The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1891-12-19
EDUCATING THIEVES.
An Academy Presided Over by q
Latter-Day Fagin.

A regular college for pickpockets has
been lighted on in Melbourne, and though
At present it is impossible for the police
to make an arrest, sufficient evidence has
been collected of the habits of the presid-
ing genius Of the establishment to war
rant little light being let in on this
institution for budding criminality.
The lessee of the house, who is also the
sole and only instructor of his promising
pupils. is q person who has seen the lnte'
rior of prisons in this and other LANDS. ne
has for some years past been known TO the
police under the generic slur OF "a oao
character" but what has brought his name
under the notice of the detectives some
what prominently of late is the coinc''
dence that several offenders of tender age
who have a. intervals figured in the police
courts have given their addresses at his
house. The offenders have only been of
one class-street pickpockets and sneak
thieves, and this circumstance naturally
aroused suspicion that the youthful MALE
factors belonged to a school which flour
ished at the address that seemed to be
common to them all. Inquiries were made
as cautiously as might be, but, as may be
imagined, the task of getting positive
proof was almost impossible, and SO it
proved to be. A youth who was SEN
fenced to three months imprisonment
some few months ago for pocket picking
in Bourke street, and who hailed from the
address indicated, gave detailed account
TO the detectives of his initiation into
crime by the person alluded to.
A regular class of instruction was held
daily. A sort of lay figure was placed in
room and the lads were instructed how
to approach it quietly and abstract prop
erty articles from Its pockets. This was,
of course, only the very rudimentary step.
After the lads had gained certain dex-
terity in approaching the mock victim, a
living model was substituted for it. The
head of the school then put himself up to
be experimental upon. The pupils in
turn practiced their hands IN the direction
of removing handkerchiefs, watch and
chain and breastpin from bis person, and
If they were able to accomplish these little
feats without rudely attracting the atten-
ton of the good natured model they were
accounted in fair way to proficiency.
After the pupils had attained tolerable
expertness in removing exposed articles
that are generally worn on the person
they were instructed in the more delicate
and dangerous branch of prospecting for
concealed plumber. In other words, they
were shown how it is possible for thief
who knows his business to take bank notes
and purses from mans trousers pockets,
to undo coats and waistcoats without fool
ish parade of any kind and extract the
contents, and special attention was given
to ladies' pockets, which offer the fairest
mark to the confident street brigand. The
pupils, when they had becoms tolerably
reliable, in pocketpicking sense, were
sent out into the streets to essay their for
tunes in the multifariOus chanches offered
by their unwary denizens. If they hap
pened to gather spoil they were expected
and compelled to disgorge share of it to
their henefacfur