Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-01-08

times work without mob. A regular piokpocket can't very well, because it's too risky. Yes, it's taking chances to work nlone, even when you're mollbuzz- ing, and it's because I had no mob with me this time that I got caught. How many is there in a mob generality Oh, from two to four, sometimes five, special ly when you're going to work n fly crowd, like lot of politicians to convention. It's expensive to have too big a mob, for every man has to have his share, and sometimes there's some quarreling over the diyvy.
 "The man that docs the nipping Is the JOSS, of course. No; he ain't called nip per. He is n dip, or a tool, or Q graft. That used to be my lay. He works to the side or behind the guy or jay who is to be worked. The stalls are ahead, and their business is to keep the guy interested in something while the working is going on. Tho drags, or wires, arc fellows that take the things that's been nipped and gets away with 'em as fast as they can, so that they shall not be found in the hands or pockets of the graft. Women pickpockets work the same way, and while they ain't So fly in some things as men they are flier in others. Their hands is mostly better for the business, but their nerve ain't so good. What, goingS We'll, s'longI Yes, you may print what I've said if it's any good to you, but don't mention my name. I don't want to be give quite dead away. It's bad enough to go to the pen for an- Bther two years"
 A Talk With Q Mister" The shopliftcr with whom talked was | apparently a most ladylike and refined young woman. She had no objection whatever, however, to speaking freely of her profession" for publication, with the same proviso as that made by the pick pocket. She must not bo given dead away" by the mention of her name as "squealer." She knew that she would be | published ns a detected thief, and that, in addition to being put away" was pretty bad, but she could stand it, because she had to. To be known as one who would reveal trado secrets, however. was to- much.
 Well" she said, I've rot myself to thank and nobody ard nothing else for being pincbed. I believe ;.Ic sharHest de- tectivc in tte world couldn't catch IIe If hadn't got greedy sometimes ard took too much. You see that l. like most shop filters, have big inside pockets in my CcesS skirts. Now, If had been satisfied with a little haul and had got ont quietly with one piece of silk in the front pocket I'd been all right. but saw some other things wanted, got them safely and then start | ed away. 1 hadn't gone ten steps before I l knew the jig most likely up. I had l put the other things in a side pocket, and | 1t made my skirt bulge. Besides l walked right footed, and I couldn't help it. What l made it worso was that I'd been lucky at another store and nippcd two pocketbooks, and they had plenty of goods in them, too, I but rr1fo all hot caught by one of these new women de- tectives.
 II can always spot a man detective, but it's harder to spot a woman who is mov- ing about the store just as if she were a shopper or maybe hister herself. I don't think it's giving us exactly fair show to put women to watching us. It seems to me it ought to be fair for us to have what ever we can nip if we arc fly enough to get away from the men. If things go on this way and they keep putting women detectives on to the lay, think when l come out shall brace up and reform, go to some city where no one knows me and get job aS a detective myself or maybe | as q spOtter on a trolley car line. The only trouble about either of these things is that I'd have to work steady so many hours day, and after you've been histing for awhile that goes against the grain.
 4 Dead Easy Lay.
 ' "No, never picked pockets. Ripping women's feathers in the big shops is dead easy work compared to working the pick pocket lay. You see, the women that aren't in the business always carry their feathers in their hands, and when they sit down to look at goods they carcleSsly put their pocketbookS on the counter. It's no trick at all to sit down next to them and sweep the pocketbook of tho counter into your lap with your wrap while tho other woman Is interested in looking at some silk or ribbons or something. Oh, yes, always carry n pocketboOk In my hand, too, but don't keep my money in it. The first time was pincbed asked tho cop per that took me in how he came to do 1t.
 "'Surc, he said, ''twas because youse had no leather in yer han. It's only hist CTS and sich that puts their money in a ] safe place
 II wasn't sent away that time. Ihadn't nippcd anything that day, and the cop had pinched me on spec. The judge roasted him good in court next morning. kicked when 1 saw there was no evidence against me. Well, gcodSy. You can bet I'll be more careful next time after I get out. It's only for six months anyway"
 M DPxTFD