The Hot Springs star. (Hot Spings [Hot Springs], Dakota [Dakota Territory, i.e. S.D.]) 1886-189?, 1890-05-09

AA>/ Nh AeAA\Okos ~
VOCABULARY OF SLANG.
The Singular LanE1saye with Which,
Thoughts Are Concealed
Origin OF Some Popular Ishrnscs-Huw tho
Fagins ami Crooks Ta;k-Tl,tee Thou.
sand Words and Expressions In
tho Rosucs' Dialect.
Slang always he's hccn more or less prev
valent. but never more 30, perhaps, than
now. Every trade, profession and business
has its vocabulary Of slang. There are
newspapers that indulge in it to an extra
ordinary extent. and it is even heard occa-
sional!y in the pulpit. The stage is very
prolific of slang, and many Of the express
siOns that come into common use are first
heard from behind the footlights. There are
many kinds OF slang. One includes ex-
prcssions OF American origin. In this class
are found such phrases an "ln the SOUP"
s'No flies on us, ,""You make me weary"
and "Wcll, lsh0uld SMILE"
Many of the common words and phrases
used on tho streets and even in society come
from the vocabulary of rogucs and thieves.
The fraternity of rogucs have a jargon Of
their own. But the older and most esperi-
Gnced lsnavcs never use it. They arc too
snort for that The banls-burg!ar, the skill
full forger. tho confidence man, tho house.
breaker, are generally We'll educated, cool
and calculating, bland and suave. Their
Ia l,ni cfr in tvsat In
They know that to use an uncommon dia-
lcct would throw suspicion on them, and it
is only when they wish to communicate
with each other that tho words in their
strange vocabulary are used. First-class
detectives, too, Willie they are familiar with
this language, never use slang in public.
" is tue rcunlcr, the saloon l0afcr, petty
tliief and small criminal who makes tho
greatest display of slang wisdom. The
detective who seldom catches any thing of
more consequence than II cold is also very
fond of indulglng to an alarming extent in
slang.
A few extracts from the rogucs' .sun-
written dictionary" may bcof interest, says
thc indianapolis News. A ..night worker"
i, /: house breaker; one who climbs into u
window, s'second- story worker" A ''go-
pher" is Il safe-blo.|er. 4 ''craclssman" is
ono who opens safe with the ;.,nst inn
proved tools; an artist In the line Of safe
robbing, as it were. a pickpeclct Is u
.'wire."a ''.lip' or s'tool;' if he pitks
mems pockets he is q ''bloke buzzcr." or
"knuck;" if he robs woman, q "mo:
buzzcr;a if he phys his trade on tho stree,-
cars or in u crowded place. q. scar .:.,szer;"
stealing handkerchief :. Is '.s:.eal.ing
wiles.' The highwaymen who uses force
to rob his victim or fights the officer is a
sstrons-arm" man. "Bloke'' is man, smcll'
is woman, kid" male person under
twenty years. A s'stail' is wcil-dressed
n!an who d,verts attention while the thief
dSes his work "Pap;t'' is tho man Who
furnishes bail for arrested crooks, nires
lawyers for them and aids them us much as
he can without getting Into the mesies of
the law himself. A "pl;lnt" is hidden plum
Gcr, .springin;s Gi' flashing the p;llit'' is
10 bring OH: tl.u pi;fiitur after the officers
have abandoned tlle sc:irch for it. The
"frncc" is the man who dsposcs Of the
stolen goods, u i'll Fagin in "Oliver Tw,st."
.'cshy'' is u hat, and to "tipt cady'' is to
jam the victim's hat over his eyes that he
may ;c robbed custer. a ..crus." is tine
man who creates a disturbance ii. crowd
sc.tltt his friends with We u better sliunce
to pick pockets unni1icstcd. a s'ino5" is
fourier more thieves working together A
"guy," .'sott nlarK," '.tteuDcn," .Jasot:;' :.
etc, is n countrynlan unused to city life.
''Stag his nlhs" means look ut him. "Graft''
is stealing. Evening graft' is robbery in
the evening. The ''gun." s'lool,-out,' -
"pper," is the man WHO stands guard while
his companion is robbing q store or blowing
safe. Piping off u lay'' is selecting a
house to be robbed. "Piping Off is watch.
following u pcsson. Tho sssnipe', pebbles
goods for a coniiJecce game or to get into q
t.puss 10 secure information for the gang
Thai intends to rob it. "Stiff' has variety
of mcanings-a forged order, fictitious
check, q dead body (cadaver a.so) or a
forgcile,ter. 1t means also ridiculous or
exaggerated statement. s'Hiving the Of
ficc," a lnw whistle, cough, or any sound to
put n thief on his guard A 'smark' q
|. man who appears to have plenty of money.
.Red or yellow super" is gold watch;
''super AMI slang" watch and cham.
'.Touchcd'' means robbed.
Thus: "He touched me fer nv yellow s,,.
per and s'ing," and .'lincned my spark ."
signif;os lie robbed me Of my gold watch
;,i. s,...i. and extracted my diamond PIN ~
H., '.,i..g u s.,per'' is to take q watch
aea :..gc the chain by twisting the ring
thu. fastc1s the watch to the chain
s'Susar," ";ust," ''dough," sswad," "roll,''
'.sca.s,' "stuft," etc., are a few terms for
money.
A case is paper dollar; a "century,'
one hundred dollars; q s'cartwheel," si!ve,
dollar; syellow boys" geld; ..qneer" i.
counterfeit money. A "coniacker" makes
the spurious coin; a "bood.o -carr;er' deiiv
crs it, ''cutter" or .'shover'' passes it
Tho 'headworker' plans the robberies
sRattlcr' is train of cars; ''ducket," rail
road ticket; "tip," railroad ot1ce; "g,ve
away" q newspaper; ''scratchcr for give
away" q reporter; ''prod" is horse
drag" is a wagon; "nipped," arrested
man. ..Goosebcrry law" signifies low o,
little work.
"Doing time" is serving sentence
ststrctch': is ten years; six .lunas" or 81,
''moons" is six months; "coolcr, !" "quod,'
"little sterr," Jail or station house; "grant
stcrr," State's prison; ''tally" Is trial
'tsettled" is convicted and sentenced I.
prison; "mouth-picce' is lawyer; 'sbeak,
o judge: 9'swltch" or "squeaicr," one VIII,
turns States evidence; '.jug" is bank
s.jiggcr' is door; "glinl," q light
ssloughcd," imprisoned; .'jerves" !,
an outside pocket; s'pitment," an insid,
vest pocket; .'over-ben," an ovcrcoat
"bennie," coat; ssstamps," shoes
"sneaks,'' rubbcrs or shoes with felt solcs.
1t is said that the thieves of this countr,
have nearly three thousand words and ex
prcssions they use, but the few given her
Is fair sample Of them. How many can b.
heard spoken every day By many of ou
young peoplel -,
Queen victoria's Rings.
II Is said that the three rings whicl