The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-05-12

In the old DAYS the omnibuses were pro-
vided with long seats. known az "knite
boards" A gentleiuany looking operator
on ono OF these knue-Doard seats wnere.
as is often the case there was soon DIT
Of crowdlng and jostling and easy access
to the poc.-@ts Of the men on botn sioes
Of him. When the omnibus companies
began 70 change the style OF seats 'llo
number Of pickpOckets cases began 10
fall of Immediately
But there are enough Of them. left 10
make that man wise who carries MS
purse in an inside pocket The most
puzzling OF the lot are the Htie poys-
modern Oliver Twists. Boy thieves are
known as "Gonophs" or "Gunnifs.
They swarm in crowded places, such as
theatre exits. procession mobs, or the
concourses that gather about outdoor
meetings. such as those Of the unempioy-
I'll on Tower Hill and at Trafalgar
square. They work on regular systems
cUnninglv devised. For instance.
"n0b" may consist Of four tiny thieves.
Tbev will pretend 10 be having n game
m romp through the crowd jostlng the
selected person once or twice without
attempting to steal from him, so as 10
find bv feeling the location or the pocket
in which he carries his watch or purse.
ana ar the Same AlllAf ~ lAdhF NAAh A'''
e1enici0us when the real time comes
This feeling for tho whereabouts OF
a mans valuables is done very experly
ono twolve-year-old. who is locked up
here. explained his methods 20 me frank
II. He never used his hands. That
would excite suspicion. III / used me
bloody 'ands." he remarked, "the bloom
in' gent might fawncy ! was agoin' 10
rob i'm" Nobody notices how a gamin
IS dressed. so this little chap wore mere
ly an mdcTshirt on warm nights. This
was very thin and permitted him % feel
with his whole upper body. His favor
ite plan was 20 get so located that his
back would Doe pushed up against the IN
tended victims person hv tho crowd.
thus enabling him 90 tell with bis should
crs where the purse or watch was car
rIel. The pressure OF "a small boys back
would not be likely 10 arouse suspicion.
After this part OF the work has been
finished and all the members Of the
"mob" know not only which man Is 10
be the victim. but exactly in which poo
ket he carries tho articles which arc
90 be- stolen one Of the boys takes up
his position as near 10 the Yaluables
pocket as possible and stands unconccrn-
eddy. with mis- attention apparently fixed
on entirely different matters. This being
suddenly l0stlcs the stranger from tho
other side. throwing him over against the
quiet boy. who Immediately gives a. howl
0f pain. jumps and then with some re-
rroachfli remark to tho bloody. bloom
iu' raner who'd come down on D. little
foller's foot Ike that" llmps Off resent
fully. In the mean time Dee has Secured
the purse or watch. or whatever no was
after. TWO other members OF the mob
no
Immediately discovers his loss. they in-
stantiy begin 10 feht thus attracting
attention. intcnslfying the crowd in that
particular place and giving fhe little
thief "a better chance 90 get away Tho
thief IS known in professional parlance
as the "snatcher.' the man 90 whom
ho hands the stolen property is called tho
"takor" the boys who fight are dubbed
"mokcs." and the che who iostles is CALI
ed "biokie." II is probable that New
York east siders got their general lame
for Ii man or boy blokie' or "bloke'-
from this bit pickpocket slang.
Th bank burglar is almost unknown
I'm Great Britain. not one set Of the
elaborate drills and winches, chiscls and
shutter cutters such as superintendent
Byrnos has made such "a vast collection
or is on exhibition in the Black Museum
af Scotland Yard. The use of rcvOlvoTs
Hv London thieves is SO unusual that
when prisoner who bad drawn one on
Inspector Lanksdowne was taken 70
Bow Street Police Court the magistrate
afr. Bridge asked the question. Are
we ceasine t0 Doe English and started
one OF those lively newspaper contro-
yersios over nothing which are so come /
mon here.
London has iis confidence men. who /