HOW A BURGLAR IS MADE.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13673, 11 April 1908, Page 7

HOW A BURGLAR IS MADE.

EFFECT OF ENVIRONMENT.

Dr. Albert Wilson, an eminent brain specialist, thinks, that Some criminals take to evil courses purely through environment. He cites a casp of a pro* fessional *burglar who, ho declares, has such mental ability and such a striking personality that he might have done anything in lawful channels if he had nol been led astray, might even have risen to be a Cabinet Minister. Indeed, so fascinated is Dr. Wilson with this man that he is going to submit him to a gathering of scientists. The- man, is now the proprietor of a London suburban shop, and has come to see the error of his ways. He was quite willing to* discuss his past with an interviewer, 1 was struck by the expression of extraordinary intelligence in his eyes and the note of quiet culture in his voice. According to his' story, when ho was a lad ~ his brain wanted more exercise than it got; and tie threw 7 tip jobs in disgust because he could not get enough mental work tb'do.; Chance threw him in thY way of ; an old burglar, who gave him opportunities; of using his bead. It became the young maifs delight to plot burglaries, and before long he astonished older tnen by his foresight and skill in organisation. "My^love for my wotfk must have blotted out my sense of right' and wrongl" One story is told to bear out Dr. Wilson's oontention that the man would have succeeded in any walk of, life. It concerns a West End mansion 'so guarded by burglar alarms that three cracksmen, after .weeks of patient investigation, pronounced .it invulnerable. But this Napoleon bf crime was not daunted. His eye traced a risky climb from the top of a partially-built house to the roof of the'mansion. Strolling past the house* one evening in evening dress, he slipped "into the uncompleted premises, climbed .to the roof, and came to <a door. Had he forced this door, burglar alarms, he "knew, would have rung' throughout the house. Instead, he' worked diligently with a^fine drill, piercing- the woodwork round the door in a dozen places, until he exposed the electric wires which he knew must be there. Then, after widening the aperture, he syringed the naked wires-. with a powerful acid. In a few moments they Were eaten away and the connection de^ stroyed. He forced the door, and found himself in a chamber containing the batteries which operated all the alarms. Having rendered the batteries useless, he robbed the house, , and then walked coolly down the hall smoking a cigar, and let himself out by the front door;