From Boniface to Bank Burglar; Or, The Price of Persecution: How a Successful Business Man, Through the Miscarriage of Justice, Became a Notorious Bank LooterWhite, George M. (George Miles)
History
From Boniface to Bank Burglar; Or, The Price of Persecution: How a Successful Business Man, Through the Miscarriage of Justice, Became a Notorious Bank Looter
White, George M. (George Miles)
Bank robberies -- United States; Criminals -- Biography; White, George M. (George Miles)
“Most assuredly I do,” was my prompt reply, and I took no pains to
repress the indignation I felt at the mere suggestion of betraying
Hughes. “Do you think I’m a squealer too?”
“We don’t want to send him to prison!” hastily explained Radford. “All
we want is our usual percentage.”
“Well,” said I, the hot blood stinging my cheeks, “I’ll let you fellows
know that I’m no Bill Brockway; and if you find the man you’re after,
it will be on the level so far as I’m concerned.”
I said this in a manner that left no doubt in their minds as to my
sincerity. I also let them know that Brockway’s squealing propensities
were well known to me. I had begun to learn a great deal of the crook’s
life in a very short time, it seemed to me.
“That was a fine hand you played against Billy Matthews,” I went on.
“If you’re going to deal with crooks, I’d advise you to be on the
square, and you’ll succeed better.” At this George Radford looked at me
peculiarly, as though he thought that I knew more than I was telling.
Jack McCord, in an attempt to put himself in as level an attitude as
possible, but failing, said:--
“We fellers have to get at things the best way we can, and, as you must
know, we’re not in the police business for our health.”
Swallowing my disgust, and feeling that I, even I, a bank burglar, was
contaminating myself in the same atmosphere with these treacherous
rascals, I said good night and hurried away, glad to get rid of them.
But I saw them again, and sooner than I had hoped, for I never wanted
to look on their faces after that night. But this feeling wore off in
time.
Billy Matthews sought me out a week later, and said, with considerable
earnestness, that I must meet Jack McCord, who had news for me of the
utmost importance; that I must meet him at the Metropolitan Hotel, and
if he wasn’t there, to wait until he came. Not daring to disregard this
word, which amounted to a command, I went to the hotel, where McCord
appeared a few minutes later. Calling me aside, he whispered, “You’re a
very lucky man, White, and you’ll realize before we get through that
it is a Godsend you came to know us fellers.”
“Why?” I asked; “what’s in the wind? Some one from New Hampshire here?”
“No; but a crook in that Ohio Bank job has squealed on you, and there’s
a Cadiz sheriff in town with a complete description of you and Eddie
Hughes, who escaped with you.”
This was startling though not unexpected news, as I knew that Utley had
no love for me. No doubt he had tried to get further clemency in prison
by squealing on Hughes and me. I asked McCord if there was anything
further he could tell.
“Yes; Utley told the sheriff that the man with Hughes was called
George, but the last name he did not know. He described an overcoat
‘George’ wore that was left in the Scott House in Pittsburg.”
At this I smiled, and McCord wondering why, I told him.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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