The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-10-06
WORKING PEOPLE
The BEST Family Medicine.
HOW $4,000 WAS STOLEN.
A Memorable Exploit of the Notoriou
Malta Matches

Mollie Matches.
A band of pickpOckets was one day
working" a train running to New York on
the Hudson River Railway, says the Cincin-
natl Enquirer. There were four of them.
The exigencies of participating require at
least that number-one pickpocket proper
who does the actual taking. and three
stalls or assistants. The chief of the
band was John Larney, alias Mollle
Matches, than whom no surer or more eX-
pert thief lever dipped a hook" They we're
not on this train at random. A man was
going 10 New York who had forty-siX crisp
and brittle thousand-d0llar bills in a pocket
book inside his vest. This man was occu-
pying seat near the center of the car.
Two of the band were ahead of him on the
other side of the AISLE and the other two
were disposed of in the next seat behind
him. They intended to rob him the first
time he left his seat.
They were within thirty miles of New
York, but the man with the money never
gave them an opening. but chung to his seat
with battling pertinacty.
"We'll touch him as he gets out at the
DEPOT, then," said Larney, who was one of
the duo in the rear.
Suddenly the man arose and stepped into
the aisle. Anxiety parched his mouth and
he wanted drink. As he arose the four
thieves, as ii by accident, all left their seats
This brought the victim between the two
pairs. They all came toward him, the ones
to the rear apparently seeking the opposite
end of the car to that sought by the ones in
front.
For second the five blockade1 the aisle,
the victim in the center. Everybody was
the spirit of pOliteness; apologies were NUT
tered as the four well-dressed quiet-lo king
rascas apparently attempted to get out OF
every body's way. The victim was MT
hustled or jostled by these masters OF their
art, but with every touch he was placed and
held in position, while the delft Matches.
that prince of light-tingers, performed the
feat of wedding" his long pocket-bo0k,
wherein the forty-six $1,000 bills were dis
poSei lengthwise.
''Weeding" is the name of process in
thieyery which takes the bills ON occasions
when the ends thereof project beyond the
p0cket-book and leaves the empty wallet
still in its owners possession. The value OF
the process lies in this, that it is generally a
long time before the victim discovers his
loss-not until he opens his pocket book
whereas if the pocket-boOk itself should
disappear he might note the fact at once
The victim in this instance did not discover
his loss at the time. as nothing occurred dur
ing his despollation which gave him notice;
but, having some reason for taking out his
wallet about ten minutes later, he found
himself plundered. He made a great up
roar. The conductor and trainmen were
called, but as he did not possess clew or
could do nothing.
One thing was sure-the money was still
on the train, as there had been no stop. The
conductor halted his train out in the rural
regions, aud, tapping the wires, telegraphed
to the New York police. Meanwhile the
train was guarded and no one allowed to
alight. Then The train started for the run
in. The iOnr thieves were aware OF all that
was going on. They knew OF the difficulties
which beSet them, and that the entire de-
trctive force of New Y ork was now on the
lookout
They secretly divided the money, and it
was agreed that the word should be ''every
man for himself" Larney was in predica-
ment. His face was as we'll known TO the
metropolitan VidOcqS as the Bo very. He
knew if he was recognized he was lost In
his dilemma he Went through to the Pull
man car. There he found an old clergyman
travelling with his daughter and her little
girl, child OF years. An idea came 10 the
pickpncket, He was quietly and faultesSly
attired. He had considerable store Of re-
ligious knowledge. He could play the role,
and resolved for the nonce to be a preacher.
He introduced himself to the old minister
and his daughter. He described himself as
fIOm Hamilton, Ontario, and the pastor of q
Baptist church.
The cd man and his daughter were very
glad to see the pick pocket They gave him
all manner of counsel and sympathy ard in
yted him to their house. When any one
passed through the car, which happened
once or twice, Larney turned his back and
avoided notice. At last the train came to a
stop at the Central Depot, and they must
leave it. Here was the ordeal Larney feared.
He knew that twenty officers would scan
every one who stepped off the train. He was
alive to the fact that any one of them would
know the celebrated Mollie Matches the in
slant be set eyes squarely on him. This
must be avoided. As they rose to leave the
ga Lar ranuht ba ljttIa oirl i'm his
arms and so carried her, with his face buried
in the blonde jungle of her hair
In this golden disguise, roguery screened
by innocence, Larney passed through mob
of officers and escaped recognition. No one
looked for the alert eye and daring features
of the pickpocket beyond the yellow tangles
Of baby's hair. Once outside Laruey
hastily showed solitaire diamond ring on
the little girls thumb as a reward for the
service she had unwittingly done him, and
whipping into a carriage was whiSked away
to safety, leaving the OLD preacher and his
daughter aphast.