be prevented and a successful robbery completely frustrated.

In appearance the sneak mob resembles a party of respectable businesspeople, and their manner of conducting themselves fully tends to confirm a belief in their respectability. They are always well dressed, but plainly and neatly so, and they never wear loud or decided colors or a profusion of jewelry. Never, if they can avoid it, do they come together while they are engaged at work—and this is done in order that in case of any accident or the arrest of any one of the party, no connection will be discovered between him and his companions, which would lead to their arrest as associates. While working in the banks they assume an air of business activity, and either carry in their hands bundles of paper and envelopes, or a small number of notes which they are engaged in counting. While engaged in conversation with any person upon whom they are working, should they notice that the party is suspicious or afraid of them, they upon the presentation of the first opportunity bow to the first fine-looking businessperson who may be near to them. The gentleman thus addressed will naturally return the bow from the mere impulse of politeness, and the party who may be watching the thief will thus be thrown completely off his guard—thinking as a matter of course, that if he is on such well-defined speaking terms with Mr. Money-bags or Mr. Good-credit—he must, of necessity, be above suspicion himself.

As a rule, the members of a "sneak mob” room in first-class hotels, and always in separate apartments. They invariably travel first-class, though they never are flush of money nor act in any manner that will attract undue attention.

The above covers the general operations of the sneak thief, and his companions or stalls. A businessperson in his communications with banks and bankers should always be upon his guard and ever alert to the advances of those well-dressed sneaks whose general appearance and genuine air of businesspeople are well calculated to deceive even the most careful. Do not pick up notes that may be found on the floor of a banking house and never suffer your eyes losing their vigilant watch upon the money you may be engaged in counting. If these instructions are remembered and followed, the sneak thief will soon find his gains decreasing and his occupation gone.

To illustrate more particularly the practical modes of operation by this class of criminals, in another direction, I will relate the incidents of a daring and successful robbery by sneak thieves, which took place in the city of New York during January 1878, an account of which may prove interesting.

Mr. James H. Bloodgood was a large and extensive dealer in stocks, bonds, and real estate, and in addition to this, was entrusted with the charge and management of many estates of wealthy decedents. His office was in one of the most active and bustling business portions of the city, within easy distance of the various exchanges and banks, and in a building occupied by several prominent men and business firms encaged in monetary transactions on a large scale. The interior of his office was furnished in a luxurious and expensive manner, with walnut furniture, velvet carpets and a general tastefulness of arrangement that gave evidence of both wealth and refinement. Two large and handsome burglar-proof safes of the most recent invention occupied positions in this office and held many articles of commercial value and financial worth.

On the day on which the robbery occurred, Mr. Bloodgood and his confidential clerk were both busily engaged in their respective duties. The elder gentleman had just returned from a visit to the Safe Deposit Company and had withdrawn about $60,000 worth of State bonds for the purpose of removing the coupons and collecting the interest which was then due. While he was thus engaged in detaching these coupons, a stranger entered the office and requested permission to consult a directory of the city, to find the address of a gentleman whom he was desirous of finding. Mr. Bloodgood politely handed him the book, and after an examination of a few minutes, the stranger expressed his thanks and withdrew.

Shortly after this episode, the clerk was dispatched on some errand, and during his absence another strange visitor came into the office and inquired about the value of a piece of property, which had been advertised for sale by Mr. Bloodgood. While this man was engaging Mr. Bloodgood in conversation about the merits of the property in question, that gentleman noticed that another person had entered the office, whose movements were suspicious.

The State bonds were at that time lying exposed upon a desk in the front part of the room, and Mr. Bloodgood, imagining danger, gazed scrutinizingly at the newcomer, who, seeing that his movements were seen, stood still, apparently unconscious of the suspicions he had awakened. After a prolonged conversation about the terms of the sale of the property, the two strangers left together, and Mr. Bloodgood, finding that they were companions, though no more of the singular actions of his visitor. The clerk returned soon after this, and Mr. Bloodgood then left his office to get his lunch without mentioning the matter to the young man.

Within a few minutes after the departure of Mr. Bloodgood, a gentleman, whom the clerk instantly recognized as the individual who had previously inquired for the directory, came in and informed the young man that there was a lame gentleman in a carriage in front of the building who was desirous of seeing Mr. Bloodgood. After questioning the man and learning from him that the business of the disabled caller was urgent, and that he was in a hurry, the clerk said that he would go down and attend to his wants. He turned to get his hat from where it was hanging upon the wall, and as he did so the man went out through the door and disappeared. The clerk closed and locked the door of the office after him, and descended to the street, where he found a pale-faced gentleman in a carriage, who appeared to recognize him, and called to him to approach the window of the vehicle in which he was seated. The stranger explained that he wanted to make a purchase of another piece of property owned by Mr. Bloodgood, and as he was perfectly posted as to its location, size and marketable value, the clerk suspected nothing, and their colloquy was quite prolonged. Finally, the disabled person, having concluded all the arrangements that were considered necessary at that time, requested the clerk to mention the matter fully to Mr. Bloodgood when he returned, and then, putting his head out of the window, he directed the coachman to drive on.

As the clerk returned to his office, he met the man who had conveyed the message to him coming down the stairs, but, thinking nothing of this, he continued his ascent, and arrived at the. door of the office. Here he was confronted with a scene of confusion which at once filled him with alarm. The door of the office had been forcibly broken; the doors of the safes, which were always unlocked during the day, were standing wide open, and their contents scattered promiscuously about the floor. Hastily entering the room he discovered, to his further dismay, that the $60,000 worth of bonds were missing, and that the safes had been rifled off their valuable contents. Instantly his suspicions fell upon the man whom he had met on the stairs, and the disabled man who had called him to the carriage, and giving a loud alarm he rushed frantically down the stairs in the hope of overtaking them before they had succeeded in getting away. He was too late, however. The carriage was standing a few doors from the office, but the disabled person and his accomplice had disappeared. The driver, on being questioned, said that he knew nothing of the man, except that he had been engaged to drive him to this locality, and that he had left the carriage a few minutes before, saying that he would shortly return.

Disconsolately the clerk made his way back to the despoiled office, where he was soon rejoined by Mr. Bloodgood, who had returned from his lunch in blissful ignorance of what had happened during his absence. A hurried examination was at once made, and the result proved that bonds and securities amounting to two hundred and fifty thousand dollars had been carried off by the daring thieves.

In a state of excitement bordering upon frenzy, Mr. Bloodgood rushed to my Agency, and hurriedly detailed the facts above-mentioned, and asked if the most active measures should be at once taken to discover the thieves and, if possible, to rescue the stolen property.

Eager to start work without delay, Robert visited the office of Mr. Bloodgood and did a careful examination of the place. From what could be discovered, and further information that was given, it was clear that the work had been performed by a gang of expert sneak thieves, who had laid their plans with a skill which bespoke the ingenious and daring professional.

Prior to this occurrence I had received information of the arrival of several professional thieves of this character, and as many of these men were known to me from earlier experience, it was resolved to look them up at once. Operatives were at once dispatched to the localities which this class of thieves usually frequented, and Mr. George A. Bangs and my son Robert, made every preparation for a vigorous prosecution of our search.

Both Mr. Bloodgood and his clerk were fortunately able to give exact descriptions of the men who had entered the office, and the clerk distinctly remembered the features of the alleged disabled man with whom he had conversed while the robbery was being perpetrated. The hackman was also found, and his description of the man he had conveyed to Mr. Bloodgood's office agreed perfectly with that already given, and from all accounts which could be gained, I felt reasonably sure of the identification of the two men, if I could succeed in reaching them. These descriptions, however, and the knowledge I had previously gained, of the arrival of a certain party of thieves, some of whom were known to me, were all the clues that I possessed on which to build a plan of detection, but I resolved to push the matter with the utmost boldness, and eventually unearth the scoundrels if it was possible to do so.

There is a peculiar feature about professional sneak thieves, which is not known. They typically form into organized groups and usually set up their headquarters in New York or another large city. From this point they travel throughout the country, on the alert of opportunities for stealing, where violence is not necessary to achieve their ends. These bands or gangs seldom exceed five men in membership, who constitute one of their number as a leader, and by whose name they are known. The command of this temporarily constituted leader must be implicitly obeyed when they are at work, but in all other respects a perfectly equal partnership exists between them, and the spoils are divided in a fair and fair manner. A number of these gangs had been seen in New York at once prior to this robbery, and the investigations of my men during the three days that followed this event, proved conclusively that one of them had mysteriously disappeared from the city. A comparison of their descriptions fully confirmed our previous suspicion, and speculation soon resolved itself into a certainty.

The band who had thus disappeared, was known to be composed of four men, who had been connected and had been engaged in thieving practices for several years, and some of whom had on more than one occasion suffered imprisonment. The names of these suspected men were Henry Miles, James Dougherty, William Shields, and Joseph Bennett, but their many aliases were ingenious and often euphonious.

Having decided that these parties were the guilty ones, plans were at once set on foot which were believed would prove the most efficacious, leading to the acquirement of reliable information of their whereabouts, and to their capture.

Full publicity had been given to the fact of the robbery, and the financial circles of the country had been furnished with a list of the securities stolen, and duly warned against negotiating any of them, in case they should be offered for sale; and having thus taken means to stop any disposition being made of the bonds, and to apprehend any one attempting to sell them, we commenced our search for the criminals.

Our only preliminary course under the circumstances was to inaugurate a vigorous and diversified system of shadowing. Every person known to have been in communication with these suspected parties was placed under the watchful surveillance of my operatives—men in almost every conceivable garb, visited the haunts of the criminal classes which infest a great city, and all who were recognized as previous associates of the robbers were closely watched by expert detectives, whose movements excited no suspicion, but who followed them through all their daily and nightly wanderings.

There was one man who was known to have been formerly a member of this band, and it was supposed that he might still be in communication with them. This man was named Edward Marston, and he was naturally made a special object of espionage by my watchful men.

After a guarded but persistent inquiry it was learned that Edward Marston had ostensibly given up the criminal life he had led for so many years and was now living in retirement with his family, in some respectable section of the city, the exact location of which could not at first be discovered. After a time, however, he was met upon the street by one of my men, and being stealthily followed was seen to enter a neat brown-stone residence in upper New York— being a part of the city occupied exclusively by people of unquestioned respectability. His dwelling-place, thus fortunately found, a watch was placed on the premises and everyone seen entering or leaving the house was shadowed by persistent detectives.

In the meantime, I had not been idle in other directions. All the police authorities in the various cities in the country had communicated with them; the suspected parties had been fully described, and they were requested to acquaint me of the fact, should any of them make their appearance in these localities, but nothing had been heard from them from any quarter. Their escape and disappearance were as complete as it had been rapid.

After shadowing the residence of Edward Marston for two weeks, our efforts were rewarded with the appearance of an individual who was destined to prove of excellent value to us, in the pursuit in which we were now engaged. This individual was none other than the reputed wife of Joseph Bennett, one of the suspected thieves. She was a dashing and beautiful' young woman, and it was alleged had often helped her husband in his nefarious work. This woman received a great deal of attention in a quiet way from my men, and not many days elapsed before their vigilance was rewarded. From her actions it was clear that she was contemplating a journey. On one of her shopping excursions, she bought a trunk which was sent to her place of residence, and at various times she made other purchases which showed that she was preparing to leave the city. At length, on one bright sunny morning in April, Mrs. Bennett left her home in a carriage, on the top of which safely reposed the trunk which had been noticed by the detectives; and at a short distance behind her followed a gentlemanly looking fellow, whose occupation would not have been suspected, but who designed traveling by the same train that carried the dashing beauty, if it was possible to do so.

The lady drove to the ticket office of one of the railways, and the detective approached as near as possible to find out her destination. He was able to hear her inquire about a ticket to Baltimore, and he at once bought a diminutive piece of cardboard which entitled him to travel to the same city. Following the lady on the train, the detective seated himself on the coach behind the one occupied by Mrs. Bennett, through the windows of which he could plainly keep her in view, and at the same time escape being seen by her.

No event of any importance happened until the city of Baltimore was reached, and here Mrs. Bennett was met at the depot, by a man who was awaiting her arrival, and who was well acquainted with her. They talked earnestly together for a few minutes, and then, deciding for the transfer of the lady's baggage, they went ahead to the Washington depot, where a ticket was procured for Petersburg, Virginia, and the detective, following her example, found himself again a traveler in company with the wife of the suspected thief.

Without accident or delay the city of Petersburg was reached, and the detective had the satisfaction of seeing the lady safely deposited at Jarrett's Hotel, before making any attempt at domiciling himself. Having entirely escaped the notice of Mrs. Bennett, and having attracted no unusual attention to himself, the operative at length decided to secure quarters under the same roof as the lady and thus be enabled to note more particularly whatever happened.

The next day the wisdom of our pursuit was proven, for the lady was then joined by her husband, and the operative at once telegraphed this important fact to my New York Agency, Upon receipt of this intelligence, Robert, in company of another operative, set out to join the parties at Petersburg. The. papers necessary to do the arrest of the parties were duly obtained, and my son and his associate arrived at Petersburg fully authorized and determined to act decidedly in the matter, should occasion warrant it. At the depot they were met by the operator, who conveyed the gratifying intelligence that Henry Miles and James Dougherty had also arrived and were now the guests of the same hotel with Mr. and Mrs. Bennett. To avoid premature recognition, Robert located himself in a part of the city, some distance from the hotel, and arranged for prompt communication in case Mr. Shields, the remaining member of the band, should make his appearance, or if the others showed any disposition to leave the city.

This question was fully and satisfactorily decided on the following morning, when William Shields, looking as rosy and innocent as a child, arrived in town and went ahead directly to the Hotel, where he was assigned a room near the others who had preceded him.

The time for decisive action had now arrived, and after dark that evening, Robert got the services of two members of the city police, and repaired to the hotel, directing the men to approach the premises singly, in order to avoid creating any curiosity or alarm. It was nine o'clock when they reached their destination, and one of my detectives, who had been constantly on the alert, informed Robert that the entire party were now in the room occupied by Bennett and his wife and were having a very pleasant time.

Noiselessly the men ascended the stairs, and on arriving at the door of the room, Robert knocked sharply for admittance. The men were arranged directly behind him, to follow him in at once. So assured did the occupants feel their immunity from pursuit, that without delay or inquiry, Shields sprang to the door, and quickly unlocking it, stood gazing in stupefied astonishment at the scene which met his view.

Directing one of the men to secure him, Robert pushed forward and entered the room followed closely by the others. The party were all assembled, and from appearances, had been engaged in a friendly game of cards, while a decanter of liquor and several glasses were arranged upon another small table in the room.

Bennett uttered an oath and sprang to his feet, as if with the intention of offering some resistance to the unwelcome intruders; but a glance at his two companions. who had already been secured, warned him that any attempt of that kind would be as unavailing as it might be dangerous. He saw the officers' courage and resolve, so he quit and surrendered.

The advent of the officers was a complete surprise to the baffled thieves, for until their unexpected entrance, they had no suspicion that their hiding place was known, or, in fact, that they had been related with the robbery at all.

All their baggage was at once secured, and the entire party marched to the jail to await an investigation. Robert and the Chief of Police then did an examination of the effects of the prisoners, and their search was soon rewarded with the most gratifying success. In the bottom of the trunk, which Mrs. Bennett had brought with her, was found a large tin box securely locked, and on forcing the lid, the officers were delighted to find every identical security that had been taken from Mr. Bloodgood's office. Not a single bond was missing, and the recovery was a matter of sincere congratulation to the men who had thus run the thieves to earth. Nor was this all, for after removing the bonds and papers of Mr. Bloodgood, they found another package neatly enclosed in an oil-skin wrapper, and marked in rough characters, with the words: “This is another lot of stuff.” Upon opening this package, the detectives discovered the evidence of another large robbery, for its contents consisted of $51,000 in United States bonds.

Of course, no further evidence was required of the guilt of the prisoners, and on the following day, they were conveyed to New York City where they were duly committed to await their trial.

Inquiries in regard to the United States bonds, so unexpectedly discovered, led to the revelation that the National Bank of Courtland, New York, had been robbed in the month of July preceding the theft of Mr. Bloodgood's securities, and a list of the stolen bonds corresponded fully with those found in the strong box at Petersburg. They were at once returned to the Bank officers, who were profusely grateful for their recovery, all hopes of which had long ago been abandoned.

The trial of the thieves took place in time, and after a full hearing, the parties were convicted and sentenced to long terms of imprisonment. That prison discipline will be at all beneficial to them, I have doubts, and I shall not be surprised if at some time in the future, I am called upon to pursue them for similar crimes, and I hope with comparable results.

Mr. Bloodgood's gratitude was unbounded, and his joy at the recovery of his lost securities was unrestrained, and I am of the firm opinion that never again in his business career, will he be indiscreet enough to allow valuable papers to be exposed in his office so recklessly as to tempt the cupidity of inquiring strangers.