West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1879-09-20
swell Tmcves In summer.

TEL me something about the habits @
swell thieves I'm SUMMER time said "a re-
porter to detective
"Ihcy devote the summer 10 rccrcativc
and prospective work-that is, studying
the bearings and aCQuaiuting themselves
with the resources ut the places which they
propose 90 attack when "a favorable oppor-
tunity presents itself They seldom stop
long in one place They can hc met ON,
day at Saratoga and The next al Newport.
Long Branch, ape May, or doing the
Canadian tour, AN the time having their
eye to business and spending their leisure
moments I'm the gambling dvns
'Ihc swell pickpoCkcts migrate with
consistent regularity "a, the approach of
summer 90 the watering places, put up at
the most fashionable hotels and carry uu
business as opportunity affords Tn,
swell pickpOckCt seldom gets caught N,
generally travels with a companion towhon
ne passes whatever he smtchcs, ana should
the finger of suspicion hc pointed a, him n,
assumes an air OF virtuous innocence and
wounded dignity which is amusing 10 hc-
hold, and offers, il may hc i'm the mos,
plausible manner possible TO show up If
necessary Even if hc is searched nothing
Is found on him, and unless hc is really
caught in The act he cannot bc held. The
light fingered gentry arc always iu swurms
nt horse races, fairs, conventions and camp
meetings, and indeed wherever there is a
biz crowd They ply their trade with a
perslsicnCy und and an energy worthy of a
better cause
'Nhat do they do with their spoils2"
''All property besides cash which they
manage to lay their hands ON they send Ia
the city, where agents receive il and con
vert il into cash the best way they can.
The hotel and boarding house thieves who
make their headquarters i'm the city are the
dread of every watering place i'm the sum
mcr They live i'm grand style, drink the
most expensive wines, smoke the most cN-
pcnslvc cigars and drive i'm the gaycst
available coaches. Groups of them may be
seen nightly i'm the corridors of the Saratoga
hotels. They are easily recognized. but
not so easily gotten rid Of Their restless
manner gives them away, hut the hotel de
tcctivcs as long as they have nothing against
them and they have no certainty beyond
appearances they are crooked. and cannot
very safely interfere with them. They are
watched The detective forces at the ho-
tells IN watcring-placcs have 20 bc reinforced
In summer TO watch these guests, and a
pretty hard time they have of II. I'm day
the thieves find out all about the guests.
how much money or jcwcry they are
likely TO have in their rooms, and when
they go TO their meals they invade their
apartments and carry away whatever OF
value they can lay their hands ON. The
banCO, faro or three -card-montc men spend
thcir summer travelling on the cars trying
t. rope i'm couutrymcn. They reap a
rich harvest, for the countryman is the cas-
lest being in the world to impose upon.
The sncak-thicvcs remain in the city during
the summer and so do the low class Of burg
lars, looking Tor favorable opportunity 10
get into vacant house.
''GOur swell thief is generally AN cdu-
Gated, well dressed, respectable looking,
high-toncd gentleman He lives well.
spends money lavishly when hc has il and
industrOusly cutivatcs the friendship of
the wealthy and refined. Ills dcmcanor is
so pleasing, his outward code of morals 81
apparently strict, and the dealing with his
fclow-mcn when it suits hm so seemingly
straightforward that to the uninitiatcd hc
appears I be the very paragon of honesty
and the embodiment of all that is noble
and virtuOus in manhood. That class Of
thieves arc the most dangerous in the com
munity. They are hardest to detect i'm the
act OF committing "a crime and their trucks
are 50 sklfully covered that after pcrpctra-
ton Of crime il is difficult either To catch
them or 10 trace any of the stolen property.
The swell thieves live in style during the
winter, dong an occasional job as their ne
ccssitcs require. In the summer they 90
10 the watering places everywhere i'm fact
where there is probability Of there being a
crowd. They may be classified as follows:
Burglars pickpOckets, cOnhdcucc-OpcratOrs
banco-stccrcrs, faro and thrcc-card- monte
men, hotel and boarding house thieves and
sneak thieves.
''Ncarly all the FIRST class burglars belong
To the swell class Education is nee, s-
sary TO make a really good reliable, level
headed and effective burglar. Take the
most famous burglars now in prison and at
large in this country-thc Hopes, Brady.
DObbs, Lcary, Irving and Porter for in
stance. They are all men Of brains. who
would have probably succeeded at any
trade or profession they might have chosen.
They are regarded as first class men by tho
thieying fraternity they are cool, daring
and mcrciless when any one crosses thciI
path while they arc cracking % bank safe Oh
plundering "a house. In the summer tim,
the swell burglars cease from active labor
The darkness u night is an essential clc
mcnt of success in their profession Ii i,
during the long, dark winter niphts thai
they prOwl about with all their vigor ano
misguided enthusiasm. and under cover 0I
ufrlf commit tlgir dgDrsI4fi,rg