Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1886-08-20
KASy FRIDAY. AUGUST 20, 1886.
CITY THUGS.
Detectives Talk About the Methods
Pursued TO Lure and Rob Strangers.
IPEiIadeiDhia Tfmesi

Detectives Talk About the Methods
Pursued TO Lure and Rob Strangers.
lPhiladelphia Times
"Do you see that chap in the door-wa
looking after that drunken man who has
just passed usS" said a well known detec-
tive, as he stood under the glare of the
electric light in front of tho Continental
Hotel. THAT fellow in the doorway IL
one of the best-known thugs in the city.
His speciality is working drunken men, and
his style is as old as the hills, but he can
always find men to operate on in city al
large rs this without fear of detection. His
method Of seeking his prey is as follows:
Re " i'll hang around the entrance Of some
first-class hotel about this hour OF
the night and watch for some in.
coming guest who has been out seeing
the sights. If the victim displays any
signs of intoxication, and is well dressed,
with any visible jewelry, tie thug will
pretend to know him, and, extending his
hand in greeting, will ask how he enjoys ed
himself. IL the victim is not a very fy
man he will doubtless think the agreeable
stranger has been in his company some
time during the night, at some of the va
rious resorts he may have visited, and
answer at once that he has had "glori-
Gus" or "bully" time, as the case may be.
This openiL G is taken advantage of by
the thug who is O well dressed, genteel-
looking fellow, and au invitation to have
drink is given, which the victim seldom
refuses. After the thug buys a drink for
himself and friend he follows It up with
purchase OF a couple of cigars, and in pay
ment of his order disP1sys~what appears
t5 be a very big Doodle of bank-bills,
but which in reality is only a
lot of cleverly executed advertisements in
imitation of United States greenbacks
with couple of good notes on the outside.
The victim Is then steered away by the
suave thug to some place distant from the
hotel, under the impression that he is in
! for some more fun at the expense of his
new-made acquaintance. If he loves to
seek the tiger in his lair, lie is straic htway
informed of quiet joint where he can
buck the tiger to his hearts content
without danger of discovery. If, on the
| ther hand, the mark prefers to see some
of the noted haunts of the town, he is
promised a good time in that way. TIC
find out just what style of srort tie victim
is anxious to enjoy is called feeling him
OUT
office or signal TO his waiting pal or pals,
for they travel in twos or threes, and the
victim is led away to destruction and rob-
berry as a lamb is led to the slaughter. In.
stead of taking him TO the promised para
disc OF pleasure, he is inveigled into some
low dive, where vile liquors and worse
music and singing are only found, and be
| is treated to Il small bottle of so.
called wine. Then one of the thugs
| pals goes to summon n night hack,
| with friendly driver, which is drawn up
to the entrance of the dive, and the VIC
tim, now well-loaded with his drugc ed
drink, Is invited to take a ride with the
thug and his pals 20 some other resort.
The process after that is very rapid. They
| lead him out, put him in the hack and take
him to some lonely part of the city, where
| they drop him out, minus his money, jew
elry and whatever valuables may be about
him at the time. The thugs give the driver
fifteen per cent. of the spoils."
What becomes of the victi,ni"
"Oh, he is generally found by a police
man and removed to the station house.
where he is held on 4 charge of drunken.
ness until his friends are communicated
with. Ninety mine ont of every hundred
such cases are hushed up at once, and the
public never suspect that the 'ad' in the
lost and found columns OF the daily papers
calling for the return of a valuable watch
or papers of DO use to any one but the
owner for which u liberal reward wi be
paid, TO Y Y z, have Gny romance attached
| to them"