OCR Text |
Show SPECTACULAR CRIME Tho doath In Missouri of Frank James, who though novor convicted ot crime was roputed to bo a member mem-ber ot tho famous Jamos gang ot outlaws, who wero charged yoars ngo with so many desporato acts, raises tho question whether tho big bank and train robborlos ot thirty years ago aro as common today. As a vrholo crlmo, soems decidedly decided-ly on tho increaso. Dut tho big crlmo nets of a generation ngo, which so flrod tho Imagination of tho outlaw class, may ho too daring for tho rood-om rood-om sneak burglar and toot pad. Dank robbory can not bo as profitable profit-able as It used to bo. Electric and stool protection has mado largo banks Impregnable Horo and thoro a small country bank might bo ripped opon. Uut tho roturns would not bo sufficient suffi-cient for tho risk,- A highly explosive stato ot society pervaded many sections at tho tlmo tho Jamos gang woro active dun toting was gonornl. Tho guns woro not carried for ornament, but for real uso. Celority In pulling them nnd accuracy In using thorn was an usontlal clement In a gontloroan's education, ed-ucation, Thoso conditions developed vory daring and resoluto men, quick in doclslon aud rapid la elocution. A train robbory was no tarofully plan-nod plan-nod stroke of buslnoss, but a sudden lawless Impulse. Tho llfo ot tho plains of thirty to forty years ago dovolopod many a character perfectly perfect-ly capable of thoso acts at &ny tlmo ho folt tho need ot cash. Train robbory probably does not soom nttractlvo to tho sneak criminal crimi-nal of today. Ho is looking for what sooms moro liko n Bomotblng. Sloop-lug Sloop-lug peoplo In tholr bods, unarmed po-dostrlnns po-dostrlnns In dark corners ot great cities, houses loft nlono and unlockod In daylight, thoso nro tho favorites. Ihoy nro much safer than a heavy train whoro oxpross mossengors and others uro apt to bo nrmod, nnd whoro tho tolophono quickly aum-mons aum-mons bands of ofllcors to search tho country.. |