Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-09-26

PARTISAN THIEVES, In the peculiar voca
bulary of the partisan police courts, the cpl
tibet ayale-toul-c'W literally, 'swallew al
raw is applied to certain swindlers, dress
ed like gentlemen, and wearing spectacles, in
order to give rise to the supposition that they
are short sighted-a supposition indispensable
to the successful pursuit of their vocation
which is neither more nor less than 4 pecu.
liar and ingenious species of theft. They en-
ter the shop of a dealer in precious stones, and
ask to be shown an assortment of small dia-
monds or pearls. These diminutive gems re
ordinary displayed to the purchases upon a
piece of white paper, and as the visiter pre-
tends to be extremely short-sghted, he stoops
close to the paper, and manages without much
risk of discovery, to pick up with his tongue,
number Of diamonds, which are not missed
until the thief has made good his escape. A
chevalier d'industrie of this description has
just been detected under the following cir
cumstances: A jeweller in the Palais Royal,
who had been victmized in the mode above
described, related his mishap to confrere,
giving, at the same time, an exact description
of the thief. Only day or two afterwards,
the fellow called upon the second jeweller,
and was Immediately recognized. Assurance
in this respect became double sure when he
tradesman replied that he had none at the
moment, but expected to receive a large
quantity that very day, and invited the Gus
TONER to call the next morning. Meantime
notice was given to the police, and at the
proper time detective concealed himself III
the shop. By his directions the jeweler i'm.
pregnated his pearl card with bitter drug,
and awaited the arrival of the man in specta-
Giles, who was punctual to his appointment.
AT the propitious moment he ''mbibed" a
number of the pearls, but the bitter taste of
the paper threw HIM off his guard, and he in
voluntary betrayed himself by rejecting his
plumber. The detective then emerged from
beneath the counter and seized his unresist-
ing prey. The ingenuity and cunning of the
Partisan rogues are very remarkable, and if
these expert rascals applied to honest industry
half the talent they display in robbing the
community at large, they could not fail to
earn an abundant subsistence.
In addition to the instance above related
the following may be cited as examples of rare
ingenuity prostituted to a criminal purpose =
a gentlemanly dressed individual passes near
the show window of fashionable shop, it be-
ing, in Paris, the custom in many descriptions
of retail trade to spread goods as temptingly
as possible before the public. The gentle
manly ureSSeu Individual passes, Chances
around, to assure himself that he is not OBJ
served, picks up some article as if to exam
inc it closely, and walks off with his prize. If
he gets clear without being noticed, the act
belongs to the category of ordinary thefts
But if, on the contrary, the shopkeeper or his
clerks have CHANGED to witness the ''lilt' and
pursue the depredator, no sooner is the latter
collared than servant In elegant livery steps
forward, draws forth well nlled purse, and
says i'll an impl0ring tone - r4iheaven's
sake, sir, don't let this scandalous affair 20
any further, and state 70 me the valueEa2-
the article that was taken by my unfor-
tunate master, that may at once indemnify
you. The person you suppose to be vulgar
thief is the Marquis de, who has fortune
of sixty thousand francs year, but is subject
at intervals to deplorabe mania tor shop
lifting, the effect Of a recent severe illness,
which has impaired his mental faculties. |
am specially employed to follow him and pay
the damages incurred through his melancholy
insanity. Unfortunately l had lost sight of
Tho moor gentleman 41s., o,,ent he nnusnd
before your shop, or else he might have Deehh
spared this bitter humiliation" HereupOn,
the tradesman looses his hold upon the ''mar
quis's" collar and makes all sorts of apollo
gies, whilst the bystanders who have wit
messed tie scene, look pItyingly after the
noble mailman, as he walks slowly away, fol-
lowed by his faithful servant. This is called
the ''trick la monoman:a. "-NeW York En-
press.