The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1882-07-07
Thieves, Slang.


has become so prevalent among all
classes of American society, ,1as-to be re-
garded BY foreigners as Il national trait,
originated among thieves and
the lower strata of the community,
being handed from one class 10 another,
until one will frequently hear ladies OF
undoubted responsibility expressing
themselves in the language OF class
with whom they would not deign TO
associate Although slang found its
origin among thieves, professionals over
thirty years of age, except under certain
circumstances, rarely express themselves
through that medium, although perfectly
familiar with all the technical terms.
It's use is chiefly confined to pickpockets,
sneak-thieves and younger criminals,
who seem to take great delight in mas
tering The language Of their elders, and
familiarizing themselves with its use.
The current slang is fully understood by
all thieves. and a professional would
have no difficulty in conXersing with
one of his craft. before a third and IN
Initiated person in 4 manner totally
unintelligible to the listener,
A '.night-worker' is a house-breaker;
a gopher man. is safe robber or
burglar; n .'wire,a tool or dip is a
pickpocket; ''moll-wire' is. a person
who robs women, only; and a ''bloke
buzzer' is a thief who robs persons
while engaging them in conversation.
The term ''bloken means a male thief,
..molr afemale thief. and ~kid small
child who is an adept in sthe tricks of
the trade
One of the most significant of all
thieves slang terms, is the - stall as
the persons designated by that term are
the most dangerous of all who obtain a
livelihood 10y proving upon the creduious
and unsophisticated The 'sstall'' is
either well dressed man or woman,
seemingly above suspicion, who works
most clever robberies alone, or diverts
attention while other - professional
ladies or gentlemen are at work. The
lady faints in crowd, or the gentleman
| loudly declares that he has been robbed,
under the same circumstances, and dur
ing the excitement, oceasioned by these
demonstrations the regular thieves
. work. or pick the pockets of theiI
victims.
A plant is hiddenp plunder; spring
ing the plant is to dispose of stolen
property after officers have abandoned
the case, by selling it to : fence OF
receiver of stolen goods. The main
guy has tumbled' means that the recog-
nized leader of a party of country visitors
has become aware that thieves are fol-
lowing them. ;. Stag his nibsh means
:" look at him. . cady'' is the term for
hat, and to Tip or dash his cadyP means
to jam the hat down over. the victim 5
head. and while ne is adjusting his holt,
to pick his pockets. +" Nixy weeden
cull' means to stop talking thieves
u
oyerhear.
The ''head worker'l of a gang of
thieves is often an apparently respect
able citizen. of good standing in social
and commercial circles, who ascertains
where large sums of money are kept,
plans robbery, informs the second
mani who instructs the thieves, and at
the successful termination of the job re-
ceives his share of the proceeds. Cases
OF this nature have been brought TO
light during the past few years by detect
ives, many discoveries proving remark
able In themselves. because of the high
standing of the detected persons. 1t
would require book as large as a school
dictionary, and as Carefully compiled, to
convey an adequate idea of the wonder
full progress which this Language has
attained, and the case with which
one of the ..light-fingered gentry" can
convey his ideas aud Instructions to a
| confederate, without fear of being be-
trayed by being overheardis simply Won
| derful If these people would study as
faithfully to attain an education, where
| by they might live honestly, as they dc
| to understand 1.-the tricks of the trade. =
their lives would be much happier, and
certainly more useful to themselves anC
their fellow-men. But this, it would ap
pear, is almost too much to expect, a
from time unknown, classes that live by
ways that are dark have preyed upon
the law-abiding element of society, Sc
curing by strategy or force, the susie
nance for which they are too lazy or in
different to work-Bosto1a Star.