The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-11-01

THE CURIOUS LANGUAGE N Use AMONG TIE |
CRIMINALS.
baltimore Americana

baltimore Nmcricin.I
"Src those two men," said a detective 10
an 1mericon man the other day in one OF
the ciLy >lali0n-hOuses u he pointed out
two thieves: "thry are young at the biz,
for thieves OF long standing very rarely
Use slang" one of the men in question
had inst told the other to "Sing small, or,
in other words, TO have little to say for
himself. once started, the detective be-
can 10 discourse thusly upon the sub
icct OF slang and il Use among crlml-
nsls: "The same language l. used by
t}icyes pretty much all over the world. \
stranger who knows 'the patter finds 1t
~ much in use in foreign countries a. at
home: in fact, slang or 'patter Is IAN
ouaec OF itself. and which l. sometimes
most useful. Ii originated among the @yp-
.iee. and i, based on the Romany dialect.
THESE nomsd>, travelling everywhere,
mivcd smattcrings Of all languages with
their own, and consequently the slang used
in fine criminal classes Will be found words
Of French. Spanish. and Italian origin:
The new words coined are snapped
nm at once. and those used IN America
travel TO EuroIf7 while the European
nhra>cS return by the next steamer; ana
hence the criminals. through the medium
of .the natter can make themselves equal
~ understood in the slums OF London,
paris. or st. Petersburg, although the
language Of the country l. unknown 10
them. There are many curioslties IN The
I.np,loQc-for instance, the names they
rive their various occupations: ~ panZy
/ & = burolar. sOwlcrs' are smuggl"rS.
/ 1Natty kids are generally young thieves,
while 70 be mushroom faklr' l. 10
he an umbrela-thief. When you hear OF
, .mace cove put the man down H. 4
I false-pretcncc man or sWlndler. y
/ loo Won know, means gambler, and =
/ lao, a convicted felOn. The man VINO
| hoardS and lodges young boys To teacl
Them 10 steal is a 'kidSman,' and lark
man j. one who writes false letters OF re-
! commcndatIon. \ man Is Jumper
/ ,vbrn he robs houses 10y getting Ill nj th'
windows. and a wire is pickpockct
Uaye Won ever heard man called top
ming cove? II 50, put him down aS inc
Chief Of the party. Don't conIound thl'
with .tobbv cove for the latter Is MAJ
who frcouents the wharVcs or streets neal
the river and taps man over the heal
and robs him, and then throws hl'
body into the water. a toby lay
is robbing on the highway. They
call man snake When u,
sneak into house and concealS himself
.Rushcrs' content themselves by robblns
country houses. and robins men are eN
merit thieves and bank robbers: n poui
iefer, is a fellow who opens letters, 40
strscts the money, and drops them Dac'
into the Ietter-box. 'Amusers are opera
TORS who throw snuff or pepper into we
fins ewes, when an accomplish robS mn
under the pretext Of rendering him assist
ance. An autumn diver is chuIcl
micknocket; "a igure-dancer one wh'
a,ters figures on checks, &C.; while 'groan
crs; operate only in churches. Then, again
tbev have names equally as curious 10
men in other occupations. For instance
"a 0ripe-fiSt' is Il broker, and 10 grant a
ontnm let is TO work preacher. =
a sm,"s, is a doctor; 'buskin,' an actor
.bunp.' brewer; con-, a amyer
s,rinS, a fddler; whip coachmai
"a lavender cove means a pawnprok,el !
"a latitat, an attorney; "a and, ,Sron ,hep
.dcath-hunier,' an III der'aken. no o1, c'r
is long list OF names Tor Po',Jhu v o. .nne
sCop,' pig philistines,' bobby op h, pte
ers.' frog &c. a cove Vi Mil;
means man; "a KID child. 'I .,"..
wcEam; 'aGan.trsp, 4 widow; '-"~'