The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-07-07

has been the recovery of stolen goods,
pointed out 10 me more than a dozen
places which he designated as the resorts
of iaabitual thieves. We went into one OF
these receivers silops"-they would be
called fences In America 1t was
nearly midnight, and there were half a
dozen men and boys. besides one woman.
In the place, in addition TO the aged jew
who kept it. The detective was well
known there. and his arrival created a
great commotion, the proprietor running
forward, rubbing his hands. to explain
that he had done nothing wrong.
"Ho. no. said the detective assuring
ly. II know YOU amt. Whatever made
you think thought you had. l I'm Just
a-showing this gentleman from tho States
around a bit. What you got in that box
under there, Levi?"
Levi pulled out the box. 1t was filled
with silk handkerchiefs, washed and
ironeG and neatly folded now, but prob
ably the outcome OF some pickpocket
"mob's" nights work. The detective
questioned him closely, but the old man
had a plausible answer for every query.
and the box went back into its place.
Then the detective mado the aged rascal
overhaul his entire stock for my benefit,
and such heterogeneous mass of every
thing under the sun was never gathered
under one roof before. From old shoes
to silver cake baskets: from books 10 a
cask of smoked herring; from ladies' hats
TO nickel-piated American revolver. the
strange mixture ranged
Now. Levi, you know that every bloody
thing in the whole place is stolen goods.
now don't your" finally querfed the detec-
tive.
"oh. no. Mr.. Dick. No. indeed. Not a
single harticlo"
well. all I've got to say is that you
ought to have been raidcd long ago. Now,
don't ever let me find such bloody curl
osity shop here again, or I'll make you
take Tie whole blooming graft up to be
identified" responded Mr.. Dick.
But after we had left he said TO me:
''The old scoundrel knows as well as
do that we can't do anything with him
He's careful 10 buy only of men he knows
and is reasonably certain to take in only
stuff that has been stolen outside of Lon
don. This part OF the town is great
Headquarters for thieves who operate ir
the suburbs and the provinces. Burglars
work out beyond the metropolitan police
limits good bit, and bring their booty II
10 London to sell II.
"They are very clever about IL all. anc
the danger OF their being caught through
the Identification of the stolen goods II
the hands OF some receiver has been great
lv decreased by the appearance in the bus
mess OF 'salters.' Stolen goods are rarely
recovered, You know. unless they are
recovered In the first hue and cry that fol
lows the robbery. Well, the 'salteT' pre-
vents that. and he is dreadful bother e
the police. He has only come into exist,
ence during the last few years. since the
police have been astir down here. He acts
as a safe deposit vault for the thief, as 4
were The thief puts up his stun will
him, certain that it will be 'salted away
in some cellar or garnet. until even tn.
man who was robbed. let alone the police
give the thing UP for lost and forget u
look for IT, A year or two after thins
has been stolen there is very little danger
that IL will be identified when II is offered