Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1895-11-14
A RETIRED MONARCH
JOSEPH VALLEY, Ex-KlNe OF PICK.
POCKETS, JUST DEAD.


POCKETS, JUST DEAD.
He Organized q Plckpocket Trust, With
Branchea All Over England-How He
Became Conyerted-Left Large For
tune and Numerous Wives.
The ex-king of pickpockets in Lon
don, Mr.. Joseph Valley, has just died
of pneumonia at the age of SO years, 40
Of which he spent from time to time i'll
Jail. Like grand old time monarch, lie
had several wives. At least seven are
known to havo constituted his better
half. His family of course was extreme
" numerous, but he didn't bother HIM
seH much about looking after them. He
was born at Southampton and commenc
cd to practice his profession at the age
of 10. He was then engaged exclusively
in the handkerchief department, but lie
progressed rapidly and was soon pro-
moted to the branch of jewelry and
pocketbooks When llo was about 10
years old, he was president of the first
pickpocket trust ever formed in Eng
land.
Mrs. Valley, his mother, was good
and religious woman, and when her bad
son Joe was sent to Jail for the first
time she died of grief. Joe cried bitterly
over the loss of his mother, but soon
dried his tears and resumed his old vo-
cation. He became tired Of Southampton
and started for the capital. On his way
to London he was attacked by footpads.
He pitched into them and killed one,
but they finally succeeded i'll robbing
him, and he arrived i'll London pcnni
less. Six months after his arrival there
he found himself, as he said Sin COM
Portable circumstances. He had now
the means of extending his operations.
He founded and directed for several
years hand Of robbers i'll different
lines, including burglars, footpads,
pickpockets and sneak thieves, that was
the terror of the suburbs of London.
Most Of Valleys companions were
captured and sent to Jail, but he for
long time managed to hide himself from
the police. On one occasion he jumped
into the Thames, and the morning pa
pers came out the next day with an ac-
count of his suicide. But VALLEY was an
all round athlete, and swimming was
one of his notable accomplishments. So
he reappeared at Gravesend, where he
was the most successful blackmailer on
record. This new branch of his profess
sion amused him most, because he did
not know before he took it up that there
were SO many fools in the world as there
really are.
What he termed his very simplest
tricks brought him in large revenues.
The trust was extended until it had
members in all the principal cities Of
England, and Valley was still king, ex-
cept during the interregnum that fol-
lowed any one of his numerous convic-
tions. At last, when he became rich, he
began to think Of retiring from business
and living peaceably upon his hard earn
cd money.
His mind took religious twist, prob
ably an inheritance from his mother.
One Sunday morning, while wandering
through Victoria park, he noticed q large
crowd gathered around stand, from
which colored man was preaching.
The colored man was Cclestin Edwardy.
With the old time instinct of a pick
pocket, Valley at first thought he would
work the crowd, but he simply worked
his way near enough to the preacher to
be ablo to listen to his words, and he
did listen with the greatest attention.
He became moved, aud tears ran down
his cheeks. Then and there he confessed
his sins-no small affair. Without speak
ing of his ephemeral transgressions,
such AZ his seven or eight marriages,
Valley had amassed fortune of about
100000 by active practice i'll all the
various branches of his profession.
Upon the question Of restitution link
cd to his repentance the records are 81
lent But at all events he got religion,
and got it bad, as his pals used to say.
BE turned preacher, and was considered
one Of the most eloquent among the
lurid orators Of the open air religious
meetings in London. He became as great
o favorite among the good and righteous
as he had been among the bad and un-
godly. A great throng attended his
funeral, and in that throng, by way OF
honoring the dead, the pickpockets were
present actively.-New York Sun.
Ylorida's Orange Groves Still Live.
No reliable estimate Of the number