Lexington weekly intelligencer., 1879-11-08
A Twenty-Five Years. Experience
at House. H reak king and in Eng.
lIsh Prisons told ia ssFlash.''
IMscNIilIan's Magazine. |

W al VI Sh"iu ~ cup \SteaiJ SoAo II ulU'
me being mug Gnexperienoed) at the
game. This got to my fathers ears;
when went home he set about me with
strap until he was tired. He thought
that was not enough, but tied me to
5edstead-you may know what followed.
got loose; tied blanket and counter
p.ne together, fastened them to the
bedstead and let myself out of the win
dow and did not GO home that night, but
met my two pale, and dossed (steps) to
safe and cleared it out. Two or three
days alter l met my mother, who in tears
begged of me to 60 home. so went
home. My parents moved to Claptom
when they sent me to school my pals
used to send stiffs (notes) to the school
master. saying that l was wanted at
home; but instead of that we used to 60
and Snug snowy (steal linen) that was
hung out to dry or to rob the bakers
barrows. Things went from bad to
worse, SO l was obliged to leave home
again. This time 1 palled in with some
older hands at the game. who used to
AXE me paror jumping (robbiRg
:ooms), putting me in where the win
lows was open. l used to take anything
there was to steal, and at last they told
ne all about wed ge (silver plate), how
l should know it by the ramp (hall
nark-rampant lion?); we used to
bleak 1t up In small pieces and sell it to
w,tchmakers, and aiterward to u fence
(blyer of stolen goods) down the Lane
(Patlcoat lane).
At last one day we was at St. Johns
Wood, IL went in after some wedge while
pieking some up off the table l trighten-
ed the cat, which upset lot of plates
wien jumping out of the window. So
was taken and tried at Marylebone po-
lice court and sent to Felham Industrial
School. l had not been there a month
before l planned with another boy to
gay (run away. and so we did, but was
stopped at Brenttord and took back to
the school, for which we got twelve
strokes with a birch. thought when l
vent there l knew great deal about
thieving, buf 1 found there was some
tlere that knew more, and l used to
pal In with those that knew the most.
One day while talking with boy he
,old mo he was going home IN day or
so: he said his friends was gong to
claim him out because he was more than
sixteen years old. When my friends
came to sec me told them that they
could claim me out, and with a good
many fair promises that would lead
new life, they got me out OF the school.
When l got home found change in
my father. who had taken to drink, and
he did not take SO much notice of what
l done as he used to. l went on straight
the first few months at cestering. One
day there was a fete at Clapton and l
was coming home with my kipsy (bas-
keD; had just sold all my goods out.
l stopped to pipe (see) what was going
on. when a reeier came to me and said: (:
"Now, you had better guy, or l shall
give you drag" (three months in pris-
en. So said all right, but he raped,
"lt is not all right, don't want any
sauce from you, or else l shall beat you
myself" 1 said. "What for? l have
done nothing. Do you want to get it
up for me ?'
Then he began to push me about, so
said l would not go at all il he put his
dukes (hands) on me. Then he rammed
my nut (head) against the wall, and
shook the life out of me. This got a
crowd around US, and the people asked
HIM what he was knocking me about
tor. He said, "This is young -, just
home from a schooling" He did not
touch me again, so went home, turned
into kip (bed), and could not get up for
two or three days because he had given
me such shaking. him being great
powerful man and me only little fell
low. / still went on all straight until
things got very dear at the market.
had been down three or four days run
ming, and could not buy anything to
make a deaner (shilling). One morning
l found l did not have money enough
for stock pieces (stock money! so |
thought to myself, what shall do? l
said, Il know what will do. will 60
to London bridge and take deaner ride
and 60 a wedge hunting" So took a
ducat (tickeD for Sutton in Surrey, and
went in wedge-hunting. l had not been
at Sutton very long before piped a
slavsy (servant) come out Of a chat
(house), so when she had got a little
way up the double (turning). 1 pratted
twenty IN the house. When IN the house
l could not see any wedge laying about
in the kitchen. so l screwed my nut INTO
the wash house. and l piped three or
four pair of boots. l claimed (stole)
them and took off the lid of my kipsy
and put them inside. put cloth over
them. and put the lid on again. Then
| guy to the rattler and took ducat to
London bridge and took the daisies to u
sheney (Jew) down the Gaff, and done
them for thirty blow (shillings). The
next day took the rattler for Forest
Hill, and touched tor wedge, and got a
kipsy full of clobber (clothes). You may
be sure this gave me little pluck. so
kept on ut the old game, only with this
difference. that got more pieces for the
wedge. l got three and 4 sprat (5s. I'd. }
an ounce. Aiterward l got IS. Cd, and
then TOUR blow. They used to 90 to an
inn in Shoreditch. The following people
used to 60 there-toy- getters (watch
steaers). magsmen confidence trick
men). men at the mace (sham loan Of
flces). broadsmen (card sharpers). peter
Chalmers (box stealcrs). busters and
screwsmen (burglars). snide-pitchers
(utterers OF false coin). welshers (turi
swindlers) and skittle sharps. Being
with this nice mob (gang) you may be
sure what | learned. One day at Black
heath got very canon (drunk), and
when went into u place l claimed two
wedge spoons, and was Just going up
the dancers, when slavey piped the
spoons sticking out of my skyrocket
(pockeD, and l got smuggcd While at
the station they asked me what my
monarch (name) was. A reeler came to
the cell and cross-kiddled (questioned)
me. but | was too wide tor him. was
tried at Greenwich; they asked the
reeler if | was known, and he said no.
SO was sent to Maidstone Stir (prison)
for two moon. The mob got up a break
(collection), and got five or six front
(sovereign), so did not go out at the
game for about moon.
The first day l went out 1 went to
Glougn and touched for wedge klpsy,
with l2O ounces OF wedge in it, for which
| got nineteen quid. Then 1 carried on
4 nice game. l used to get canon every
night. done things now what should
have been ashamed to do before | took
to that accurscd drink. 1t was now that
| got acquainted with the use of the
twIrls Skeleton keys.
One day went to CroVdon and touch