Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-04-27
London Rrigands and Their Methods
From the Pal NJ I'll Gazette.

London Rrigands and Their Methods
From the Pal Mall Gazette.
Ruffianly gangs may almost be regarded as
ancient institutions. Every year they commit
hundreds Of offenses which are never made
known to the general public. They watch their
opportunities very closely, and it is only where
there is some misaiiventure or some mismanare-
ment that any Of their members are caught
There are eleven Thousand policemen in London:
but the majority are kept On regular beats. y
and their rounds are accurately timed by the
yOupg criminals who move about the METROPOLIS
in sea- Oh OF plumber Take the Embankment as
an illustration. At night, before orders are
given Tor STRENGTHENING the force on duty. one
policeman was supposed to have charge of all
that portion which lies between the Temple Pier
and the end of Blackfriars Bridge. 1t took him
at least a quarter of an hour to make his round
and when he was ct one end of his beat the
foughs had complete command Of the other
The gangs do not cOnfine their operations TO
secluded thOrOughfares they effect crowds, and
are much given to frequenting the centers of
chapel on Saturday night will notice that he is
surrounded at some part Of his journey by
rOugh-lOOk:ng youths, Who in their utter un-
concern. have habit OF jostling against him
without making the usual apologies. If he
stands before shop window he will probably
receive a push from behind, and while he is
looking round his watch will disappear Shout.
he discover his loss and essay to chase the thief
the unCOncerned looking youths will step quietly
in his way. and when he stunble- against them,
savagely inquire "whO he's shown" These arc
detachments of the gang, pursuing the auieter
lines OF business. risky but in the main profit
able In secluded places their methods are
different In many cases they proceed straight
way to violence. The victim is tripped up sud
denly from behind, kicked into partial insensi-
bility, and robbed before he is able to utter a
cry. Very frequently woman is one Of the
party. She salutes the passing stranger and. il
he pauses to speak to her, the signal Is given to
the gang and he Is maltreated and robbed
cases OF this kind repeatedly come under the
notice or the police, but seldom under that of
the magistrates. The young roughs know all
the windings and turnings, and have reckoned
up their chances OF escape before proceeding to
violence. 1t is seldom that any great number
participate in acts of this nature The gangs
break up into small bands of five or six. or per-
haps doZen and even these do not keep to-
gether as with common purpose. They stray
gle along as il there were no concert between
them, aud only combine when there is business
in hand.
The gangs usually muster in the greatest force
on the occasion OF fire. At such times they
select their victims carefully surrounding and
JOstflng them, and while one of their number
makes OFT with watch or purse they render
pursuit impossible, and even dangerous. The
extremties to which they will sometimes pro-
coed received a remarkable illustration at the
time OF the fire at the Park theater On that night
the Golden Lane gang was out, the Park theatre
being in its district. A tradesman residing in a
| neighbOring street was watching the fire from
the doorstep of an acquaintance when a hur-
| red messenger arrived to inform him that he
must hasten home or ''his house would be
sacked" The intelligence was alarming. but
not exaggerated. When he arrived at home he
found that the Golden Lane gang was subject
ing It to siege. All the windows were broken,
the panel Of the door was cracked, and stones
were showering In from all directions Elbow
Ing his way through the crowd the tradesman. a
stout NOrtherner entered his house amid vol
ley OF missiles and found three men struggling
In the passage. The explanation was that two
Of the men WERE detectives, the third being q
thief, who had appropriated watch at the fire.
In conveying their prisoner to the station the
officers had been overtaken BY the gang, say
agely assaulted, and compelled to take shelter
In the hrst house that had an open door; other
wise, they averred, they would probably have
been killed. The end Of this remarkable in
cident was that one of the officers had to make
his exit by a back door and summon q force of
police to clear the str@et before the prisoner
could be securely conveyed to the police sta
ton.
They Would Consent 70 Forgive the
From the Phila. Press.
The star-rcute people would be glad to forgive