The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-06-10

ages, VINO touoWoo no otncr occupation tor Aveli-
hood than planderins every thing upon which they
could lay their hands, whether on the wharvss, in
the canal bosts, or on the decks Of the shipping "
ing in the docks.
Ofthese daring thieves there were about Eve or
six hundred, and they were composed of old men,
young men, boys, women, and small girls. The
havoc they were wont to commit on the bales Of cot
ton, bags of coffee, hogshesds of molasses, barrels
Of oil, &c, that were everywhere exposed, in large
quantities. along the vicinity Of the East and North
rivers, is almost incredibly and 80 well disciplined
were the old hands, and 50 dexterous were they in
their maneuvres, that their detection, except in
rare ns.anees, became almost matter of lmpossi-
bility, unless their actions necessarily scruti
nized by especial and vigilant watchmen Their
usual mode Of procedure was to 60 in companies va
rying from ten to twenty in number; and the
dress of the female marauders was well adapted to
the business in which they were engaged, as we're
the sly cunning and daring bodness of the wearers
They wore loose gowns, with capacious sack or
sort of pouch inside and tied round their bodies.
These pouches were usually regulated in size ac-
cording to the dimensions and solid content of the
hulk that was to seize and carry off the cargo.
They would loiter among the heaps of cotton and
strayed child, or waiting the coming ashore of a
husband or brother. Frequently they would COM
mence weeping and moaning in most pitiful man
suspicion of their thievsh designs. But while she'd
ding crocodile tears, they would be narrowly watch
ing the movements of the police, should any be
near and those whom they supposed to be interest
ed in the goods upon which they were about to
pounce. AS soon as they saw their way clear, with
the quickness of an actor they would spring up to
pile Of coffee bags, rip one of them open, and let
the coffee run into their sacks through an opening
in their outer garment. Thus, each would carry
away thirty or forty pounds ut time, the coffee
pouch forming round their bodies, which they
managed to keep concealed by loose flowing gowns;
and, as soon as they got a full load stored under
matches, they would march off, amenting that they
could not find the pretended object of their search
When it answered their purpose best, they would
lean against a bale of cotton or heap of coffee,
and with short knife blade, which they generally
carried fastened in the heel toe of their brogan,
they would cut open the bag, when two or three
small girls, drilled for the purpose, would pull out
the cotton gather up the coffee and stow it away
in the old ones concealed depository, while she
would be narrowly watching the movements of those
around the wharf. Again, in order to get at the
oil and molasses, which they could not carry under
their skirts in their sacks, they would come down
with large covered baskets under pretence of selling
fruit candies, of looking for cold victuas from
the vessels. These baskets would contain jugs or
other dishes to carry off their liquid booty. Two
or three of these old female thieves would stand
against molasses hogshead, or an oil cask, while
Of their young disciples, shielded in the ample
folds Of the old uns petticoats, would bore hole in
the slaves Each basket in turn, would then be placed
under the stream, until the vessels which il con-
tanned were full In these, and other equally well
practised NODES several hogsheads and casks are
known to have been emptied in single day; and
several bales of cotton and bags Of coffee carried off
in a few hours by the means described.
These women were always followed by num-
Der of small girls, some of whom would be stationed
at different points, as accommodating parties, ready
civ fha oil hyrn artp in tnolg iU
should policeman be in sight. Some of these fe-
males had become SO emboldenedn long, c,ess-
full career Of theft that they dsregarded the pre-
sence of the workmen, clerks, and even the owners
of the property and taey would step up to cotton
bale with the utmost sang frotd, and commence
slowing the contents in their sacks or baskets and
when demonstrated with, they would abuse and
threaten vengeance on those who might endeavor
to dr. i've them off. Many of them have been known
to draw a knife or dirk to the me reliant himself,
and keep him at bay, while their bevy of young
girls were packing up andcarrying OFF stolen goods
| But the women were not alone engaged in this
Wholesale and daring theft. A class Of boys-Short
Boys-with their train Of young followers, took a
cons picuous and formidable lead in these depreda-
each group attended by number Of small boys.
| They would play and skip about till they thought
no interested eye was watching their motions, then
jump down between the bales of cotton, rip them
open, and fill their bags after which, they would
move silently and cautiously off to q contiguous
corner, leaving the small ones to watch their OPP
portunity for carrying of the booty to junk shop.
There they would be followed by one or two Of the
leaders for the purpose Of receiving the price of the
bag of cotton, whatever the stolen articles might
/ be- They would often pitch cents for Two hours at
| time near the place where they thought haul
i could be made, while their outscouts (tho small
boys) were stationed, here and there, to give the
i signal as the way was clear. They had
also number of small scows, and while one or two
| of the party were laying-to under wharf or the
PROV Of q vessel, others would be stationed above,
ready to throw down into the scow bale of cotton,
bag Of coffee coil Of rope, whatever else valu-
able they could find The party in the scow would
then move out into the stream and watch their ep.
portunity to land, when the men about the wharves
had either given up work or gone to their meals
These plundercrs could easily find depository
and market for whatever they stole, in the scores
the East and North rivers. The proprietors Of
many Of these receptacles for stolen goods are
the parents, guardians, and promoters Of all the
dock thievery that has been committed since
tematic plumber and it is asserted by many
respectable men, who have been pestered and
robbed with immunity in open day and before
their eyes, that the junk shop men and the thieves
are so leagued together as to defy detection. The
moment an opportunity is found to convey bag Of
cotton or anything else worth stealing into one Of
these debs the contents are, that instant, empred
upon heap Of the same kind previously deposited
| and the thief takes his exit in new direction,
leaving his colleague Of the junk shop to deal with
the owner of the stolen goods or with the police
| man, should either take the trouble TO follow II
pursuit and many instances have occurred in which
the merchant has followed his goods to the door o.
the junk shop, and seen il handed over to the nefa
rious proprietor; but owing to the threats Of the
ruffans inside and around the door, he would wall
quietly away, deeming 1t more pradent to say no
thing about the matter than to run the risk of hav
ing his stores set on FIRE. These thieves have FIRE
quently drawn their knives on the owner Of good
which they had stolen, and swear to burn his premi
ses, when he threatened tho vengeance Of the Law
upon them, after detecting them in the act o
stealing. This is the statement Of several respec
table merchants themselves and many Of then
would sooner allow these thieves to escape will
what they had stolen, than to incur the vengeanc
Of the whole band Of depreiators, by bringing tn
detected snes to justice. But this lensnt treat
ment was only calculated to emboldena and strength
en- the ranks Of thete desperadoes.
In the foregoing remarks we have spoken in tn
past tense, because these bands are now, to YER
considerable extent, broken up, especially abou
the East river docks This has been effected by. tn
I'll al hxt koa