The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1892-01-07
FORTUNES IN FINGERS.
rondon Pickpockets Who Gould
Give Old Fagin Lessons.
sAsy Arc Said to BE the ClevereHt Thieves
i, the World-Story of n Ring-Ex-
perIcnce of q Scotland-Yard
Detective.

any suI While contemplating trip to Europe |
ne ID few years ago, / purchased several |
Lebeoa velLadvertised guide books, one of |
es Il which, dealing chiefly with London |
md M md its environs, warned Americans |
ch cod against the light fingered portion of its
wn ii i sanitation. Therefore when l went
frost .broad did so with my eyes open, as
er Of II thought, but was soon to discover
4bg actual experience that a stranger in
be spsi De great metropolis needs very keen
IL. M utcs to escape the wiles of it's Fagins.
seed u NHsying but moderate purse at my
Q soil command l took cheap lodgings in
aalsea i Garter House square, and when out
} Is III ightseeing was careful to, take along
rs u jst enough money to last me through
fprsloz be jaunt.
In G. n In my half aimless saunterings one
IN. 4aorning turned in the Strand, al
] rsdy bristling with its peculiar life,
i. u..8 nd had not proceeded far when some
- al''i WI ns tapped me on the shoulder. Having
- Z % Particular acquaintance in London
80 q. athat time, turned quickly and saw
~ ~ + aEell-dressed man step back like
sss RBon embarrassed.
sops aAw, beg your pardon, SIR" said
4 M Hi BE- politely; Il thought l was tapping
! 3. lie shoulder of friend; would not
81, - have stopped you for the world" and
1 - 81 kfore could tell him no harm had
~ ben done he was off and out of sight
-. 81 nj moment.
III ,rb.# Thought no more of the Interrupt
nm ~ Ion until, seeing book which de-
Il Fl aled to purchase, | reached for my
when purse, but it was gone. In flash the
nj aoulder tapping incident came back
AZ na;g# Nth strange distinctness and had to
sugh at the adroitness of the theft,
M knew l had been robbed while
asstrange man was apologizing for the
!. pparent blunder. had not lost much
money, owing to the carefulness re-
niversa4 erred to, but the purse contained a
{ QUITE keepsake in the shape of q plain gold
The NJ ing suitably inscribed. That was
ne egg scrth more to me than the contents of
ater - ne purse, and, upon telling the book
Of a sier of my loss, he advised me to re-
pitt at Scotland Yards, the head
iced Is quarters of the metropolitan police.
Yet had little hope of ever again seeing
ence 81 ue ring, for could give nothing but a
Id neTsM ngue description of the person who
much g A stopped me, but resolved to take
S to "a y! complaint to the authorities, as
aach to get into Scotland Yard, which
, liyine8 world famous, as anything else.
,e world slltng the book-stall, made my way
turn ics me place from which the shrewd de-
il NOT I c'Ves of London sally forth to hunt
A 5.monl3 s'3n the evil doers, and in short time
lid ows@ - stating my loss to a little man in
& legis sn0rm, who listened intently, but
entiary,# 'sa lurking smile in his blue eyes.
hhen ne heard me through, he said
,su,ovea ,., ss' IN all probability the keepsake
80 eus. M. .Si had parted company forever; but
1Qhea8 =, ~u'as 10 his side man whom he in.
J. IL osH .01ueea as Sergt Donny. he went
,s,,ders - sne story, and then turned me
"a f.rtE4 ~ 70 the sergeant Sergt. Donny
.usa b ! 4aaeo ~, me OF Mr.. Inspector Bucket t.
heak House." He seemed to have
NV suses way of comforting with his fat
ing IN fl n'auger while he listened, and fro n
ems W = hrst he impressed me as a good.
pu'. i. s.eu man, too much SO. I thought, t.
rom member OF the police force having
.ule ar- oudcn ~ '0"S A' anu 'o's nS u
sergeant and adjourned to tn,
~. nss 49, little coffee-house, where
I'D esps ss.u saa mat he improved on acquain
~. MA, ae nave 100 900 thieves in London,
q : - \. as a Now, your purse has faller
essaas fa 'ae hands of one of them; bu
en- nj eaa a one? The man who tapped yo,
ca, VI Nc shoulder did not t.o the robbing
- VIZ 49, secured your attention whil
s;aleaerate relieved you. You fel
the uE' ~ IN your pocket? No? The fin
a feS ii. our our genteel Fagins are yer,
q tive s,s.,. saa shapely. l was robbed one
and see &ss and that while conducting tn
20 thsa acEe. y Tue station for picking lady
II sena Ia IN ! did not know my watch wa
oes no4 Lon - We came to search the scamr
viii L sing, al, yes" and here Sergl
LOST sasi.s M tore blank leaf from his mem