The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-01-10
FAGIN In Il A LIFE.
"A Workable Academy OF Theft In the
SluMs of NIelhonrne.

A vcritable Academy of Theft In the
Slums of Melbourne.
A regular college for ~pickpookets has been
lighted on ii Melbourne, and though at
present it ia impossible for the police to
make an arrest. sufficient evidence has been
collected of the habits Of tho presiding
genius of the establishment to warrant 4
little light being let i'll on this institution
for budding c%riminality, says the San Fran
CISCO Chronicle.
The lessee Of the house, who is also the
sole and only instructor of his promising
pupils, ID q person who has seen the interior
of prisons in Ibis and other lands. He has
for some years past been known to ths po-
lice under the generic slur of q "bad char
acter," but what has brought his name h-
der tho notice Of the detectives somewhat
prominently of late is ths coincidence that
several offenders OF tender age, who
have at intervals figured in the po-
lice courts, have given their addresses at
this house. The offenders have only been
of one ~olass-street pickpockets and Q
aroused suspicion that the youthful male
factors belonged to a school which flour
lshed at the address that seemed to be COM
mon 30 them all.
Inquiries we're made az cautiously as
might be, but. as may be imagined, the
task of getting positive proof seemed to be
almost impossible, and SO it proved to be.
A youth who was sentenced to three
months imprisonment some few months
ago for pocket picking in Bourke street,
and hailed from the address indicated,
gave II detailed account to the detectives of
his initiation into crime by the person al
luded to. A regular class OF instruction
was held daily. A sort Of lay figure was
placed in the room, and the lads were in
structea how to approach it quietly and ab-
stract properly articles from its pockets.
This was, of course, only the very rudimen-
tary step.
After the lads had gained a certain dex-
terity in approaching the mock victim: q
living model was substituted for it. The
head of the school thsn put himself up to
BIZ experimental upon. The pupils in turn
practised their hands in the direction OF
removing handkerchiefs, watch and chain
and breastpin from his person, and IT they
we're able to accomplish these little feats
without rudely attracting the attention of
counted in a fair way to proficiency. After
the pupils had attained a tolerable expert
ness in removing exposed articles that are
generally worn on the person, they were
Instructed in the more delicate and danger
GUS branch of prospecting for concealed
plumber.
In other words, they were shown how it is
possible for a thief who knows his business
to take bank notes and purses from a mans
trousers pockets, to undo coats and waist
coats without foolish parade of any kind
and extract tho contents. and special at
tention was given to ladies' pockets, which
offer the fairest mark to the confident
street brigand.
The pupils, when they had become toler-
ably reliable in a pocket-pioking sense,
were sent out into the streets to essay their
fortunes in the multifarious chances offered
by their unwary denizsns. If they hap
pened to gather spoil they were expected
and compelled to disgorge a share of 1t to
their bensfaotor.