Adam Worth

Welcome to Criminal Minds week here at OPOD, where we will examine some of history's most interesting criminals. In researching for this week, it appears that the most remembered outlaws are not necessarily the most successful ones. Books and movies are made about the criminals who ride up to a bank with guns blazing and demanding that the cash be handed over. The careers of such bandits was often times short lived.

Less known, but much more successful, were men like Adam Worth, pictured above. Adam is remembered as the "Napoleon of Crime", and people speculate that he was the inspiration for the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle figure of  "Dr. Moriarty". He used careful analysis, planning, and stealth to become of the most successful thieves in history. He got his start in the civil war as a bounty jumper. He would sign up for a regiment in the civil war under an assumed name. After receiving the signing bonus, he would defect, go somewhere else and do it again. After the civil war, he organized a band of pickpockets in New York City. One of his first big crimes was to rob the Ocean Bank. He broke into the bank at night, and cracked the safe. He then cleaned the vault out. Soon after, he robbed an express wagon of over $100,000. This would be in excess of $1,000,000 in today's dollars. He was also successful in stealing jewels, fine art, and other rarities. He died in 1902 in London.

DOMESTIC UPDATE

I am pleased to announce some degree of success with my summer project. I was able to get one of the Model T's started. Below, I am taking the lovely Miss EAM for an afternoon drive.

We made about 3 laps around the front of the house, and then disaster struck. We had a simultaneous multi-tire malfunction. The rear tire went flat, at the same time the front tire came off.

Luckily I had several extra tires for just such an occasion, and had the car up and running again in a few minutes.

With my confidence up, and a willingness to live dangerously, we then went for a spin around town.

Below is a short video, so you can hear what the car sounds like:

OK, the car is running and nominally drivable. There is still more work that needs to be done. The car seat needs to be recovered, and some hoses in the engine need to be replaced.

The biggest issue is relining the bands in the transmission. There are three transmission bands. One for forward, one for reverse, and one for braking. The reverse is very weak, and there are NO brakes at all. So, these bands need to be relined. I have the band liners, but do not have the expertise to install them. This is a tough one, as there are not many Model T mechanics around.