New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-11-21
THE ART OF P0cKErPICKIYG.

The late Mr.. De Quineey wrote curious and elab-
crate paper on Murder considered as one Of the
Fine Arts" Had he lived half century later, he
might have extended his inquiries to include
pocket-peking in that category for an art il has
certainly become.
Your artistic piclpOcket is gentlemanly looking
fellow, wears neat boots and gloves. always has o
new looking hat and is altogether the last man You
would suspect of any sinister designs your pocket
He lives in frst-class hotels and boarding houses
often frequentng the same house for years, totally
unsupported and remarkable only for his quiet and
Rentlemanly demeanOr. tie carefully chooses four
companions, equally respectable IN appearance. to
form what is called mob each one producing
certain sum to make bank, 10 DO used in case
one of them falls taken by the pOlice) i'm order
10 provide bail to pay his counsel fees. They then
frequent railway stations, public meetings or any
place where they can lind crowd. victim is
quietly selected probable find. Two Of the mob
then place themselves in front Of him, and two re-
main behind, occupying, as IL were, the angles OF
square OF which the victim is tho center. These
are called the front and back stalls. The unfor-
tunate victim is then famed; that is his pockets are
softly padded to fined out the in which he keeps
his wallet; the sign Is passed TO the operator who is
termed the wire, who Immediately proceeds 10 work
He does not place his hand in the pocket that is
fatal error; but with the two first fingers he gently
draws up the lining OF the pocket to the opening and
with il the wallet, and the trick is done This sys-
tenn is called reefng The wallet is Immediately
passed. to one of the back stalls, who quietly though
quickly, levants. The most dangerous place for
money is undoubtedly the pocket OF the pants Again
one of the front stalls passes his arm before your
face to touch the other front stall on the shoulder
only TO say How are your but the wire from behind
has your diamond pin in his possession. IL possible
they return the empty wallet 10 the pocket 10 avoid
detection in it's possession the dangerous necessity
of throwing il away. For instance: two gentlemen
sitting ut end of get into angry alterca
ton high words ensne, the attention of the other
passengers attracted TO their dispute and the young
lady who sat next 10 that nice looking man at the
other end of the car finds, arriving at Stewards
that her purse is empty. The angry gentlemen and
the nice looking man are simply confederates. This
they term wedding. A correspondent of a newspaper
lately lost $500 in this way while riding In Fourth
ave-car. PickpOckets necessarily very migratory
In their habits, finding long residence in place
incODvenent. This renders il almost impossible 10
make any estimate of their probable numbers in this
city They prefer locality for the scene of their
operations that has lines OF rail to enable
them to separate in various directions as they
have good swag and TO meet again in some other
town. These men 0tand by one another in trouble,
and are strictly square in their mutual transactions.
A curious instance Of honor among thieves" is
found in the following anecdOte: The elder Mat
thews and Theodore Hook. on one occasion, went
together 10 the theater; while ascending the
staircase Matthews playfnlly took bundle
Of papers from Hooks pocket when he was
touched on the shoulder from behind by gentle
mani y-lOOking man. who handed him his own pocket
book, apOOgzing for taking ID by saying, II didn't
know you were one of us" and pertnently adding,
. but what id fool you must DO 10 carry it
here" PickpOekets. however, never save money.