The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-12-11

TURN OF The WHEEL
The Local Cyclists Warned
Against "Snatchers,"
"Con-Men" and
"Crushers."
LIVE sPoRTlNGG0SSIP
Payonia Yacht Club Elects New
Understanding, Boxing
and Bowling.
SPORTING GOSSIP

3 @--- As Al
Local wheelmen are warned against
bicycle thieves. Cycle theft has reached
astounding MpEoportiQhsA & 1t is some
thing to which all are subject. and
gains which wheelmen should guard
themselves N~spestsAis can. Bicycle
thieves areas rms. expert riders,
which is probably daamed as part of
the "profession<n-Dsrias-the past few
days several losses of wheels have been
reported. Thief-proofsSlock and other
patent devices seem to be no safeguard
against this. ciasS of thieves. and it is
almost unsafe for a cyclist to leave his
machine even in front of his residence.
Unlike Other caimsss icycling stealing
carries with it scertafn amount Of pro-
lection to the light fingered, or, rather,
the rapid pedsHpgs2Heopfe who engage in
alike now that 1t IS Only necessary TO
make a few alterations and change the
name. plate and number to give the
wheel such an entirely different appear
ance that ut is almost impossible even
for an expert to recognize it. Then,
again, there are SO many cycle manufac-
turers in the field that almost n name
plate will answer the purpose of helping
to cover up a wheels identity.
In many instances the police are the
best friends of the cycle thief. AS a
rule. the police seem to be pretudiced
against the wheelmen. although it is
gratifying to notice that they are be-
ginning to look upon them in the proper
light. There is a certain amount of
hesitancy on their part in looking for
cycle thieves. and they are probably in
fuenced by the knowledge that 1t is
very hard to secure a conviction owing
to the ingenious methods employed in
altering wheels. the ease of disposing
them. and generally the inoffensive and
innocent appearance of the culprit. On
Sunday Frank Eveiand recovered two
wheels which had been stolen from him
a few weeks ago. Mr.. Epeland traced
the culprit to New York, n after the
authorities there get through with him
Mr.. Eveland proposes to have melted out
to him a dose of Jersey justice.
The detective of a well known wheel
mans protective company says the
thieves are of three classes, known TO
each other and the police a. snatch
ers," ~s'crushers'' and sscon-men."
"Snatchers', are those thieves who,
when seeing a wheel standing at the curb
will walk into the store outside of which
the wheel is left, look around the store,
and if questioned ask for a direction or
something else. and then walk out to
the curb and. pretending, and all appear
ances leading one to believe that the
wheel belongs to him. mount it and ride
OF. Should a policeman see this occur,
he would naturally think the wheel be-
longed TO the rider. being deceived by
outside of which the hes was stand
ing, and naturally would pay NO az.
commoniy resorted to- and to a certain
extent proves more profitable, for the
wheel Is taken without envy identity.
description or trace being ieft OF the
The .crushers,, are known to the pub
he the as me 6fogia py Which ghs 1ef they ce breas in arom a
place. by crushing In the door or WIN
store and depend upon their respectable
appearance and gift Of eloQuence to be-
guile the not untrusrful proprietor INTO
name and reference. and to an appear
ances appearing. to be a thoroughly re,
S 50 rs aSeI party pyople 4 is TICK te ae oa1sa fef fReml
selves thoroughly with the employees of
bicycle stores. also a few of their Gus,
edge IS obtained they win wait until
there rev IS e 2 snagss / Of Il en aBs Store or a Hnsei
into the store. giving the name and ad,
been hired ON several occasions. The
employee in charge of the store will refer
to his rental "a book nan,s ana nd me- i9 e ng t6 oe
any trouble with him. VITA naturally
TT srf1 him rhs Sav veo q Wheel. WV When enD the dealer e
n~ealazes that he has been buncoed ne
wonders how the thief eyer learned OF
o1ssn; after fsa t iasain WIFI ael Hsssa y p 5nsse
sg5s T T. sdre that e IN il 'e %iil T e. a ssaRaE e ride ths
and bal bargain to have the Wheel repaired.
leave his wheel. and obtain another to
ride home Mich This i nr Is aGne no mo ro'a sals.ba e
than the mi which had been stolen.
The wheel TO be repairsd seldom re
as either detectives will walk into the
place. and. recognizing the wheel as
being the property Of some N E. else gsw s to
Strange to say. wheels which are hired
By she Of " e asaiars. ar Hea hfiaissai,tSS That the The
from one dealer to another. the thief
done. the Wheel viii be soid e some
a a~esnresen oga e tG who, %in e ship iapm the as wsee j
out Of town and thus cause consider
able trouble to those looking for it.
Castle Pointers to smoke Up.
The Castle Point cyclers have not Gov
cred themselves With glory thus far in
the bowling tournament OF the Assocf-
ated Cycling Clubs OF, New Jersey tour
nament, but the team has been over
will have to do one tell hustling.
Wiil4AboIish Glass q.
It is rumorerf Hia t. the Racing Board Of
recommend the abandonment of he semi
professional form of bicycle racing as x
men, Observation-Disclosures are al
lowed to receive salaries and have then
expenses paid bya 1fHahafacturers whose
wheels they ride. They are not allowed
to ride for CASH prizeSG but must compets
for such prices as arbengeneraiy given
for amateur competition. The class was
created to relieve the afaatepr ranks
from competition Bfhtr thenfnen who were
employed by tbeJ meaoers. Of wheels, and
who, while carried yQ5D ahe pay-roiis as
statesmen, clerks, etc. eWeFeoin reality do
Ing nothing bMfggptpgfround the country
racing to advertise the wheels of their
Almost since the creation of this semi
SaTl0w ~comn1nxiOn.