The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-06-05
TATTO0ED THIEVES.
INDIA INK USED TO ADOfsN THE
SKINS OF CRIMINALS.
Crooks Who Are Walking Picture
Galleries-Eforts to Obliterate
Tattoo Designs-The EN-
blems Most in Use.

Galleries-Efforts to ObIiterate
Tattoo Designs-The EN-
blems Most in Use.
One of the most interesting sights
about large prison is to witness tht
bathing of gang Of convicts. Tht
bath-house contains one hundred large
iron bath tubs arranged around the foul
sides of the room. Each tub is con-
nected with cold water and steam pipes,
the latter for heating the water to the
right temperature. A hundred convicts
are marched into this room at one time
ard ordered to undress and bathe them
selves.
Now is the opportunity to observe the
work of the India.ink artist. On the
white bodies of these criminals is almost
every design imaginable. Some of the
work is terribly botched, and it is diff
cult to tell what it is meant to represent,
while other designs are finely executed
and truly drawn. Red, blue and black
ink, and sometimes a shade of green or
yellow, stand out from the skin in fanci-
full designs. There are Goddesses of
Liberty in profusion, coats of arms of the
United States, England, France, Ger
many, Russia and Spain, and the flags of
all nations. On some men, who must
have spent part of their lives on ship
board as sailors or marines, are to be seen
finely executed pictures of full-rigged
ships, with sails set; anchors, chains and
compasses; picture of an iron-cad man
of-war firing gun, and even beautiful
effect in colored inks representing old
Neptune as rising from the sea.
A weeping willow tree and to NIB
stone with the words I'm Memory of My
Mother" seems to be favorite design,
and is often seen on the arm or breast of
man.
Among figures made to represent
mytholo gical characters are Cupid, with
his bow and quiver, Venus, Mars, Nep-
tune with his pltchfork, and the sportive
mermaid sitting upon a rock playing
upon the Tyre.
One man. who was probably a butcher
before he became convict, has on his arm
the design of cleaver and two butcher
knives crossed.
Apother has on his breast skull and
crossbones, above which floats black
fag-in other days he must have been
bold buccaneer.
Two dirks or pistols crossed, Indian fig
ures, serpents, pugilists sparring, Masonic
emblems or emblems of secret societies,
eagles, lions, horses and other animals
are to be seen, executed in every style
of art.
Some men have the name of sweet.
hearts, sister or wife, the date Of birth,
etc., tattooed on their arms. Other
men, who have been Tilted by their
sweet hearts, have had the girls name
or initials, which were once on the arm,
obliterated by having larger design or
picture tattooed on the same.
Robert Scott, alias "Hustling Bob"
the pal of Jim Dunlap and cred" Leary
in the famous Northampton Bank rob-
berry, had his initials obliterated from
the back of his left hand by burning the
skin and flesh with a red-hot iron, and
to conceal the mutilated hand he con-
stantly wore kid glove on that hand.
It was this clew which finally enabled
Pinkerton to capture him in New York,
and to identify him as one of the famous
bank robbers.
One convict at Joliet has the ink fig
ure of fireman, with the leathern hat
and speaking trumpet all nicely tatooed
on his breast. He evidently was fire
laddie' and "run wild der masheen" in
volunteer fire department days. A for
mer convict had q fine view of Washing
toms tomb tattooed on his back. Another
had the picture of log cabin, and an
other colored picture of the crucih1ion
Of Christ.
Billy Forester, the famous burglar, is
one of the best marked criminals in
America. At the time of the excitement
over the Nathan murder the large re-
ward offered for the apprehension of
Forester put the detectives of the coun-
try on their mettle, and in consequence
scores of men were arrested who answered
TO the personal description as pub
llshed of Forester. Some of the men
we're held in Jail at various points
for weeks before they could prove to the
sssleuths" that they were not the great
Forester. None of the officers seem to
have known that Forrester's body was a
regular picture gallery, literally covered,
liked Barnum's famous tattooed man,
with a variety of ink designs. After
baving been hunted for more than
year, Forester got tired of dodging the
officers, and believing that there was not
sufficient evidence upon which the New
York officers could convict him, he went
to Washington and gave himself up. He
was taken to New York, and, after re-
naming in custody awhile, was givon
his liberty, only to be again nabbed by
Pinkerton, who wanted Billy as an cs.
csped convict from Joliet, where he
owed part of an unexpired term OF
thirteen years.
Among the many ink designs which
Forester bears is finely executed
Goddess of Liberty on his right arm; an
eagle and an American flag on same arm
an Indian Queen, sitting on the back OF
q flying eagle, on his left hip; blue
anchor on his left hand; full:rigged
ship on the center of his breast; the coat
of arms of the United States on his left
arm, and bracelets of red and blue ink
around each wrist -GLo5e- Democrat.
QrIoP Snakn Stnrip9