Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-12-16

His preoccupation will be SO strong that
he will no longer feel the blows of the ell
bow of the passer-by, and IL Is at just this
instant that the accomplice, with all the
deXterity which distinguishes the overcoat
thieves of this sort, unbuttons the coat
and then to abstract the pocket book from
the breast pocket or the watch from the
fob Is childs play.
Following the two Is generally a third
accomplish, to whom the plumber is passed,
and who is, apparently, an innocent passer-
by. II the victim perceives at once that he
Is robbed the pickpocket, conducted to the
station, can demand with assumed indig-
nation, that he be searched to prove that
his accuser has either made a blunder or is
prompted by malice. 1t is for this reason
that the third accomplice follows.
This trick is called Vol iEshrouffe'' or
sleight-of-hand theft. There is one other
way in which this is done, where there is
no crowded street to give color to a col
lision.
A man approaches you on your right
hand and asks a simple question, generally
inquiring the way. He is apparently hard
of hearing, and you come close and shout
into his right ear. Then, suddenly, while
your head is turned to the right, the hand
of another man glides across your breast,
unbuttons and draws back your overcoat
and abstracts the contents of its pocket.
So marvelously skillful are these Partisan
thieves that this trick, which at first sight
seems so extremely difficult to perform
without detection. Is comparatively easy.
If You feel the hand unbuttoning the
coat the natural inclination is to turn
quickly to the left, whence comes the SEN
sation. Then the man who first accosted
you seizes in an instant your right arm,
while the second makes off with the booty.
Even If you do not pursue your disap-
pearing pocket book, as is the temptation,
and. realizing that the apparently deaf
questioner is an accOmplice in the robbery,
hold him fast until a sergeant-de-ville can
arrive-even then you have very slight
case against him, and he will, of course,
deny holding your arm.
One naturally wonders how the watch,
held by the chain can be removed without
violent shock. capable of recalling to him
self a man most distract or preoccupied.
The trick is of childish simplicity.
Just when the thief has the watch in
the hollow of his hand he presses on the
two opposite sides of the clapper ring with
the thumb and finger and when correctly
held very slight twist is sufficient to open
1t. Then, like magic, the watch comes
away from the ring and swivel and the
chain hangs empty. The ease OF this trick
may be demonstrated without harm to any
watch. Nearly all the watches stolen by
pickpockets are thus without rings, and
this is a most damaging point against an
arrested man.
The classes Of thieves so far spoken of
rob without violence by sneak" means or
by sleight-o hand. None the less skillful.
however. are those who use force without
actual violence. number of such tricks
are used by thieves who work alone, and
are most ingenious and named in striking
and representative phraseology.
First in simplicity is what is known as
LIE Coup de la Bascule-the trick of the
rocking chair. Its operation is as follows
The unsuspicious Partisan, walking home
to his hotel late at night, as he turns a
corner comes face to face with man,
who. quick as thought, grasps the walker
by the throat. Surprised at the sudden
ness of the attack the latter has thrown
himself instnctively backward.
This gives the thief time to hook his right
foot behind his victims left raise IL off the
ground and push him back upon the one
remaining. Feeling himself falling back
ward. the hands of the man attacked in
stinctively drop behind him to break his
fall instead of grasping his opponent
throat. and 1t Is just at the instant when
the man is tottering and hslpless-like a