Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1895-07-12
LANGUAGE IN ITSELF.
THIEVES PARLANCE AND THE EX-
TENT TO WHICH 1T PREVAILS.


business it is to deal with thieves, and who
would stop long enough to listen to their
conversation, would certainly think he had
broken into strange country where the
language was one that never could be
learned by any one.
| Whenever you hear man say that some
one "took to the high BRUSH" you will
know that he means that a man is hiding
to escape arrest. Any one who sis four
| flushing is doing something under false
pretensc or, in other words, he is bluf1ing
If "he is throwing the bull con, >" he is
simply trying to convince another of some
thing to gain his confidence. Any one
whose graft is stronger than the nuts"
has way of making money dishonesty
where the chances are more in his favor
than the three shell game, in which there
is no possible chance for the player to win.
Any one who has been Thrown down"
went into scheme with another, who at
the last minute betrayed him. The same
thing happened to q man who was "dou-
BILE crossed" A man who throws his
mitt" is pickpockct and is now called
Johnny gunstorc, " instead of dip" A
woman is known us "a mol" and man
who picks her pocket is called "a mol
buzzCr."
A man without money is referred to as
ga lobster" or "a dead one, while a man
with money is known us "a good guy"
Any woman who has money, and who will
spend it, is called "a good fellow"
mix, don't crack is n warming to the
one addressed not to say anything, as there
is a person in the crowd who should not
hear what they have been talking about
An officer Of the law is called ian ell
bow" but IA copper" is known as fell
low who furnishes the police with infor-
nation. They were formerly called
"snitches."
Confidence men, who sold gold bricks
and used other means to swindlo old farm
ers out Of big money, arc called "big mitt
men," A "strong arm guy" is highway
man or II footpad who resorts to rOughncss
to get money. To "stick up fellow" is
to stop him and take his money and yalu-
ablcs When "hc's there" the person re-
forred to is addicted to smoking opium,
but when "hc's up against the needle he
is morphine fend. "a RATHER" is rail
road train, and "a ducat" or "a broad" is
ticket or anything that will admit one
to any place where admission is charged.
Any one who tipped" to go any place had
to pay his money. To elbow a guy" is to
make him spend his money, but the
elbow off, is when the victim of a swim
dler has lost his last dollar or the time
when the swindler quits robbing the per-
son he has been working.
"a joint is game of any concern that
is working under police protection. "A
right guy" is a fellow who can be trusted,
while n wrong guy" is one under suspi-
Cion. If u man els on the square" or ION
the level" he is honest in what he does or
says. ga meal ticket" is a woman who
makes money and gives it to her husband,
who is n lOafcr, but is known as "a rat
1.-THE main screw" is the head of anything,
but any one who is 'sCrcwy" or 'nutty"
is crazy. The person with the bad lamp
has something the matter with one eye.
"Chops" means mouth, and 'his nut" re-
fers to Il mans head To "sling him.
means giving him money, and to "touch"
means to borrow. "Giving him hot one
is borrowing money in hurry, while
"giving him the long story" is trying to
borrow money on n story Of hard luck.
When you "get to a guy" you mean that
you have succeeded in approaching him.
"a wise fellow is one who knows n thing
or two, but II dead wise guy" is one who
is up to everything and could not be swim
died at any game And on the other hand
"a dummy" is one who is not well vcrscd
in the ways of the world
When "a split out" is referred to, it il
meant that some one was in trouble and
friend stepped in and separated him from
the person he is having trouble with. 1t
may be policeman or any one.
. ,rC III, n hot o1y
used when some fellow attempts to rob or
swindlc a victim whom he finds to be
smart enough to prevent it. When such
thing happens, the thief 'lamms," which
means get out of sight or escape. Johnny
Armstrong" is applied sometimes to
sandbaggcr "Wille Green" is used rs
convenient name to introduce a thief when
he does not want his name known. "Colo-
mel Fernorton" and Judge Fawnskin"
are also used. ga soft mark" is one easy
to victimizc and ga tough gazabo" is
hard one. "a good thing with the paints"
Is a fellow who can mark cards. "The
trough is a cheap restaurant, and "a
feed" is a swell eating place.
When a man is next" he knows what
is taking place The "chief fatty" is the
chief of police, and the main fly" is the
chief of detectives. A thief's "Jesus" is
his diamond stud and his suit of clothes
is his makeup" To get a thief out of
Jail is to "spring him" and to send him
to prison is to lose the key on him." If
he is "a good man in Il push" he is fol
low who will fight his way out of a crowd
when caught stealing, but "push" also
means mob of pickpockets working to-
gether in q crowd. When II man is elk
ed, =" he has some weapon, but when he is
"cleaner than turkish" he has no weap-
on of any kind. When man is dirty"
he has money, but when he is broke he is
'clean." Then, again, when one wins an
other mans money gambling he "cleans
him" To close a guy is to get rid of
him after he has been robbed. To "kipp"
is to sleep, and "to peck" is to eat. "A
cold stiff is one who has money obtained
fraudulcntly, and who will not spend it
or loan it to friend in case Of need. 1.-THE
stir" is the penitentiary, and "the BOBBY
house" is Jail. There are many others,
and new ones are springing up every day
No one knows who originates them, but
they seem to be understood by those who
use them and those addressed. Cincinnati
Enquirer.