The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1890-06-29
KING OF ~PICKPOCKETS
The Skillful Operations Of q Noted Pa
fiSian Thief.
How He Made Money and Friends
by Clever Robberies- Caught
al Last and Locked
Up In jail.
-REDERICK wheeler. Compile de

York sun. His arrest took place while
Bismarck's resignation was absorbing the
attention of all Europe, and, although an
event of great importance To the sporting
world Of Paris. passed almost unnoticcd
until about three weeks ago, g the
political excitement across the Nosges
began 10 abate. Now il is being discussed
by the Partisan dailies, and lamented by
most high-liviug Parisians as IL il were a
ministerial crisis, or a new trick OF Bou-
LANCER. Il
Frederic Wheeler has been a resident Of
Paris many years. just when he first
went there no one knows. Just why he
left London TO GO there can only he
guessed. II is said that he He'd To France
10 avoid serving ten years in an English
p~cnitentiary. One thing is certain, The
gay Partisan world awokc one morning to
find him n part Of il. He had. as he still
has, a small, slender figure, a pale, ear
nest face, small hands and shapcly feet.
He was faultlessly dressed, from his pat
cnt lie lthcr boot tips to the top OF his silk
hat. =.
He began al the foot of the blacklcgs'
ladder by picking pockets with his own
hands. He gradually resigned this dirty
work 90 pals, as his personal magnetism
and proven skill won him the fealty of the
po~cket-picking Parisians. Two or three
narrow escapes from arrest gave him
something of a shock, and he decided FIN
ally To devote himself exclusively To plan
ming sneak thefts for the execution of the
army Of blacklcgs who had sworn allegi-
ance 20 him.
So il came that Fred, as he was every
where known, was king of the pickpock-
cts i'm fact as well as in name. He fire.
quented the best hotels. restaurants n
cafes. He was n familiar figure at the
unl 1.aahS ENng saanI ra-
veled by the wealth and fashion of the
French capital wa travelled also by Fred.
He had am eye of unprecedented
FOR faces. fat purses and valuable jcwclry.
lie marked his victims as he walked
ON the boulevard. drank his coffee, laid
his money ON his favorite or fondled his
billiard cue. lie communicated all his
discoveries and plans 10 his corps of fol-
overs at their rendezvous, and shortly
the victims were plundered in strict ac-
cordance with the minute directions as To
time, place, face and articles which Fred's
marvellous memory enabled him To give.
Not only in his eventual abstinence
from actual pocket picking, but also i'm
his methods OF business after he became
king of the pickpockets, Fred showed In
stincts that 10 credit to mel ia more re-
putablc professions. lie never made Use
of the innumcrable compromising papers
that fell into his hands with the pocket
books If his victims. He had not "A hair
of the blackmailer in his head and kept a
scaled mouth concerning all private af-
fairs Of other people revealed To him in
the course OF his professional relations
with them.
No better illustration of Frcd's business
methods can he cited than the experience
Of n prominent Partisan journalist with
him about ten months ago. The Journal
list had just lost "A purse containing 1850
francs and papers that he valued more
htaxlIr thAu tho mn Ha NNArtt .It-
rectly To Fred and said:
Frederic, my pocket has been picked
of 800 francs and several papers"
"You shall have back the papers mt
once" answered Fred.
"And the money"
"Yes. my dear sir; hut your demands
must he reasonable. I need the money
myself just now, and | don't see how |
"a spare it,
"wcil let 800 of il co."
"Say loo, and ! will agree 10 it,"
After n little laughing Fred agreed 10
return 600 francs and the papers AT y
O'Clock the next morning. Al one minute
To . O'Clock on the following day "A mes
sengcr appeared at the journalists cham
her with "A package. In II were the pocket
book, the papers, the GOO and a cali
ing card. correctly bent at the corner. and
bearing the words: Frederick, Comte
lie Walder. Noblcssc oblige."
Tho consideration shown 10y Fred To the
horse-jockey Storrs at Trouvillc three
years ago Is traditional ia French turf
circles. Storrs arrived in Trouville on
the morning of the day Oh which he wal
10 ride in the Grand Prix. When he got
Ia his hotel he discovered that the trunk
containing all his riding clothes had been
stolen. He ordered a cab and drove lii
rectly To frcd's hotel, for the king Of the
pickpockets always passed at least two
months OF the season al Touville. Storrs
hurrta4l nm In IE.al. WIN Slf mn iIn. ....t.lt
and begged him to return the trunk Fred
listened la him a minute or two and then
said;
an. Storrs. | have laid my money on
your antagonist. Nevertheless, you shall
have your trunk at IL O'clock" Al II
O'Clock Storrs' trunk was delivered at his
room.
Fred's urbanity and consideration for
men he had robbed won him a peculiar
kind OF popularity and immunity from
punishment.
On the drives and ~prornenadcs of Paris,
in the cafes and gardens, and at the
tracks every man had "A word aud a smile
for the small. paie-face, elegant king of
the p~ickpockcts. No one shook hands with
him, but every IN risked "A "Bon Jour,
Fred" and Fred, who was not proud, ac-
know lodged the greetings similingly to-
ward all sides. Some few, who wished To
be more distant. addressed Fred as Mon
sicur !. Comte. for since the days Of his
prosperity were come Fred had assumed
a title.
IL was a sad coincidence that Fred met
his Waterloo at the race track. where he
had laid and executed his most brilliant
plans and enjoyed the half kindly regard
of all the turfmen. A captain in the
French army stood before Fred at the
track ON the fatal afternoon. He bet
heavily. and frequently drew a big roll II
bank notes from hls oycrcoat pocket 10
add 10 il his winnings and then replace IL.
Fred, as usual. had a pocketful Of money.
but some way the old-time itching came
back TO his palm. He wished 10 see
whether his hand had lost its cunning. lie
reached into the captains overcoat pocket
for the bills. A woman saw him do IL and
gave the alarm. A crowd gathered
around Fred so that lac could
not leave the spot. A policeman came
and heard the complaint. He knew
Fred. of course. and 81 his historical i'm
munity from arrest. He refused TO touch
Il. nl.. ..a...I ... -