King of Heists

[wylk]

I thought this was a very interesting book, and I too would curious to know more about the "Little Joker".

A very slight technicality, Leslie was a bank burglar (sneaking in after hours) rather than a bank robber (barging in during business hours and demanding money, such as Bonnie and Clyde). Though IIRC some of his jobs blurred the distinction, such as coercion of an employee and an unfortunate death.

[Doug MacQueen]

I know I won't find where I read about him using the device but I am pretty sure one of his favorite targets was a popular Lillie safe. It would have been considerably easier to make and use on a safe lock where the dial is pushed in and out, leaving a lot of space for the little bugger to be hidden.

[Roberta]

Leslie was a bank burglar (sneaking in after hours) rather than a bank robber (barging in during business hours and demanding money, such as Bonnie and Clyde).

You're right. The King of Heists said that Leslie admired Jesse James but made it clear that he did not copy his methods.

[Doug MacQueen]

Sorry. It was in a book by the famous detective Allan Pinkerton "Criminal Remininscences and Detective Sketches" where I read about the "Little Joker" description, although it was not called that there. It was Max Shinburn not George Leslie who was described making and using it on Lillie safes. But I have heard that name used elsewhere as well. Doug

[Roberta]

Sorry. It was in ... "Criminal Reminiscences and Detective Sketches" ... It was Max Shinburn not George Leslie ... Doug

I don't have a copy of <i>Criminal Reminiscences</i> but I found the same information about Shinburn on page 34 of the book <i>The Napoleon of Crime</i> by Ben Macintyre who got his info from Pinkerton.

But on pages 204-205 of the book <i>From Boniface to Bank Burglar, or, The price of Persecution</i> by George Miles White AKA George Bliss. In a chapter called "Sheriff Smith's Bribe ~ The Little Joker" George White claims total credit for inventing a device with a little wire that recorded combination numbers and naming it "The Little Joker." Pinkerton however claims that White's modus operendi consisted of breaking into a banker’s home and torturing him until he gave up the combination to the vault.

Roberta