The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1860-11-14
The hew-YOrk PiekpOckets.

With pickpockeis, highway robbers, bur-
glars, theives,, shoulder-hitlers and poIiii-
clans, New York city, is cursed 10 a greater
exieGt than any other city OIL this continent.
Excepting The shonlder hitter and politi-
clans, there is no class so numerous as the
plckpockeis. Old men and women, spruce
young boys and blooming girls, are num-
bered on the ranks of the profession. They
are met at ali poinis, in all SORTS oil costume
and at the most unexpected time aud place
always having an eye TO business, yet ex
ceedingly wary. II requires great skill, we
had almost said genius, TO become an ex-
pert and successful pickpocket. One who
is never al loss for an expedent, never
loses his self possession, and who generally
gets what he is after, has only acquired his
skill and dexteriiy by many years of hard
study human nature, an immense amount
of practice, and probably many months i'm
prisonment. Pickpockets are distinct
class OF thieves, and associate as liule with
burglars and other depre1alors as would a
dry goods merchant-prihce with a retail
excites the greatest admiration among his
less fortunate companions, and is looked mp
to-wiih as much reverence as is man III
respectable society who has thousands of
dollars al his fingers ends. He fully APP
preciaies his position. and with an air o.
the greatest coudescension accepts from
his fellow-thieves those little offerings of
brandy punches and cigars which they SO
freely offer at his shrine oil dexierity and
smpndence.
The modes of obtaining the objects of
their ambi,ion-generallv ''pocket- book or
gold watch"-are as numerous as the vari-
ous classes of pickpockets- They all par
ticuarly delight in a crowd. Let few
thousand people congregate in the street, or
in some place of amusement, and there you
will find the pickpocket in his glory. Take
street crowd for instance. Two or three
of the light fingered gentry are there, work
ing together They select their victim. and
Immediately seize every opportunity TO hiis
tie and iosiIs him. Suddenly one is crash
ed up against him, at which both begin TO
swear furiously, the victim striving 10 get
away and the pickpocket crowding sill
harder, ill he succeeds in getting his hands
away from his pocket. In an instant dex-
terous confederate silly slips his fingers into
the victims pocket, and they seldom come
out again without the coveted wallet
Meanwhile the plucked pigeon is so much
absorbed in crcwding, husiliag and swear
ing, that he has no suspicion Of the ranafer
that is being made Al all places Of amuse
ment, or who're any sort of tickets are sold
fhat will create rush, there leok out for
vour pockets. You want 10 buy ticket,
have iaken out your wallet 10 get the neces-
sary money, and returned it to your pocket
A professional has Witnessed the operation,
and is instantly by your side crowding aud
Samming as ferociously as yourself toward
she little hole where the tickets are passed.
You pass in yonr money aud denand
flcket-he does the same, striving to get
ahead of you--you become anxious, and
your hand and his gel into q STRIFE ioF ihe
eoreied ticket, and meanwhile the ether
hand il exploring The recessss Of your pock-
ct. By The lime you get ont of the crowd
vour wallet and Jour peninacious friend
hssa both disappeared. Pickpockcts gem
orally work in schools Of two to six, Just as
the axigencics Of the caze may require
I he fizss object 10 be obtained, Is 10 divert
fheiH victims attention from his pocket and
The nsz< ta;re IS 10 induce him, By sorne