The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1843-12-20

Book DRoPPERs AND THEIR PRACTIcEs.-Talk OF
the "Mysteries of Paris" or the secret practices
of rogues and knaves that nfest that capital This
city exhibit more real, rank, shrewd rascaty
and ingenuity in its performance than any other on
the face of the globe, the daily calendar OF
crime will satisfy all who have doubts on this sub
ect. Last week we presented our readers with
sketches of the practices of the swinders that
prey upon our commercial communicable ''mock
auctioneers'' and " Peter Funks," who infest
public thoroughfares to rob the stranger, and the
swatch suffers and their pals" who are ever
ready TO pounce upon green horn We will now
give sketch of that gang of rogues technically
known as &C pocket book troopers" These knaves
generally are boys, and hunt for prey in couples,
almost all knaves do, and they evince great tact
and skill in their mode of operations. A new
pocket wallet is obtained and filled with large and
small notes OF the fraudulent issues of the " Tenth
Ward" and "Globe" banks, or similar institutions,
and thus prepared, the troopers sally forth. They
usually select thoroughfare leading from one of
the steamboat landings, andiwith eyes like hawks,
watch for the first view of countryman who may
approach. As soon as discovered enc of the 'drop-
pers" follows close behind his victim, and when
opportunity offers, dexterousty drops the pocket
book near his feet, and dexterously sezes it, as
though found at that instant upon the pavement.
| The attention OF the stranger is excited, as the
boy endeavors to conceal the wallet, who partially
| opens 1t, SO as to expose the bills to view, thus
exciting the curiosity and cupdiy of his victim at
the same moment. Almost instantly the follow
ing, or similar conversation between the parties
ensues:-
DRoprER.-Ive found pocket book have you
lost one =?
STRANGER ---O oubtingy, and feeling of his
pockets)-Yes---no why, have you found one
Let's see It,
DRorrER.---O, no it's mine (; I've found it, and
| won't give it up without reward.
SrRANGER-Let's see it, perhaps it's mine-has
| it any money in il? -let's look.
DRoPPER-Yes-it's full of money-largc bank
notes, and can get good reward if ! advertise it.
SrRANGER-(Actuateds sometimes by the honest
and proper motive of advertising it and returning it
TO the owner-at others by motives of cupidlty, in
tending to get possession and keep it)-Come here
boy-it's not mine, don't think, but let's see it.
DRopPER-No you don't-if it's yours you can
tell how much money is in it-(the boy here care;
fully opens the wallet and syly exposes the face and
value of some of the large bills)
STRANGER-(Actuated from motives before ma
med and anxious to get possession of the reasure)
the owner and give you something for your trou:
BILE, which he can pay me back-give it to me and
| I'll give you five dollars.
DRepPER-That amt enough-it's full of money,
and he'll pay you all you give me-gve me twenty
i dollars and I'll give 1t up
,1i Err he has the means fearing the
Prize Will SLID MS nnEerS)-We ell, here the
as the man must pay me before ne gets it back
The "dropper' receives the money rendered and
delivers the wallet, which the stranger will imme-
diately place IN his pocket for examination at the
| first convenient place OF privacy. The drOpper''
makes himself scarce IN an instant, and the stran
ger moves of at a rapid pace, musing as he goes,
with his good luck---intended advertisement---re-
ward--thanks---honesty, &c, until his eyes and
senses astounded with the fact that the notes
are all worthless---hat he has been duped cheated
swindled in the public street by a mere boy, and
nesty thus blasted and he left minus the round
sum of twenty dollars, with common pocket wal
let worth twenty cents, as the proceeds of his act
Of dlsinterested benevoence. This man, if his in
tentions were honest, will almost swear with Paul
Pry, never to do another good natured act and if
pocket wallet should ever again be placed in his
track, either by actual loss or otherwise, he will
think twice and turn around four times before dar-
| ing TO trust himself with the reality of the scene
| before him.
Should he be so lucky as to accost the rogue
who has duped him, and secure his arrest, it is
that CONVICTION follows, as there Is no law that 60
verns the case completely, and the usual punish
ment of these rogues is commitment to BlackwelPs
| Island Migrants by the Police Magistrates, be-
fore whom they may be arragned for examination.
FROM THE NoRTH.-The steamer Eureka, Capt.
Fitch, arrived last night with Albany papers of
Monday evening. These came by the Housatonic
Railroad to Bridgeport All the news we find is
that the Supreme Court adjourned on Saturday
in consequence Of the sickness of Judge Bronson.
| FURTHER PARTICULARS OF THE PoMERoY Boz
BERY.-We have the following additional facts
connected with this AFFAIR."
[From Albany Argus Dec. 49,
No clue had been obtained at the last dates from New
York the whereabouts of the missing trunk Conec
ure rife as to the robbery but it little more than
conjecture Copp present when the trunk was pack
charge of one so Valuable And yet from the moment he
received in charge until he started his return pas
sage in the Housaonc train he seemed to haye
than if had been worthless vaiise hed with castof
rags stated indeed that he declined to place il in
The care Of the Captain of the boat whilst he carefully
handed for saekeeping carpet bag with vaueess
lands in the city of New York has been scraped The
trunk may been thrown overheard there before
the boat reached the city after the money had been taken
out may have been ashore the arrival Of the
boat Either easy enough, SO far as it
the object any by the person to whom had been
money sent from that city by Copp Tuesday has been
over-estinated-the sum not exceeding $4,000. The
The cash stolen far ascertained amounts to about
$4,000
II has been suggested that in the event Of the robbery
having been committed by Mr. Copp, but which, notwith
standing ali the suspicious circumstances attending it, is
certain might not the packages have been removed
from the trunk and brought north from New York, by
Comp or some one else and this be in Canada towards
which point understand pursuit has not been directed
Literary Notices.
THE ODD FELLOWS OrFERINe.-A very hand
some annual Published by LOOMS, at the office
| of the Rainbow.
| The TIMEs--A SATrRH.-Puerilc and trashy.
Published by Edward Clayton, 9 Thames street
HISTORY OF ALL CHRISTIAN SEcTs.-By DR..
Evans. This useful work has just been issued
by Burgess & Stringer, in cheap form.
The COMPLETE Conference.-The title ex-
plains the nature of this excellent work Published
| by Lee & Blanchard.
LADIES' NATIONAL MAGAzINE.--A good number.
Published by Graham " Christy, 2 Asor House.
LADIES' CoMPANoN.-Letter press good--engrav-
| ings wretched
COLUMBIAN MAGAZINE--We have already express
ed our high appreciation of this admirable work.
Published by Post, 3 Astor House.
ANeLo-AMERIcAN.-O of the very best OF the
weekes.