I I - American Memory

[ 85 1
tlie others would take the Keys from out of the Pins iii
the Window, by which Means, in the Dead of the
Nit^ht, we could eafily take down the Sliutters, and
enter without Difficulty ; and in this manner did we
enter into moft of thofe Shops and Houfes that we
robb'd, which, in Juftice to the Publick I do here de-
clare, that they may be the more cautious to prevent
thefe Praftices for the Time to come.
And alfo, that notwithftanding the various Means
we ufed to enrich ourfelves at the Expence of otliers,
whether by Houfe-breaking, Robbing, ijfc. either by
Day or Night, we always found the moft beneficial
Time was from a little before Candle-light,.'till about
I o of the Clock, and that what we pick'd up in that
Time ufually exceeded tlie whole Day's Gains befides.
For the Satisfaftion of thofe who are curious to
know the particular Crimes I have committed at Times,
I fhall here add a Lift of all my Burglaries and Street-
Robberies, as for divers Fafts committed upon the Sneaky
and in Shop-lifting, I muft declare the greateft Part of
them are efcaped my Memory j but they were gene-
rally fpeaking fuch as robbing Goldfmiths and Toy-Shops
Show-Glafles, Uojlers, Milliners Shops, k3c.
At & Goldfmiths in RuJJel-Court, after having in Com-
pany with two more of the fame Frofeflion, broke the
Shutter, juft as I was endeavouring to go otF with the
Show-Glafs, a Man jump'd up with a Blunderbufs, and
levelling it at us, obliged us to quit our Prize, and
feek our own Safety by Flight ; but at a Toy-Shop near
the before-mention'd we had better Succefs j for ha-
ving in the Evening unkeyM the Window, about Two
o'clock in the Morning we took down the Shutter, and
getting in with as little Noife as poffible, found the
Maid fitting by the Fire-fide, fhe fqueak'd out at the
Sight of us, but we foon oblig'd her to be filent, and
fit ftill, whilft we had perfefted our Defign, and having
open'd the Show-Glafs, carry'd off all the Snuft-boses
therein.
By