The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1868-06-06
THE FENCE.


This man generally reaps the best
harvest that crime affords. but his guilt
is ola deeper hue than that of tho thief,
since without n receiver robbery would
to a large degree cease. 1t Is an old
axiom that one receiver will make a
dozen thieves, and we think the esti-
mate a small one. The fence" is al
ways engaged In some regular business
but his preference is for a seconds
hand establishment. He keeps a shop
filled with chairs, carpets, looking
glasses, ETC., from nuction, which he
will sell clieap; but behind all this he
carries on an Illicit trade with thieves,
which pays better than furniture.
Knowing that he is watched, his BUSH
ness is managed with carefulness. In
the morning man enters the store, and
begins to chatter for q table. After u
while he makes purchase, and they
go to the desk to settle 1t, when the
pseudo purchaser takes q parcel from
his pocket and slips 1t into the drawer.
1t is n parcel of silver spoons, or IA doz-
en- gold watches, or some other fruit of
the crime of the preceding night. The
buyer of the table orders IL 10 be sent
to his house, and then leaves the store,
but in little while he returns
and receives his share of the
spoil. The "fence" has n lit
tie nook, where, with the aid
of charcoal fire he can melt down
silVerwRre into iugots, while watches
are re.stamped so as to change their
identity. Silks and satins arc re-ticket-
ed, thus likewise debarrinG identliica-
ton, and all of these goods are turned
into cash as soon AZ possible, or else
boxed up and stored for future sale.
Auction houses are a common means
OF selling stolen goods, and as one man
might be detected II he brought goods
often TO these marts, this duty Is divi-
ded among ii number. Among the
lower grade of thieves the "fence" is
generally the keeper of II junk shop,
and apparently buys up old rope, iron,
etc; but If the street children crib "a
jack-knife, a piece of lead pipe. or any
get few pennies for 1t. Some very re-
spectacle business men have been de-
teCted in receiving stolen goods, this
being one reason why they could I'M
dersell their neighbors. We know OF
two retail merchants who were in this
line. When one OF them was subject
ed to a search, lie exclaimed with
well affected boldness: "If you find
anything that belongs TO you take 1t
away. / don't want any body's goods but
my own" This boldness saved him
from arrest. The other acted in a
sneaking manner, and tried to divert
attention from the shelves which con-
went to the State Prison. The " fence
pays Just as little as possible for his
pluuder-perhaps not one-tenth OF its
value, which is probably as much as
he can afford, since he is willing 10 sell
them for less than half the wholesale
price. If party of cracksmen carry
of $4,000 worth OF silks, they do well
| to receive OF the fence" Thousand
dollars TO divide among themselves.
Sometimes the receiver contrives to
stain the goods and sell them for dam
aged, which is very safe way to get
| them off his hands. Our home-bred
burglar is generally development OF
| the boy thief, class which abonndS In
New York. He begins by stealing old
copper and lead from buildings, and, II
he is sufficiently gifted in limb and
muscle, he ends by jobs ON banks and
are young men and die early-at least
| few. old men are found in their ranks.
MINOR BRANCHES.
Men of light build and deficient in
streDgth, who cannot aspire,to burgla-
~, take less laborious specialties, such
as pocket picking, hall stealing, etc.
Each of these branches is pursued dis
| tinctly, with that concentration which
is necessary to success. Ease of man
ner and good address are the requi-
sites of this class, and their polish
makes up for the lack OF that rude
strength which the cracksman needs.
| Hall thieves are gentlemanly fellows
who call at house, and while the ser
want Is carrying their card to the land.
lady they carry of the overcoats that
repose in the rack. The sneak thiei
has a different lay. BE climbs over