Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1894-06-03
A THIEVES SCHOOL.
TIE STRANGE STORY TOLDIBYA YOUTHFUL
PICKPOCKBr.
4 Graduate Of q Training School for Thieves, The
Head Of Which Often Drives 0ut With
LiVsrisd FoOtmsn.

NIs York Herald
Mendel Msndilovitz, a 13-year-old lad
who lives with his parents 81 No. A.
Ludlow street, made 3 confession re-
Gently in the Yorgville Police Court
which practically accused Ace Solomon.
who lives In Suffolk street, between
Grand and Hester, OF running s train
ing school for juvenile pickpockets as
we'll as a clearing house for the disposal
Of their plumber.
Young Mendiiovitz and . companion,
Bernard RagofsEy, IS years old, who
gave 3 fictitious address In jersey City,
n. j., as his residence, were arrested
on Sunday in the monkey house Of the
Central Park meuagerie by Policeman
MCGEE, who charged them with pick
ing pockets. They were taken before
Justice Voorhis in the Yorkville Police
Court yesterday morning. Ragofsky
was the first examined, declared that
he had never been In trouble before,
and that the handkerchief he was
charged with stealing was one he bad
found lying on the grass. he said his
father and mother were In the old coun-
try. but that he had several brothers In
this city. He indignantly repudiated
the allegation that he was pickpocket,
and denied that he was in Mendilovitz's
company.
MENDMovITZ's CONFESSION.
Mendlovltz took his arrest greatly to
heart, and sobbed audibly when called
upon 70 give an account OF himself.
When questioned upon his being in the
park on Sunday he hesitAted and STAN
mared in his replies. and seemed great
ly embarrassed. he said he didn't
know Ragofsky, but met him accident.
ally. he manifested so much confusion
that the policeman investigated and
found that Ragoisky, who was standing
close beside him, was grssping the
feshy part OF his thigh between his
thumb and ioretinger, and was thus
telegraphing, his approval or otherwise
Of his replies TO the Court
The youngster was removed, and the
inquisition Of Mendilovitz was resumed.
He glanced helplessly around for his
companion, and finding that he had
gone, admitted that he took the COM
plainant's Mrs. Mary Conner's) pocket
book from her pocket, and that he did
so at the instigation Of RagSfsky. The
face OF the latter wore an expression
suggestive OF homicide when Mendilo'
vitz made this admission.
TRAINED TO STEAL.
"Who taught you to steal; to pick
pocKetsP" queried the Court.
"a Teller down on Suffolk street, y
SMILED the boy.
"How long have you been engaged in
this sort OF thingP"
Mendilovitz stared blankly At the
Court, and IL was evident that he did
not comprehend the question.
Then the policeman leaned over and
slmplified the interrogatory, as fol-
lows:
How long have you been liftln
wipes aud leathers?"
A CLEAN OF intelligence III up the lad s
face, and he responded: "YiSteddy was
de furst."
Justice VoorhIs said there was no
doubt il his mind that the youngsters
were dominated by older aud more cum
ming brains, and that good field for
detective work was presented. He com
nitted the young defendants in $500
bail into the custody OF the Gerry Socl'
ETY.. He also instructed the policeman
to communicate the facts In his posses
sion TO the Central Office.
Mendilovitz was taken yesterday be-
fore several policemen and detectives,
in the presence OF Agents Barley and
Deubert, OF the Gerry Society, and per
suaded to unburden himself. After
considerable hesitation the youngster
admitted that the money about $50 and
some jewelry, penknives, and empty
pocket-books, together with q large
number Of pocket handkerchlets, which
were found on them when arrested, bad
been taken from the pockets OF women
In and about the animal houses In Cen
trail Park.
After considerable persuasion he said
that he had served regular appren'
ticeshlp, with a number OF other boys,
in the pic kpocket business. His school
master, he said, was Abe Solomon, os-
tensibly an ice peddler, OF Suffolk
street, between Grand and Hester. lie
was In a class Of about half dozen
lads, mostly older than himself
The instructor would compel them
TO pick his own pockets until they ar
rived at O good degree OF proficiency,
then each pupil was placed IN charge
OF q graduate and sent out upon the
street to acquire practical experience.
OUT FOR PRcTIcE.
Mendilovtz was put In charge OF a
man named Barney Jubal. They went
10 the Bowery In the early evening,
when the thorougbfare was most dense
ly thronged. Jubal would select VIC
tim and send him TO do the work.
The Instructor would keep close
watch upon the operation and afterwArd
point out any mistakes the pupil might
have made, aud suggest I'm provements.
In this way young Mendilovitz was
drilled and trained rlgitly, night after
night, until he was considered comps
tent 10 venture out alone. He grad D.
ated, he said. about six months ago.
Each pupil, MendIlovitz explained,
must serve his schoomaster for one
year after graduating, turning IN the
proceeds every night, and they are at
liberty to 90 70 work for themselves or
! become tutors In Solomon's school. de
said he turned 10 az average OF about
SO per day. He admitted that he occa-
slonally knocked down" little, but
this was q small item.
In the event OF big haul the pupil
WAS to receive . percentage a. re-
| ward and announcement for continued
exertlons. Up I'LL Sunday Mendilovitz's
field had been the BoWery and cross
streets contiguous thereto. But on Sun
day be was directed 10 go 70 Central
Park, report to Ragsisky, and. with
| him. ''do" the animal houses. This Is
regarded as q banner field.