CHAPTER II

FIRST STEPS IN CRIME


I was getting tired of school and wanted to go to work. I had a good
Christian man for my Sunday-school teacher, Mr. M., a fairly rich man,
and I did think a good deal of him. I liked to go to Sunday-school and
was often the first in my class. The teacher would put up a prize for
the one that was there first. Sometimes it would be a baseball bat,
skates, book, or knife. I would let myself out then and would be first
and get the prize.

I asked Mr. M. to get me work in an office. After a few weeks he called
and told my mother he had got me a job in Jersey City, in the office of
a civil engineer, at $3 a week. I was a happy boy as I started in on my
first day's work. It was easy; all I had to do was to open up and dust
the office at 8 A. M., and close at 5 P. M. I used to run errands and
draw a little. But after a few weeks the newness of work wore off and I
wished I was back at school again, where I could play hookey and have
fun with the other fellows.


THE FIRST THEFTS

I had lots of time on my hands, and you know the saying, "Satan finds
some mischief still for idle hands to do." He certainly found plenty for
me. The boss was a great smoker and bought his cigars by the box. He
asked me if I smoked, and I said no, for I had not begun to smoke as