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s * WHY CRIME DOES NOT No. 6 of a Series of Extraordinary Revelations Written by SOPHIE LYONS The Most Famous and Successful Criminal of Modern Times, Who Made a Million Dollars in Her Early Criminal Career and Lost It at Monte Carlo, and Has Now Accumulated Half a Million DoUars In Honorable Business Enterprises Written by Sophie Lyons. Copyright, 1913, by the Star Company. O’ ,r course, crimes, like business op- I eraUons, are sometimes big and sometimes small. They vary in im portance from the pickpocket’s capture of an empty pocketbook to the robbery of a big bank. I will tell to-day the secrets of the greatest bank robbery in the his tory of the world—the robbery of $2,768.- 700 from the vaults of the Manhattan Bank In New York, on the corner of Broadway and Bleecker street, several years ago. Every man in that remarkable gang of bank burglars was an associate of mine— I knew them, knew their wives, was in partnership with them. It was an extra ordinary enterprise, carefully considered, thoroughly planned and ably executed; and It yielded nearly $3,000,000 in stolen securities and money. There has never been a bank robbery of such magnitude, either before or since. It was complicated * by the difficulty of disposing of the great bundles of valuable bonds, many of which I had to look after. In my long and varied experiences in the underworld I have never been asso ciated with an enterprise so remarkable in so many different ways as the Manhat tan Bank robbery. There were altogether twelve men in this robbery, and every sin gle one of them, with the exception of one, got Into trouble through it—one. In fact, was murdered. And here, then, In the biggest, richest robbery of modern times, we learn the lesson that even In a $3,000,000 robbery ORIME DOES NOT PAY1 Rank burglars, of course, are constantly casting about for promising fields for their operations and this great, rich Broad way bank had long beon viewed with hun gry eyes by Jimmy Hope, Ned Lyons, my husband, and other great professionals But not only were its vaults of the newest and strongest construction, but there was . a night watchman awake and active all night In the bank. This watchman was locked In behind the steel gratings of the bank, and Hope and my husband could not figure out any way to get at him and silence him. It remained for a thief named "Big Jim" Tracy to solve the difficulty. Now the curious past of this is that Tracy was not a bank robber at all. Tracy was a general all-around thief, and specialised more particularly In second-story resi dence burglaries and highway robberies. Tracy was not even a mechanic and was entirely Ignorant of the way to use safe- blowers’ tools But Tracy was ambitious and decided to surprise his acquaintances hi the bank burglary line by doing a Job Which would give him standing among the high-class experts. Stalking the Watchman Tracy had one great advantage—he had been a schoolmate of Patrick Shevelln. one of the bank watchman. Knowing Sheve lln, he was able to renew Into Intimacy his old acquaintance, and soon broached the subject of the contemplated robbery. Shevelln was a married man. rather proud of the trust reposed In him, and would not consent to have any part In the scheme. If Jimmy Hope or my husband had approached the watchman be would have exposed them to the bank officials, but be had a friendly feeling toward Tracy. Tracy was persistent, held out pictures of a fabulous fortune, and Anally gained the watchman's consent When all was agreed upon Tracy de cided to get an outHt of burglar s tools and practice up for the Job. By this time "Big Jim" was out of money, and he ran up to Troy to pull oil a Job and put him self in funds He selected an out of town city because he didn’t want any trouble in the neighborhood of the scene of the projected bank robbery. It was In July that Tracy, with a fellow thief. "Mush'' Reilly, followed a man named John Buckley out of a bank In Troy, where he bad drawn a considerable sum of money. Mr. Buckley got on a street car and Tracy and Reilly crowded in and began work. They were not able to get the man's money without disturb ing blm, and the result was that Buckley put up a Aght. "Big Jim" and "Mush” fought back, but were surrounded by other passengers in the car and arrested. They were tried, convicted and sent to Clinton prison for Ave years This misfortune to "Big Jim" Tracy put an end to his designs upon the great Manhattan Bank But the missionary work which Tracy had already done with Shevelln, ihe watchman, was destined to bear fruit for others. While “Big Jim” was serving his long sentence In Clinton prison for the Troy robbery, it became known somehow to Jimmy Hope that Tracy and the watchman of the bank had arrived at an understanding. This was very Important news, and Hope at once started In to pick up Ihe thread which bad been so suddenly broken by Tracy’s mis hap in Troy. But this was not so easy to accomplish. Shevelln had conAdence In his old school mate Tracy, but be was afraid of strangers. Jimmy Hope was the Napoleon of bahk burglars and he bad In his gang the fore most bank experts of the whole world. Hope found a way to make the acquaint ance of Shevelln and he tried every de vice to win the watchman’s confidence But the shock of "Big Jim” Tracy’s long prison sentence had thoroughly frightened the watchman. With great patience, Hope began a cam paign to remove Shevelin's misgivings and make him feel that with such part ners he need have no fear. One after an other of Hope’s great experts were Intro duced to Shevelln. At dinner one day In a Third avenue restaurant, Johnny Dobbs was produced, and the exploits of this famous burglar were recounted. Next was Introduced George Howard, known as "Western George," and Shevelln was told of this man’s extraordinary skill on safes and vaults. And then came George Mason and Ned Lyons, whose amazing boldness and quickness with a revolver were al ready known to Shevelln. Nugent, the Policeman-Burglar A few days later, John Nugent an able operator and a policeman in good stand ing. was presented, and a little later on Abe Coakley, the venerable cracksman, was Introduced. Finally the famous "Ban jo Pete" Emersou and Billy Kelly and Eddie Goodey were brought to bear on the wavering fears of the watchman. Shevelln was Anally overawed by this powerful aggregation of skill, persistence and audacity and consented to Join Hope’s band of operators. As I look back over that group of burglars. I am sure there was never before gathered together on one enterprise such a galaxy of talent With such expert skill and such abundant ex perience as were there represented and all under the able leadership of such a veteran cracksman as Jimmy Hope, surely it was impossible that their enterprise could fail. . Shevelln Anally realized this and as he gave his pledge of help and loyalty, Jimmy Hope shook his hand warmly and Bald: “And If wo get the stuff, Patrick, your share will be Just a quarter of a million dollars. And that's more than you will ever make working as a watchman.” Jimmy Hope now lost no time In setting about his plans for the robbery. While Shevelin's aid was absolutely necessary. It was only a very short step In itself toward Jimmy Hope's goal, the currency and securities lying In separate steel safes inside the great vault. The entire system of steel plates and locks was the latest, most complete burglar- proof devised, it was universally sup posed to be not only burglar-proof but mob-proof. It had been demonltrated theoretically that burglars working un disturbed could not obtain access Inside of forty-eight hours. Indeed it was the very impregnability of the vault which helped in its undoing. Shevelln could give the band entrance to the building and could bring them to the door of the great vault. But here in plain view of the street it would be im possible to study out and assault the com bination lock. As the lock could not be studied inside the hank it was evident that the problem must be solved outside. For this task Hope employed a woman very Intimately related to one of the band. While I do not care to give her name, as she is still alive. I may say -that she was considered a very attractive woman. Elegantly dressed she called at the bank and opened an account with the de posit of a few hundred dollars. She made clear to everyone her charming ignorance of banking. She was as amusing as pretty and before long she was talking to Presi dent Schell himself It was in fact the president who proudly showed her the massive steel doors and the mlghtv combination lock which would guard her small deposit. With innocent baby stare she noted the make of the lock and its date Possessed of this Information. Hope, who was nothing if not thorough, pro ceeded to buy from the manufacturer a counterpart of the lock As soon as it arrived the lock was turned over to the Inquiring eyes and Angers of George How ard. Ensconced in a little house in a quiet part of Brooklyn. "Western George" made an intimate investigation of the lock's vitals Sophie Lyons—the “Queen of the Burglars Howard undoubtedly was the greatest Inventive genius in locks that ever lived, unless, perhaps, Mark Shlnburn, a burglar of a similar mechanical turn of mind. He could have made no end of money design ing burglar-proof devices, but preferred demonstrating the weakness of the exist ing ones in a practical way. Hope's con Adence in Howard was not misplaced. Within a few days George told the leader he could open the lock by the simple pro cedure of drilling a small hole Just be low it and inserting a wire. Hope watohed Howard demonstrate on their own lock and at once planned a prospective tour of the bank to see If the performance could be duplicated on the lock in the Manhattan Bank. If so. they were in sight of their goal. While the band was waiting for a con venient occasion when Shevelln would be on duty at the bank and coulo admit them safely to test Howard’s grand discovery a great blow fell upon the whole plan. It was the mysterious murder of Howard himself. If, as some have suggested, the taking off of Howard was the hand of Providence, I can only point out that the hand was a little bit slow, if Howard had been killed two days earlier, I can’t see how the band could have gotten Into the vault Hope, with all his ingenuity and executive abil ity, was no great mechanical genius on an up-to-date lock, nor was any other member equal to the task. Howard was on bad terms with several very forceful members of the underworld, at least one of whom was In the dozen who were secretly besieging the Manhattan Bank. While the gang was rejoicing and waiting a letter came to Howard request ing his Immediate presence on Important business at a place near Brooklyn. Opening the Great Vault The following week Howard’s body was found In the woods of Yonkers, with a pistol in his hand and a bullet in his breast. The suicide theory was dispelled by Andtng another bullet in the back of his head. Investigation brought to light that a wagon containing a heap of sacking had been seen driving through the woods and had later returned empty. Hope and others suspected Johnny Dobbs, of the gang, of doing the shooting, but nothing was ever proved about it. Dobbs and Hope soon after were let in by Shevelin and they put Howard’s theory Into practice. They bored a hole about the diameter of a 22-calibre bullet just under the lock, inserted a wire, threw back the tumblers and had no trouble in getting into the vault. There stood the safes and from three to six million dollars in money and se curities. But this was only a prospecting tour and the two burglars were careful to disturb nothing. Returning, they softly closed the huge door and Hope manipulat ing the wire, threw back the tumblers But Hope lacked the mechanical skill and Ane sense of touch possessed by the late lamented Howard, and he pushed one of the tumblers the wrong way. He knew be had made a mistake but was unable to correct it This meant that the bank em ployes the next morning would be unable to open the door. There was nothing to do but AH the hole with putty so that it would not show from the outside and see what the morn ing would develop. Quite naturally Hope assumed that the lock-tampering would be discovered and his whole plan be ruined. The gang prepared to scatter but as it turned out they need not have wor ried. 8ure enough, in the morning the doors refused to respond to the cashier’s mani pulations. The makers of the lock were sent for and after inAnlte labor the door was opened. The experts from the fac tory who performed the feat were curious to see what had gone wrong with their mechanism. It was in “apple pie” order with the exception of one tumbler which, for no apparent reason had moved in the wrong direction. A Tip to the Police Jimmy Hope's drill hole, puttted up and nicely hidden on the outside showed black and conspicuous from the Inside. The lock mechanics observed the hole and asked the ofAcers of the bank how the hole came there. They all shook their heads and the subject was dropped. A portly and prosperous looking gentleman who had been standing at the paying teller's window after changing a one hun dred dollar bill, heaved a sigh and walked away. It was Jimmy Hope! “Boys,” he said to the band who were all prepared to abandon the job, "It's a shame to take that money. Those simple souls have found our hole and It doesn't even Interest them. They are worrying about a little $20,000 loan on some doubt ful security, and here we are within a few Inches of from three to six millions.’* "Such fatth Is beautiful,” said Johnny Dobbs, with mock piety, “let us pray that it be JustlAed.” Nevertheless the Job was postponed for a year on account of information furnished by John Nugent. Nugent being a member of the New York police force in good standing, was able to keep In close touch with headquarters. He learned that the presence of a dozen of the ablest bank burglars in the world had become known to the police. Not that the police had dis covered their presence by detective work, for this happens only in novels or detec tive plays When the "sleuth” in aotual life gets any real Information it is be cause somebody for fear, hatred or re ward has told him. As I have said, there was bad feeling In the band and I think someone interested in Howard’s death gave the tip. At any rate, the band took pains to scatter and the various members were careful to re cord themselves at different cities remote from New York. The New York police were much relieved and promptly forgot the tip that "something big” was to be "pulled off.” Just about a year later Shevelln, who was not by nature intended for a crook, looked up from a drunken doze at a saloon table into the keen eyes of Jimmy Hope. Shevelln had neither the instinctive incli nation nor the nervous system which bo- long to the natural criminal. The bare fact that he was connected with the pro jected robbery had made a drinking man of him. He was in debt and in other trouble, and was genuinely pleased to open nego tiations again with the able and conAdence inspiring leader. Everything was now in order to go on with the undertaking. There were no dissensions in the gang, therefore the police had no inkling, the bank was smugly conAdent of their steel fortress, and it only remained to name the hour. Hope’s operations were much embar rassed by the fact that Patrick Shevelin was only a supplementary watchman. Daniel Keely, his brother-in-law. was the regular night watchman, and absolutely honest, as Hope knew, both from his own investigations and from Shevelin’s assur ances. Shevelin's duty was as day watch man, chiefly during banking hours. Tbe only time when he did not share his watch with either Keely or the equally incor ruptible Janitor of the building. Louis Werkle, was on Sunday. Therefore, the morning of a beautiful October Sabbath was chosen. Hope saw that the weak spot of the bank was also the vulnerable point in his own operations, namely, the nervous and somewhat alcoholic Shevelin. Hope de cided it would be best for Shevelin to not be on duty at the bank that Sunday, but to arrange with Werkle, the janitor, to take his place. The Night Before Had Shevelin been of sterner stuff, the robbers would have bound and gagged him and left him with a carefully re hearsed tale of a plucky Aght against fear ful odds to relate to bis rescuers. But it was more than probable that Shevelin would betray himself in the inevitable or deal of hours and hours of tiresome ex amination. Therefore, It seemed best to have him at home, sick, where he could establish an unshakable alibi and answer. ”1 don’t know” to all questions. Shevelln admitted the band Saturday night and concealed them in a store-room in an upper part of the building. There they sat crowded, cramped and uncomfort able through the entire night. They dared not smoke nor even eat for fear Keely, the regular night watchman, who occasionally poked hU nose into the room during his unaccustomed might notice an rounds smell. This matter of smell illustrates how oarefully Jimmy Hope worked out the minutest details of bis plan. He foresaw that ten men packed Into a rather small room would, even without food or smoke make the atmosphere seem close to the nostrils of the watchman familiar with the usual empty smell of the place. For this reason Hope ordered his men to bathe before the job and wear clean clothing without any scent whatever. No tobacco, drink or onions passed their lips on Saturday. As a last precaution, at Hope’s order, Shevelln broke a bottle of ■smelly cough medicine on the Aoor In tha presence of his brother-in-law. As I have said, the regular night watch man was Keely—an honest, incorruptible man. Shevelin was day watchman. Sheve lln worked from six In the morning until six at night, when Keely came on duty for the night Job. The janitor of the building, w<ho lived over tbe bank with his family, was a worthy, honest man, named Werkle. Every body trusted Werkle, and so it had come about that Werkle was now and then mads temporary day or night watchman, when ever Shevelin or Keely were sick or want- eJ a day off. Though, as I have said, the genius of "Western George” Howard In discovering a simple and speedy method of opening the lock by inserting a wire through a small hole bored beneath It was the one thing which made Hope’s plans feasible, yet at the last minute this method be came unnecessary D oi ir C A Ho] minute, and ten extra minutes would h % doubled the value of the “haul.” Shevelin went home with the ui standing that Werkle, the janitor, wold take his watch in the morning, w| n Keely, the night watchman, went oft di j. At ten o’clock, Werkle and his wlfq v it to sleep in their little bed room atx e the bank, and Keely made his rounds i i- eventfully. At six o’clock, Sunday mo i- Ing, Keely waked Werkle, the jank r. and departed by the back door. The ci i- Ing of the back door was the cue for is gang to take their places and they had o time to lose. Jimmy Hope and Johnny Dobbs, a b Billy Kelley and Eddie Goodey, Johi y Hope, son of Jimmy Hope, Mason and i- gent, and my husband, Ned Lyons, rap! y but stealthily advanced upon the janiti's bed room. To reach It they had to p is through another bed room, where si it a8 the aged and feeble-minded mother if naif Mrs. Werkle. While gagging and binding the d woman a slight amount of noise was mi e Werkle paused in his dressing and i- marked that he would step lr. and i< what was doing. The robbers forestalled him by enter ig and covering him vith their revolvi b. They presented a terrifying spectai e, each man wearing a hideous black ms k Rubber shoes on their feet made th lr steps noiseless. They were received in silent horror. The tableau was broken by a lent scream from Mrs. Werkle. Instantly c Id muzzles were placed to their temples i id InBtant death threatened in return tort te slightest sound. Werkle’s keys,and le combination of the lock were demands Poor Werkle attempted to delay co n- plying, but a few savage prods in his sr with the point of Hope’s gun scattered • last thought of resistance. He delivi id the keys and told them the comblnatiTn cor tro the had V Jhe un Ho mo wo slo po tn< thi BK WO hu pa Consultation in the Dark As if tbe bank had not done enough in the way of kindness to the burglars by Ignoring their little bole, they gave Werkle, the Janitor, the numbers of the combination and keys to unlock It Neither Keely nor Shevelln were trusted to this extent, and Shevelin only learned of the janitor’s secret in time to tell Hope the night before the robbery This new information was discussed In whispers throughout the night by tbe gsDg. Hope had misgivings about using the wire and the bole. The faot that he had failed to return one of the tumblers to its proper place on the previous occa sion worried him. It was quite possible he might make a wrong move and Instead of opening the door lock it irrevocably. In that case it was not to be hoped that the easy going bank ofdclals would give him a third chance. On the other band forcing the Janitor to surrender his keys and reveal the com bination had great disadvantages. It meant delay. He might give the wrong set of numbers from fear or loyalty. At any rate he was certain to hesitate. As it proved, time was worth about $100,000 a / How the Great Robbe; About ten minutes after Jimmy Hope and his cracksmen bad departed the early customers of Kohlman’s barber shop, just under the bank, heard some one leaping down the stairs from the bank. In burst apparently a madman, half dreased, hit hands handcuffed be hind him. A gag In his mouth added to hl» strange appearance. Unable to apeak or uae hit hands, he danced up and down and made growling sounds like s mad dog. The barber shop emptied iteoif, and Kohlman was not able at once to rex** ognize behind the gag and the jaunty mmm 1 mm i