The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1878-11-28
TALMAGE AMONG THIEVES
Observation-Disclosures HIM
TO A VERY WICKED PLACE.
He Describes the Criminal Classes and Ascer'
tains How They do Their WOrk-The
Life Of Woman Who Earns Her
Bread ~ Clerk.

"The fact is that all musical instruments are to
be brought in for the service Of the Lord said Mr.
Talmage Sunday morning last just before Mr.. Ar.
buckle pealed forth a sonorous Ave Maria, and
Mr. Morgan executed fantasia that required all
the organ stops and the bell chimes. The text was
from Luke:
A certain man went down from Jerusalem to
Jericho and fell among thieves, which Stripe d
him Of his raiment, and wounded him, and de-
parted, leaving him half dead.
"Glve me two stout detectives for this nights
work" said to the chief official linen who not
only look muscular but who are muscular" and
said TO the detectives, "Have you loaded pistols
and clubs? Show me crime Show me crime
Show me the worst class OF people to be saved by
the power of Chrisrs Gospel" The officer propos'
ed l should take disguise lest should be
assaulted 1 answered. No. am going to take
the risk.
"Peope say to me, "why do you not look after
the criminal classes Of BROOKLYN l answer 1t
was not tor lack of material. There is every kind
Of crime in Brooklyn, from manslaughter to a
chicken thief. Laughter do not know that
there Is any place In the land where you can
more easily get your pocket picked, your house
burgarlzed, your signature counterfeited or your
estate swinded than In Brooklyn, But the great
depot of crime for this cluster Of cities Is in New
York.
Mr.. Talmage spoke OF the respect that crime
pays to law, and told how Inspector Murray, al
though a man OF comparatively slight stature,
sometimes single handed, arrests four or five des-
peradOes, all because he Is backed up by omnipo-
tent justice
Mr.. TalmRge then described barroom into
which the officers took him, The officers told him
wonderful stories of the desperate men at the
different tables The preacher walked from one
end of the pulpit to the other, pointing out imag
mary tables and describing the different groups
Of criminals whispering and concocIing dreadful
crimes
They drink, but not so as 10 become uncOnsclO us.
They keep the eyes clear and the hands steady for
the nights work. They tell how they escaped by
the basement door, or the second story how the
bullet grazed their heads What is this bandag.
ed hand? That was cut by window glass as the
burglar thrust his hand through the fastening
How did that man lose an eyer II was destroyed by
the premature flash of gunpowder in the store
lock.
"What are those men planning at the other ta.
ble2 They are in cOllusion with servant girl to
leave one of the back windows unfasteDed They
know the time when the wealthy man will leave
his place of dissipation and start for home, and
they intend to lie in wait to bring him down
with q sluDg.shOtl VINO knows how many
false keys brass nucEles' and revolverS are
aRnm they must have to prepare them for muir
der. Not ordinary rum, but rum: poisoned four
times. First, by the manufacturer; second, by the
wholesale dealer; third, by the retail dealer, and
fourth, by the saloon keeper. These men calcu.
late TO the quarter of glass how much to take
for their work. They must not take drop too
SThere are $500 or 2,4OO Of these professional
criminals in this cluster Of cities. They are as
thoroughly trained in crime as for good purpose
medical colleges train DOCTORS law colleges train
lawyers, theological seminares train clergymen
They have gone through the freshman sophomore,
Junior and senior classes aud graduated with q
diploma signed by all the faculty Of darkness,
[Applause.
dThese men are no unskilled murderers, pulI-
derers, or blackmailers They must have some
thing difficult to do something OF peri some
chance for bravado. There are about sixty pro.
fessiOnal bank robbers, who will get concealed in
q bank, and spring OUT Mr.. Talmage spTang Outl
"at the WatLhman, secure him, and examine
the cashiers books at their leisure to see
whetherh he keeps his accounts correctly, Laugh
"Here are the men who steal cancelled checks
and practice on mans signature until they get
one as perfect as the forgery Of G. Vanderbilt's
signature in 1870, on which $4,000 was paid at
HHere are the pickpOckets, 600 OF them. They
SIT beside you In the stage and pass your fare.
They help you look over the goods when you are
buOppluBs
They sometimes bow their heads beside you in
the house OF God They do their work with such
adrotness that your aliGtiOn at the loss is soften
ed by your admiration at the skill OF the opera
ton. [Laughter.l The most skilful Of these pick.
pockets are women. Some OF the plckpockets
take the gsrb Of clergymen and look like Doctors
OF Divinity" Mr. Talmage simulated prim D.
d. "They dress with white cravats, and look as
though they were about TO pronounce the bene.
dictiOn and all the while they will be watch.
ing where your portmonnate is" Laughter
Mr.. Talmage described the shoplifters-eX
ite ladies dropping goods into crocodile pockets
large enough TO swallow everything, and the des-
cription ofthe crocodile pockets was 80 vivid thai
the congregation laughed.
Then he described the thieves who break the
windows OF ieWelry stores, run off 4 block, turn
around aud look innocent, and then join in
the crowd, crying Justify, "stop thief" Laugh
ter
"Do these men accumulate much? No, most OF
It goes to the receivers of the stolen goods II they
get $50 900 they live poor and die poor'
"A gentleman sitting In this assemblage" Mr..
Talmage continued, this morning told me that
an employer said to a yOung woman in his store,
"You must dress better" She SAT: : How can
on s6 a week7 Ipay 81 for board, and have only
50 for clothes and car fare The employer replied,
'You must get 1t In some other way do not
know how that incident affects you, but when II
was told to me 1t made my blood tlngle every
drop oft, from scalp to heel, tngle with indig'
nation"