The Right Way to Do Wrong by Harry Houdini

morning find his house rifled who would deem it impossible for anyone to enter his house, much less his room, without immediately arousing him.
    To show how carefully a burglar plans for the “cracking” of some specially desirable “crib,” one ex-convict declares that he has often expended large sums of money in making the preliminary arrangements for some great coup. If a burglar should happen to be caught in the house-breaking act, it is fairly important that he should not be recognized afterwards; so most professional burglars are very careful to provide themselves with a disguise when out on their “work.” One reformed criminal told Inspector Byrnes that he had several times been seen by people while entering houses, but they had never once been able to recognize him afterwards. His simple plan he described as follows: “I always wore a specially made wig, with false side-whiskers and moustache of the best quality. My wardrobe was extensive, and contained reversible coats and reversible trousers, after the style used by quick-change artists on the stage. With the aid of these, I have been able to make a complete change of appearance in less than two minutes.” It is easy to see how rogues take more pains to perpetrate robberies than honest men do to get a living.
    The Burglar Who Walked Backward
. A London burglar, who served a long sentence, told the chaplain of theprison the following amusing story of one of his experiences: “One of the toughest pieces of work I undertook was a big jewelry shop in the Seven Sisters Road, one January night. It was a ‘put up’ job—that is, the business came to me through one of the brokers who supply burglars with places for likely hauls, and receive in return a large commission. The jewelry store in this case was protected by iron shutters, not easy to open from the street, but valuable goods were supposed to be left overnight in the window.
    â€œI approached the crib down a narrow entry to the rear, and along this I walked backward, for the ground was covered with snow, and any tracks going forward would attract the next policeman who should pass. I continued on this crab-like progress until under the shutter of the rear window. This I got through without difficulty, but was confronted by a door leading into the passage, which was locked. On attempting to force it with a jimmy, the door fell together with its case with a tremendous crash. I need not say I made myself scarce in a jiffy, and hid behind a shed in the yard. Strange to say, nothing happened. No one seemed to have heard the terrible racket. I re-entered, and, climbing to the top of the stairs, found a heavy trapdoor fastened with a massive bolt. This gave way after a special treatment, and in the big sitting room, by the glimmer of my tiny dark lantern, I found a few watches. The door leading into the shop was fastened with a mortise lock, and it was necessary to cut the box out. Much to my disgust, I found the show-window absolutely empty. In ransacking the place, I came across a small iron safe which, with a vast deal of trouble, I dragged into the basement, where I set to workwith my safe-opening tools, feeling sure I should find my plunder, but again I was disappointed, for the safe was empty.” (Almost all English safes are key-locked, not combination as in America.)
    â€œWhere was the stuff? Clearly the jeweler had some hiding-place. I resolved not to get ‘cold feet’ on this job, so went back to make a systematic search. Outside the old couple’s bedroom, I listened carefully. All was quiet. I entered as silently as a shadow, and found the old jeweler and his wife sleeping soundly. A revolver was on the chair by his bedside. I have always considered the practise of keeping revolvers about the house most dangerous, especially to casual night visitors, so I pocketed this one, gathered up the loose money, two gold watches, and, turning, found