Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1856-10-01
MISCELLAN A N Y.

Josey's baby you would love-
MIS- ISCELLANY.
London Thieves---Their Peculiarities and
Modes of Operation.
The July number of the London Quarterly Re-
view details the pecuarities and modes OF ope-
ration of the London thieves, numerous, though
not respectable portion of the population of the
great metropolis. We extract from it some par
ticulars that will instruct as well as interest the
reader:
The largest of all the classes of thieves, and
thar which employs the most extensive range Of
intellect, of age and of dress, is the pickpocket.
From the first rate thief who works about the
banks for six or nine months until he gets good
thing to the miserable urchin who tlches a
pucEet-handkerchief, how vast descent! AL
though strung together by the common thread
of crime. and pursuing, rs it were, the same line
of business. duke ooUG not, and certainly
would not look down upon y street-sweeper with
halt the hauteur that the leading IOgues do upon
the Fagined urclrin who replenishes with BAN
dsnas the stalls of Field-lane. The popular no.
ton Of swell-mobsmen is far wide of the truth.
1t is supposed that they may be at once recog-
nsed by certain ultra-foppish manner OF dress
ing and an excess Of iewelry, whereas the aim
of professor of the conveying art is to so a.
bout his occupation unobserved for TO be known
to the police is to be disappointed of his booty.
He has his clothes built by the most correct tai
lrr, and gets himself up as much like gentle
man as possible; the necessities of his art, it is
true, oblge him to carry coat over his arm in
all weathers but so may any vertable man OF
fashion, without creating suspicion Still though
he manages to pass free in crowd, and frequent
fashionable assemblies without being suspected
by the public, the professed thief-catcher is rare
" to be deceived by appearances As the hunter
marks his quarry by peculiar signs known only
to his craft, so the detective can at once ascer-
tain whether the fine gentleman, walking care
lessly along is wrong, as the slang term is or a
respectable character.
The principal sign by which thief may be
distinguished in any assembly is the wandering
of his eve. Whilst those about him are either
listening to speaker or witnessing spectacle,
his orbits are peering restlessly, not to say anx
iously around. When the thief-taker sees this
he knows his man. One of the detective police
who attended at the laying of the foundation
stone of the Duke Of Wellington's College thus
explained to US the capture Of gentlenanly-
looking person who was present on that occa-
sion:
IF YOU ask me to give my reason why !
thought this person thief the moment | saw
him could not tell you; did not even know
myself There was something about him, as a.
bout all swell mobsmen, that Immediately at
tracted my attention, and led me to bend my eye
upon him. He did not appear to notice my
watching him, but passed on into the thick OF
the crowd, but then he turned and looked to-
wards the spot in which was-this was enough
for me, although l had never seen him before,
and he had not to my knowledge attempted any
pocket. immediately made my way towards
him, and tapping him on the shoulder, asked him
abruptly, what do you do hereF Without any
hesitation, he said in an under tone, i should
not have come if had known / should have
seen any of YOU | then asked him if he was
working with any companions. and he said No,
upon my word am alone; upon this took him
off to the room which we had provided for the
safe keeping of the swell mobsmen."
That same gathering afforded another exam
pie of the cowardice of the swell mob. Imme-
diately they came upon the ground fourteen Of
them were netted before they had time to try
the lightnesS of their fingers. They were con-
fined in single room with only two policemen
to guard them, yet they never attempted to es-
cape, although their apprehension was illegal,
persed. When the doors were thrown open
they immediately made rush like SC many rats
from trap, aud never stopped until they We're
Well out OF sight of the police The rapdlty
with which they bolted was caused by their de-
sire to avoid being paraded before the assembled
coustables, measure which is often taken BY
the police, in order that they may knew their
men on another occasion. If, however, the
swell mobsman's eye is forever wandering in
search of his prey, 50 also is that of the detec-
tive, aud instances may occur when the one may
he mistaken for the other. AT the opening OF
the Crystal Palace, party of detectives distrib-
uted among The crowd observed several foreign-
ers looking about in manner calculated to
rouse their suspicious These individuals were
Immediately taken into custody, notwithstand-
ing their strong and vehement expoStuations
made in very good French. When brought be
fore the inspector, it came out that they We're
Belgium police, sent over at the request OF our
Government to keep look out on che maurdis
sujets of their own nation.
The swell mobsmen proper, generally work
together at races in gangs of from three to seven,
those who "cover," as it is termed, making
rush to create pressure, in order that the pick
pocket may use his hands without being noticed.
Inferior classes of thieves work in smaller
schools" say of a couple of women and boy,
whose little hand is capitally adapted for the
work Whilst one woman pushes, the lad at
tempts the pocket of the person nearest him, and
the third watches it off," as it is called if she
observes that the youths attentions have been
noticed, she Immediately draws him back with
a ala Johnny, why do you push the lady 2"
Look to your pockets, good reader, when you see
forward little JohnnieS about-especially at rail-
way stations. Such places are the chief re-
sort of this class Of pickpockets, and we hear
that theatres and churches, just as the people
are coming out, are tavorite haunts-the women
creating stoppage at the door, and the children
taking advantage of it. Wonen's pockets are
much easier picked than mems, for the reason
that the opening through the dress to it is larger,
and it hangs by its weight, free Of the person.
In crowd the operation is easy enough, as the
general pressure masks the movement Of the de-
Dredator's hand; when the victim is walking
more artistic management is required. The
hand is inserted the moment the right leg is
thrown forward, because the pocket then hangs
behind the limb, an essential condition for the
thief, as the slightest motion is otherwise felt