Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1900-01-06
TAKING A LIVING
"CRcoKs" AND THEIR QUEER WAYS
OF ATTAINING THIS END.

| Some Tricks of the Criminal Glasses Ex-
planned BY Reformed Jailbird Who is
Well Qualified to Expose the Methods
| of Crookdom.
How the other half lives in this
great city, and by what means, is Of
ten mystery to the other half, said
a reformed green goods man who,
| having been born and reared in Dun
avan's lane, the very heart OF the
criminal district of the metropolis, Is
well qualified to expose the methods
of crookdom. And yet, the rewards
of g life of thievery and wrong pay SO
well while they do pay that crooks 90
not think of the penalty which IS so
bitter after detection and capture.
The games practised upon the unwary
are manifold, and none is exempt
from being yictimized. Even clever
crooks fall victims to games that they
themselves have never heard OF. and
thus by experience learn the very latest
method of swindle.
Another way Of making living
Is by leading an innocent man INTO
questionable transaction under the I'M
preston that he is to receive large
reward for little, as with the green
goods game. Take the 'fooney' jewel
'ry game as an example. A crook
walks ahead of a likely looking man
on the street and suddenly makes e
pretence of picking up something from
the side walk. The stranger looks over
the crooks shoulder and sees him IN
the act OF opening beautiful velvet
case containing a diamond ring fresh
from the showcase. The stranger
gasps with surprise, the crook felgns
great agitation and asks the victim II
he was the man who lost the ring, at
the same time making a show OF con-
cealing the treasure. The stranger
answers In the negative. but the crook
says:-I am no hog. You were the
only one VINO saw me pick this up. and
you will not squeal on me I'll give
you half the proceeds He then leads
his victim into dark corner,
"Once there the pair examine the
diamond ring in the case, apparently
an engagement ring just purchased by
some luckless swain. The crook says
that he Is very hard UP, and as to go
TO pawnshop might lead to detection,
he tells the man to take it to the near
est jeweler to find out if it is genuine.
If so, the crook will sell his share to
the stranger for SIS. The stranger
takes the ring to 1eweller while the
crook watches outside. The ring is ap-
praised at $3.50. The stranger is de-
lighted, but as soon as they are alone
again, and wishing to drive shreWd
bargain, ne offers the crook $40 for his
interest. Taking the ring the crook
places it in the case again, and an al
tercation ensues. The difference is
split, and the stranger goes away
with the ring in the case, with the
counsel not to take it out of his pock-
ct till well out of the district. When
he examines the case and ring he finds
that the latter has been cleverly ex-
changed during the alteration for
piece of .fooney' jewelry worth tfteen
cents. and yet, so as not to appear In
the light of compromising question
able transaction, he holds his peace
This game has been worked with great
success, with many notifications. IL
every quarter of town..
81 happened upon a man the other
day whom I had not seen for many
months. He was known for years as
the greatest walking fence in the
world. He had escaped trouble by
miracle. He pretends now to have
retired on his income, but l have my
doubts about that. Men of his stamp
rarely leave the business Tor any
length of time. The game is too fas-
cinating while it is successful. This
man travelled from New York to San
Francisco He knew every crook that
did business in every important city
between them. He was like COM
mercial traveller, having stated dates
and places of meeting in every city
He dressed like castaway, yet not SO
badly that he would attract attention
He looked like poor, honest fellow
out of a job, that is all. He could
pass from the Battery to Harlem with
out ever being picked out as sus-
picious man, and yet he was literally
plastered with banknotes. He did all
business in cash. and carried, togeth-
err with his arsenal for self-protect lion,
from five to fifty thousand dollars ON
AAI%AAANtASAS
other precious stones galore.
ga favorite local renzevous was the
corner of Fourteenth street and Third
avenue. A crook would pass him.
and although they would appear to be
unknown to each 'other, the secret
number of the meeting place would be
given and later the pair would meet
There the walking fence would buy
the harvest of the crooks month OF
second story business or pocket pick
ing. and he always paid a quarter
more than any of the pawnshops. He
bought nothing but unset gems, and
never sold them in the same city
where he bought. Ills purchases IN
Cleveland ano St. Louis were disposed
of in New York and San Francisco
and vice versa.
DO oe +ho fo1nous rhnd eZvO11Sne