The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-06-04
THIEVES AND THEIR TRADE.
A Talk With The Detectives.

sitting IN the central SlatlOn Will tue
lightning playing its little tricks among the
instruments and heavy rain pouring down
outside, reporter, especially one Of ordinary
observation, could not fail being impressed
with the surroundings. In 'front.' of him,
staring out from the wall, is a grand gathering
of all the "mugs" of murderers, burglars,
safe blowers and pickpockets, and naturally
the mind was led away into consideration of
this question of thievery.
Leaving out of view all the moral signi6-
canoe of the group Of pictures on the walls,
the query very easily presents itself as to the
cause of this numerous band becoming out
laws, and in their endeavors to cheat the me-
cessity of labor, actually do more work fol
less money than our lowest laboring man.
Taking chair beside two old and experienced
detectives, little preliminary chat was had,
when they, as it were, let out on the subject,
and gave their experience of the manner in
which the thieves do their work.
ut is all by this time pretty we'll settled.
The thieves know the detectives are their
natural enemies and it amounts to sim ply a
game between the two. As general rule the
burglars and larceny men go in what we call
mobs-rarely alone.
ga man who comes from the North down
here alone must be a sharp one, for he has
the work of three or four to do in putting up
q job When these 'gophers arrive in town
the first lay they go on is to get in with some
sneak to point out the detectives to them,
and after they have learned them then they
begin to look out for soft places.
Taking rooms in some out of the way place,
they put one of the crowd to watch the scop-
pers,' as they call in their peculiar dialect
the detective force. Then a suitable night is
waited for, and before morning the work is
done. You see these fellows correspond with
one another all over the United States, and
keep well posted as to what is up. They
know what officer to look out for, and there is
q strong feeling of what might be called sort
of honor between them. 1t is rarely you will
get one thief to give away another, they feel
they are all in one box, and SO help each
other.
'One of the exceptions, however, was the
case of Forester, who, you remember,
escaped from Northern penitentiary and
was accused Of the Nathan murder. He was
given away by thief, and was caught in a
buggy at Spearing's stables, but that don't
occur often. It's hard to tell how it is, but
an old officer can guess very closely at the
character offs man by even meeting him on the
streets. 1t is only last Mardi Gras I was
walking on Canal street, near DR.. MERGERS
house, when I perceived two men strolling
along, going in the opposite direction. They
looked to be rather ordinary men, but as
neared them one dropped his eyes, and
showed that he felt little uneasy.
GAS they passed me I looked over my
shoulder at them and found they were look
ing at me. Immediately turned, and accost-
ing them told them who was and asked their
names and business. They tried to put on
airs and stated they were planters, opposit to
vicksburg, but could give the name of no
in that city. took them in
and one proved to be the notorious Long
WEIGH, dangerous thief.
cit was all sort Of guess work on my part,
but was certain they were thieves"
Just here wet and weary ledger asked for
q bunk in the dodgers cell, and the CONVEX
sation was broken off.