Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1883-07-25
THE ROGUES, GALLERY.
How Criminals are Track ed.,.rs..
4mP0ftant Aid Their PhOtORra Dn,

| ~.O"OAl0' VAAAEhy.
How Criminals are rr.,n..,-r,.~,
| 4mp0ftant Aid Their lshotORra pIls
Render tho Police.
| From the New York Tr:bune.l
Inc Photographs in the Rogues' Gal
lery az the police central Office possess O
psychological interest. Usually the face
OF rogue is an index to his character.
their Delpg sinister expression of coun.
tenance, leer in the eye, a dropping of
the corners OF his mouth, or some other
mark OF villainous life. But there are
some exceptions. A face is found here
and there in the collection which might
be taken for that of a poet or clergy
man. One of the portraits, in fact.
bears striking resemblance to that of
Edgar Allen Poe. Some of the photo
graphs OF the most notorious criminals
are hung near the door in order that the
detectives as they pass in and out may
become familiar with them and be able
to pick out the faces in crowd.
"Each photograph has history at.
tached to it," said Inspector Byrncs.
"The age of the criminal is given, bis
height, color of eyes, hair, and beard,
and the class of crime he was engaged in
as far as it has been known to the police.
An examination is made also for birth
marks or scars on his body"
"Aro pictures taken only of criminals
who live in this city. p
When we hear of noted thief or
torger in any part of the country we
send for his photograph in order that we
may know him, should lie como to New
York, and be able to keep an eye out for
him. Frequently by this means men
are caught by our detectives who have
escaped the vigilance Of the police in
the place where they have committed
crime"
"ls the photograph of every thief who
falls into your hands taken? 2"
No the gallery includes only the
photographs of criminals"
Chow are thievs classified by the do.
tective bureau?"
| made; but, as matter of fact, such a
classification may be easily made. There
are some who are bold enough ard cuu-
ming enough to Try their skill 1T any
form Of work, but men of such universal
genius are rare. A man who has become
skillful in housebre akipg or any form of
burglary usually sticks to his limo aud
prides himself on his ability 10 break
into a house successfully. He is we'll
aware that should he attempt to steal by
some other method lie would make some
blunder and get caught in (. trap. So
| you see the burglar does not always get
in the way OF the sneak-thicf or the pick
pocket
g How does sncak-thicf get his
booty ?"
"His method of operating is to get in
by the hall door Of q house or an Office,
pick up what he may find, and get out
with it without being eau ght. 1t does
not require as much courage to do work
of this kind as to commit burglary or
other crimes at night, when there is dam
ger OF meeting a violent death. AS a
rule, the sneak-thief is mean, cow
ardly, slippery fellow, as his name i'm
plies. The bank sneak must have good
appearance and be an easy talker. 9th
erwise he would excite suspicion at once.
One of these slippery men engages the
paying teller in conversation about
money or drafts, while another devotes
himself to throwing tho cashier off his
guard. They are known as stalls, and
they must be very sharp and quick.
During the conversation a third man
sometimes it's boy, as in this case it's
an advantage to be of small stature.
creeps in and gets hold OF what money
he can aud gees away with it. If neces-
sa1y, the man or boy goes on his hands
and.knees. The pickpocket is differ
ent kind of an ANIMAL" continued tho
int SSA 1uoS1 1uoooo1
intothe office ono day and said that his
watch had been taken from his pocket.
In reply to my question he said that he
was riding down town in street car.
When he got up to leave the car, the
ring of his watch rolled down upon the
floor and his chain fell from his pocket
There was a lady on ono side aud pale.
faced man with soft hat aud droop-
ing black mustache Oh tho other. He
sat very quietly. He had an overcoat
on his arm-the arm that was next to the
man; that was robbed-an when he sat
down he seemed somewhat rude in allow
ing it to fall across the others lap. That
man took the watch. He was one of the
most expert pickpockets in the city.
One of my men went out to look for him
and found him in one of his resorts.
You see the thief carried his overcoat on
his arm aud placed it in the position he
did in order that he might use his hand
in lifting the watch from the pocket, and
in severiDg it from the chain without at
tracing the attention of his victim or of
the other passengers in tho car. Very
often a pickpocket is able to accomplish
his purpose by pretending to read q
paper which he allows to cover the body
of his victim.''
''Are there many thieves OF this class 2"
inquired the reporter.
''More than of any other class, simply
because there are many opportunities for
plying this art and a comparatively slight
amount OF risk of being caught. They
operate everywhere - on the crowded
thoroughfare, in street.cars, on steam
boats and ferry boats, in omnibuses, in
theater Hobbies, and in all places of
amusement. They usually work in
greups-four or five persons in a group.
Each man Tor woman) has his specific
part to play, and the success Of the op-
Grafton depends as much upon the skill
of the accomplices as upon the one who
Goes the principal work-that of taking
watch or pocketbook. Sometimes a
man and woman work together, or man
and two women. Where women alone
combine togetherat picking pockets their
victims are women"
'Do female criminals usually engage
in this class of crime?"
eyes; both in picking pockets and
shopliftiug. Some of them become very
expert, as they are better at stimulation
than men are. It requires woman of
unusal shrewdness to be able to succeed
at shoplifting nowadays, as she has to
work under tho eyes Of the floor walkers
and Of all tho employees in the store.
Then there is tho se-servant who en-
cages herself as nurse or servant in the
houses of the better classes. When she
gets good opportunity she packs up
what valtiables she can get hold of and
makes her way out of the house and es-
capes. If she can secure the valuables
easily she does not stay longer than one
day"
care there many who engage as house,
ooruonfo II, or1or IN MT 10 ,,o,,l;ooo ~