Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

TiMBS-BNTBRPRISE, THOMABWIp LE, OCTOBER 14, 1904. *£ Superstitions of Criminals. Lawbreakers Have an Astonishing ©read of Religion and Awe b'f the ' Bible—Deathfbr Those Who “ Squeal.” gttlUIXALS ftffc peculiarly superstitious. Everylydy v. ho knows auytiilnjr about them and their trays knows that. Many of their su- perstitions have beeu invented and are peculiar to themselves. They are not Mhose common to ordinary humanity. 'They liavo a unique distinction. And •of nil criminals none are so filled with superstitions as pickpockets,, and the stttaxijrc feeling of dread, graduates to '*** imposing safe “buster.” bank nr.rglar and petty, thief, the latter class * oing least fearful of results on ao count of their peculiar superstitions. Xo better place exists in the world to study the peculiar superstitions of •‘crooks'’ than within the walls of the .prisons where these featherless birds ■sire caged, and the few. following lft- •cidents gleaned from a retired old keeper of Sing Sing Prison cepted ys tru<> ar.d will serve to demon- • strata how, criminals are governed rnorr or less by some occult influence, y ‘CROOKS” AND THE BIBLE, * Ordinary "crooks” have a most as tonishing dread of religion and regard "he Bible with a superstitious awe and '.great reverence. If a “crook,” there fore, can further his Ideas by using the Scriptures, he considers he has found asafe and sure mascot. The Bible is put to all manner of uses, iminy times in a way which would call •down wrath from Heaven itself. Many of the thieves who have been “Jugged” use the leaves of the tracts and Bibb's which have been given then; by mis sionaries to make fires .with which to boil coffee. ‘ According to the old prison keeper, lie often saw 1he leaves of the Bible used in that- manner, and It was a Ioiir time before he became aware of the reason, aud why it. was sought after more than any other kind of paper, any quantity of which could be had foe the asking “Those .follows keep their secrets ■well to themselves.” lie said; “and It Is only after they are thoroughly confident that t r .iry are speaking to friends that 1ho y' are willing to Impart rfny In for* inpilon to those outside the pale of the Maternity. *'£ befriended a long term prisoner on an occasion when ho was about to bo brought up to explnin*an infraction of the rules of the prison, and my in* torferenco in his behalf saved him irom severe punishment. I was his friend after that. lie told me the se- •oret of burning the leaves of the Hi- ‘The Bible Is the best book In Lbe world/- lie said, ‘aud it puts a bet ter bead on the coffee.’ That was nil. “It Is not alone for heating coffee thav they want the Bible. They be lieve that if they can call in the Bibb to help them out in any transaction they are sure to win out. I recall an instancy of the kind vividly. A man was imprisoned* for burglary. He was a necrose, sullon fellow, and cigarmak* «*r by trade. He attended services in chapel regularly, and had the op* pearunce t>f being deeply Imbued with religious fervor. Finally he declared that, he had been converted, and kep; a copy of the Bible with him at ail Buies, He read Jt in Ills cell, and car ried it about with him so regularly that It cnme to be looked upon as par. ?£ him. "CONCEALED CIOARS IN BIBLE. 3» CHARLES R. PRICE’. t “It was while lie became a convert that a wholesale cigarmaker contract ed tq have liis goods made by convict labor. Our religious long timer was V-ut to work in the factory. His Bible was with him at all times, and noth ing suspicious was ever thought of the occurrence. But cigars soon began to be missed in appallingly large quanti fies. At the end of each day they would melt away as if by magic until the situation looked serious, and filial ly the contractor was forced to dis- .•outinue the contract or face ruin. lAThe leak did not stop, although 2very man was put to work to discov ?r the culprit, and every man was searched before he left the shop. De spite all these precautions, the thief was not discovered till long afterward, lie was our long termer. He had hol lowed out the inside of the Bible, leav ing about an Inch margin for the wall.; of his box. In that cavity he packed away a fine lot of clears every night, nobody even suspecting the demure and devout cigarmaker. At night he divided the weeds among the other con victs and they smoked them on the sly. lie explained he was sure the trick would win, because lie had used the Bible. It did. too. DEATH TO SQUEALERS. “It is death to the jail bird who squeals’ on another. Criminals of a ?ert:iiu class feel thnt in prison they ire bound to keep their hands in at stealiug; otherwise, they say, when their terms expire they will be rusty at their business and do bungling jobs. The result Is they steal while in con finement. They never let an opportun ity pass, no matter whether the arti cle stolen is of the slightest value to them or anybody else or not. They merely want to keep their hands in. The more difficult the Job the better they seem to like it. In the latter in stance. if .successful, they feel that they arc not then, and will not be, a dlsgrcc-? to the fraternity when they are iv if ascii. “It is not ibe natural devil that Is within them, but a veritable and estab- listed system of superstition. “No tirlmlnal would assume that his Machinery would go on working as well as ever after his time was up. His cunning would desert him uuless he kept the machinery oiled by con stant practice in jail. It Is not only in Sing Sing, but In every prison in the land where these Jail birds are gath ered together that the officials have ft never ending series of theftd to ttto- ravel. “I remember an instfthce wheft thft trusties in the pantry were bothered niftiest to death by thefts of the but ter. Spies were stationed and eyetf known trap was laid to enteft the pur- lofner, but the disappearance of the butter conttniied and the stock dimin ished fts rapidly ns ever. It seemed if some invisible hand was at work. Maybe it was. By accident a big stftck of butter was discovered lb a barrel In n corner of ft shanty inside of the grounds. ' • '•The thief had, apparently, no earth ly use for the butter, but he stole it Just to. keep his hand in.. He was never discovered. And so It Will ton- tinue so long as such eriniinais are confined. They ntt a set of perfect wlxnrds. t)ne would be not only as tonished, but absolutely non-plussed at the way those fellows can steal when it would bo considered Impossi ble for them to hide their useless loot. THE SUPERSTITION ABOUT PIC* TURKS. “No burglar. If ho possibly con avoid it, will have the photograph of a person looking at him from ft wall, dresser or mantel while hft 16 carrying on his work. He doesn't want eyes resting Upon him while he Is operat ing, and If he haft plenty of time to carry on operations, every picture or photograph will be found turned to the wall after he leaves. It makes no difference to him whether the picture or portrait is that of the living or Of the dead. Burglars are great believers in all sorts of spirit communications between the next world and this one.” As an exemplification of that fact related by the old prison keeper, after the burglary which took place nt Third avenue and Thirty-fourth street not so very long ago. It was discovered by the Central Office detectives that all the large engravings, a group of pic tures of the members of tlio firm and one of a Grand Army encampment, were all turned face to the wall. It is the invisible presence of witnesses thnt they dread tbo most, and what ever suggests or resembles this must be removed before they can operate with a feeling of comfort. Burglars entered the home of an aged recluse several years ago In West chester County, and after binding the old man and gagging him. they were In the act of looting the house when their glances fell upon the pictures of the Saviour and Blessed Virgin in a corner of the room. This unexpected bodyguard of the old recluse so dis turbed the robbers tbnt, although they mustered up sufficient courage to turn the pictures to the wall, the incident proved to be too much for their nerves. At least, they compromised with tbo devil. Under the pillow on the bed were n roll of bills and a gold watch and chain. They took the cash, left the Jewelry and made no further ef fort to search the house for the fortune the old man was reputed to have. SKELETONS SCARED HIM. “I remember one crook,” continued the aged keeper of criminals, ”a daring young devil, who spent a short term during the latter years of my life at Sing Sing, who planned to enter and rob a store In Nassau street. The deal er sold jewelry and optical goods. In the rear of the store he had a number of small skeleton figures suspended from the ceiling. In the eye sockets of each skeleton were brilliant stones representing diamonds. They were merely advertisements for his busi ness. The young burglar to whom I refer entered the store by way of a rear window one night, and the first things that confronted him were the swinging skeletons. To use a little slang, he fell in a,fit. The grewsome looking things appeared bad enough in the daytime, but they looked so weird at night, and^ the brilliant eyes from the reflection of the electric lights in the street had such an impression on the young fellow that, he told me af terwards, the first thing be did was to smash the skeleton advertisements in to fragments before he began his work of looting the place. “The Incident so unnerved him that he made a miscalculation, which re sulted in bis arrest and conviction. He got off with a light sentence because | of his youth and influence, but he con fided to me that anybody who took the pains to bang a skeleton around any room In the house was safe, so fsr as he was concerned. The precaution would be just as effective as surround ing the bouse with a cordon of police. He said to me that he would have noth ing to do with any place where skel etons were banging around, and I be lieve him. * “Those are but a few instances of thousands bearing on the superstitions ! of criminals. They are probably suf- i ficlent, however, to serve to show that j there is scarcely one of the crooked j fraternity who has not his individual < and peculiar superstitious belief and I fete” " J A QUICK RECOVERY. A PromUsat Ofttde* bf the ttebeccai WritaA td £ftahk Doaa'I Kidney Pill* •wotHj.*; • b. E. Bunignrduer, a local office!; of tlie Rebeccas, ot Topeka, Kane., Room 10, 812 Kansan are-; jlaej writes; “I used Doan's Kidney Pills during tbs past year, tor kidney trouble and kindred ailments. 1 was suffering from pains In tbo back and beadacbes, but fonnd after tbe use of one boa of tbe remedy: that tbe troubles gradually disappeared, 1 (0 that before 1 bad Bnished S second package 1 trim well. I, therefore, heartily endorse your remedy.” (Signed) idR8. 0. E. ilOMGAIlDNER. A FREE TRIAL—Address Foster- Mllburn Co., Buffalo, N. Y. For sale by all dealera. Price, BO cents. Advertising «• a Pine Art; .As fill illustration of the Japaneie advance In tbs art of advertising can anything be more complete than this? "Our wrapping paper Is. aa strong as the hide ot an elepiiaat, Oo.ds forwarded with the speed of a can non bait. Our silks and Satins ara KS idft St the cheeks of a pretty Woman, as beautiful as a rainbow. Our parcels are packed with as much care as a young married woman takes of her husband." (AM9-04) CURED In one night bv ROYAL‘FOOT WASH, Removal oftOfi of feet, arm pits, etc. Stops chafing, no at drugflsts or postpaid from EATON DRUG CO., Atlanta. Oa. Monty SLOAN’S LINIMENT I KILLS I PAIN i for FARM I factor® family use l AN ENTIRE 1 MEDICINE CHE5T OH EARL S SLOAN. 615 At B ANY 5T BOSTON MA55. WHY GET SOAKED , /,/, / / 7 WHIM 143 HARDWT STORM? K FOR A30VE TBADE HASH BtWtfC Of IMITATION* CATtLOOUIS MIC IHOWINO ruu. UNI OT 0ARMCHT8 AND HAT*. A. <1. TOW Ell CO., BOSTON, MAS*.. U.S.A. TWINtANAPtAN OO , 1TP„ TORONTO, CANADA. Glove Wearers. "It It i peculiar fact that the Southerners have small Hands. 1 i-areiy sail a size okef id; add tn« average slzee are from 7 to 9. In the North toe average else la from 10 td 12. Another peculiar faftt Is that east of the Mississippi I sell, the dreseed ktds, while weet of the rivet, even in St. Louis, the demand It tor mochas. I vary seldom sell a smooth ly dressed glove west of the Missis- stppt. Styles have changed, cities have changed, Milwaukee has.chang ed and men have changed during the 12 years I have been selling gloves, t have travelled out ot Milwaukee fourteen years and never before was Interviewed about tbs business. Amohg the cowboys the geunlet for merly reigned supreme, and nothing fceuld be sold theih but a finely drees- oa gauhtiet of tile beat biickskln, which Is plain, but as carefully mads as this finest Imported kid from France. The cowmen are extremely particular about their gloves, and wear out a good many pairs. They are as particular about their gloves as the Northerner Is about his white shirt or stand-up collar."—Milwsukci Wisconsin. FITS permanently cured. No fits or nervous ness after first day's use ot Dr. Stine’s Orest NerveRestoror.OStrlal bottleend treatise free Dr. It. H. Kr.isK.Ltd., 1)81 ArohSt.,Pblla., Po. PIso'iCurelor Consumption Is an Infnllibli medicine for coughs end colds.—N. W; Samuel, Ocean Grove, N. J., Feb, 17,1907. JAPAN'S CONSTITUTION. Having failed to get practical results In producing rainfall by use of explo sives, tbo same Fronch experimenters ore now trying to ward off hailstorms by explodlog bombs In advance of approaching storms, with results so far encouraging, the Massachusetts Ploughman stater.. A successful de vice of this kind would be a treasure tor tbe tobacci growers. How It Differs From the ^(Institu tions of Occidental Nations. There Is an Important difference between tbe Constitutions of West ern nations and thdt ot Jdpdn. The former aro tho outcome ot popular uprisings against the tyranny of rul ers—In other words, ot a demand, ns ot natural right, by the people. Con sequently, even In monarchical Eu rope, constitutions are drawn in such terms as to lay the greatest stress upon popular rights, while at tbe Bams time curtailing the power of the sovereign. The Japanese constitution, on the other hand, emanated from tbe Em peror, tho fountainhead of all power, Before the people dreamed of popu lar rights or of a Parliament, the Emperor had already marked out the grand policy of establishing consti tutional government In the future, because of his evident desire and purpose to elevate the country to an equal place among the civilized na tions of the world, not only because he wished It, but also because that course was In strict accordance with the national policy bequeathed by his ancestors. Following that policy, our constitu tion wai drawn up with close adher- cnco to and careful preservation ot the fundamental principle ot tho Im perial Government from time Imme mortal. In form, however, It Is similar to Western constitutions, with this dif ference, that the text of our oonitl- tutlons contains only the fundamen tal principles of state—namely, the prerogatives cf the Emperor; the rights and duties of the people; the powers of Parliament; the powers and duties of ministers of etate and Judiciary and finance. These are all embodied in seventy- six articles. Matters of detail, such, for example, as provisions relstlng to the rules and proceedings of Par liament, the laws for tbe election of members, the national budget, etc., are separated from articles enunciat ing fundamental principles, and are embodied In laws supplementary to the constitution and enacted at tbe same time.—The Century. WORLD'S FAIR ST. LOUIS. Louisville and Nashville Railroad. If you an going to the World's Fair you want the hast roots. Tho L. A N. Is tho shortest, qnlokest and bast line. Three trains dally. Through Pullman Sleeping Cart and Dining Cam. Low Bate Tickets •old dnily. Gat rates from your local agent and nak for tioketn via L. A N. Ktorovas Allowed it MAMMOTH GATE. All kinds of lnformntlon furnished on ap plication to J. O. HOLLENBECK, Dint. Pass. Agent, Atlanta, Qe. NEARLY DONE. "How long has the minister been preaching?" whispered the strange; who had wandered Into the church and aat down away back. "About thirty years, I believe,” re piled tho other occupant of the pew. "That being the case,” rejoined the stranger. ‘I’ll stay. He must bf nearly dond."—Tlt-BIta. Famous for Catchy Titles. Tho Fall Mall Gazette useu -o be famous for tbe catchy titles ot Its leaders. J. Nlcol Dunn, editor of the Morning Post, who used to be con nected with the Pall Mall Oazette, has recently let the secret out as to how these titles were found. Every morning there was an assembling ot the staff, and each member would write on a slip of paper hit sugges tion for the day'a leader. The slips were collected In the office top hat, and after a discussion the most strik ing was selected. One day, as Mr. Dunn tells, the selected slip contain ed the words; "Can’t think of a title to-day," whtet^ Ingenious title duly appeared at the bead of the leading article. INEXPENSIVE. "Why la moonlight so conducive to romance?” said tbe sentimental young map. “Well,” answered the practical girl, "for one thing, when you arc using the moonlight you arn't Inter rupted by remembrances of parental worry about gas and electric light Mils."—(Washington Star. BOT A prominent club woman, Mrs. Dan- _ , forth, of St. Joseph, Mich., tells how she was cured of falling of the womb apd its accompanying pains and misery by Lydift E. Pinkham's Vegetable Compounds “Dear Mbs. PinkilL8!—life looks dark indeed when a Wflnan feels that her strength is fading away and she has no hopes of ever being restored. Such was my reeling a few months ago when I waa advised that my poor health was caused by prOlspsus or falllng ef the Womb? The Words sounded like a knoll to me, f felt tha* my siu had set; butlydla 13.Makliam's Vegetable Command < eame » an elixir of life; it restored the lost forces and buht me up w-tilmy good health returned to me. Fat four months I took the machctao daily and each doso added health and strength. I am so *han*ftkTfor the help I obtained through its use.”-Mm. Florknoe DaiifoRW, 1007 Miles Ave., St. Joseph, Mich. .. ... •• - A medicine that Iras restored so many women to heatth ano can produce proof of tho fact must bo regarded with respect, xms is the record of I-ydla E. Plnkham's‘Vegetable’Compound,wU* cannot ho equalled by any other medicine the.world has e er pro- duccds Here Is another casoi— "Dear Mns. PuntHAM:—For years 1 was troubled with falling of the womb, irrejgular and painful menstruation^ leucorihceo t bea domi pains, backache, headache, pazy v aud fainting spoils, and stomach trouble. • % «I doctored for about five yeuu but did . not seem to improve. J began the medicine, and nave taken ajyen ottle» ox Lydia E. Plnkham’s Vegetablei tc npound, three of Blood Purifier, and also 'sed tho Sanative Wash and Liver Pills, are..am now enjoying good health,and have gtunr now. w I thank you very much for w.a# yon ^ have done for me, and heartily reoom- mend your medicine toaU women.”—Miss Emma Sktdeb, 21- Fast Center St, Marion, Ohio. “FREE MEDICAL ADVICE TO WOSnOT.” _ J Women would save time and much- ilckncaa lf they m old write to Mrs. PJnkham for advice as soon as any dfstnmdng'I>- toms appear. It is free, and has put the"**udl of women on . iff ^kaifcPtokham never violates tho confidence thMontenstou to her, and although she publishes thousands of tcstimonLalii women who hate been benefited by her “d’ 1 ' 0 never In all her experience hae * ,, epublUhed»ucho letter witho . the full consent, and often by special request of the writer. A m aba FORFEIT u we cannot forthwith prodooe th« or!fln*l•“* i, * B * tuWB $5000 w “ 0ll,,l i!, , du SSSEZL. tT»*. *« 1 DRS. GENTLEMEN, WE CAN CORE Y0D? 20 yearn of succeNafnl prnctloftj* • pretty good record, Don’t yon think 7 OUR SPECIALTY I.S GURIN6 "TO STAY CURED" Diseases Peculiar to Men> Consultation and Examination Traa. ^ j Write or call. All correspondsnoo treated eonfiddntlnl. J LEATHERMAN & BENTLEY, Cor. Marietta and Forayth Sta.. Atlanta, On* \uiuym scjncmr* Shorthand Dtyi., F. O. Orfehtos. BookkMpinf Dopk, D. I. fihntuut.tr. Cats!ofM ftH. _ B. O. CrUhton, Prop., KUer Bldg.. Atlanta, Oa. CONSTIPATION kuffor«J Tilth chrcnl* ccn* • tlm* 1 ha-1 to take on once every Ythonr» beforj n my bowels. Happily I . jawb<b*run I raffmiwitl rtlpatlon and daring thU tlm* 1 b* Injection of warm water tried Case art u. .SaKiiF _» yo« r am 1 cab as* mia Beat For The Bov/e Is j ^ aa ineoov/eis ** kwgwwWfFww. CAN0V CATHARTIC WANTED i.ooo Hen and Women to Try $6.001 Worth of Sample* Free, fiend no money. Only send your name to Wy C. HUG HEN. Atlanta, Ga. ilNHUAL SALE, TEH MILLION BOXES lva!?,*i:2a Thompson’* Eye Water Malsby & Co. 41 Sonlb Forsyth St, Atlanta, 61. Portable and Stntlonavj Engines, Boilers, Saw Mills AND ALL KINDS OF MACHINERY Complete line carried In itock for 1UMMDU TI MptntnL S.n MeeMnery. I-oweh Price, nna Ben Write as for catalogue,. etc., before buvlne. -Ices, Plantation Chill Cure is To cure, or money refunded by your merchant, so why not try It? Prloe 50c.