Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-05-07
YOUR DOODLE.
IfYou are Only Halfway Carefulit VIII be
Safe.
Dsfroit Free Prsss.

Detroit Free Prsss.
"Why is it that we seldom hear OF
case of pocket-picking nowadays, was
asked of a Detroiter who Is supposed TO
be wei, posted on matters Of that sort,
having for wears been under the surveil-
lance of the police.
Because people have learned to be
careful" he replied. Nothing was
ever more exaggerated than the art OF
pocket-picking. In the first place, it is
not an art or profession, and in the sec
ond no man or woman who had their
wits about 'em ever lost a cent by
pickpocket."
II have read some wonderful stories
Of the dexterity of pickpockets.
$50 have 1, and they were all imagi-
nary. There's very little dexterity
about it. The pickpocket never works
against wit, but is always assisted by
circumstance. Find me woman who
has been robbed Of her purse, and I'll
prove that she was gossiping and gawk-
ing and gave somebody good chance
TO get 1t. Find me man who has lost
his wallet, and in nineteen cases out OF
twenty I'll prove that he was either
asleep or drunk"
But I've met sharp, sober men who
had parted with their DOODLE" protested
the reporter.
Certainly, but under what circum-
stances? They rushed into crowd and
laid caution aside for moment, or let
two or three men squeeze them, or re-
lapsed some way until the crook got In
his work. You carry watch and wal
let-the latter in your right-hand breast
pocket. How do you enter crowd?'
Il press my right arm down so as to
feel and hold the wallet in place, and l
take loop of the watch-chain over the
right index finger"
Exactly; and no one can rob you.
Suppose while in crowd, your hat IS
damned down over your eyes"
81 back off and lift it with my lett
hand"
Correct"
"In the general run of cases man
raises both hands to his hat, and that
gives the picker his chance. Suppose
YOU are boarding a railroad car, and
two or three men attempt to leave 1t at
the same time!"
81 stand aside"
Correct again. They are here to
squeeze you and during the squeeze
away goes your Doodle. Whom should
YOU look out for or a street car or In
bus?"
"a woman with shaw or man
with an overcoat on his arm.
"You are straight on that. Let any
man observe the above rules and his
Doodle is safe. As l told you before,
few men have been plundered without
being to blame for it themselves"
"And you think people are more
careful than they used to beP"
Ear more so. The ways OF crooks
have been exposed and explained SO
often in the newspapers that they are
pretty well known. Diamond pins are
now secured by false catch, watches
are made safe in their fobs, and the
tailors make so many extra pockets in
suit that money must be safe In some
one of them. Take the average carload
of passengers and a pickpocket stands
no show at all. In crowd on the cir
Gus grounds, or at the race track, the
show is better, but about the only class
touched there is the farmer"
Hasn't he grown in sharpness?"
Eyes, but he is still an easy victim
because he is careless and absent-mind-
ed. He will guard his wallet like a
hawk for half an hour, and then walk
right into trap prepared for him. He
is naturally social, anxious to see all the
sights, and will take up with stranger
quicker than any other class. And yet
pocket-picking as an art or profession
is played ont, and fifty people lose their
stuff on the street, where one will be
touched by a crook"