The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-03-11
THE LANGUAGE OF CRIME
Slang a Valuable Asset TO Detec1
tives and Police.
Necessary In Order to Gain the Con-
fdence of the "CIass'-The .sstooI'
as n servant of Law and Order
How tn Get Tips on the '.Game."

Slang is necessity in police parlance.
for without 1t a line OF mutual under
standing between thieves and their enc
mics would surely disappear. 1t Is USE
less for the critic 70 point out that Web
ster says slang is "unmeaning language" :"
because to the detective and the thief as
well it means everything. In the life of
the '.other side" it is a source OF enlight-
enment. and 1; is understood and appre-
cisted by police and criminals alike
There is a detective at headquarters. a
veteran of twenty years service. who
last sSsht told something of the adyan-
tage of the use OF slang. He believes 1t
necessity; that thieves would look
askance at the detective who addressed
them in the language of the drawing
room' say after this fashion: Pardon
me, sir, but | wish a little information
concerning the theft of a diamond breast
pan, said to have been lost on PennsyI-
Vania Avenue northwest several days ago
Can you assist me in any way?' Il is ap-
parent that such language might be ac-
ceptable to the -four hundred" of society
but to the thief 1t would be weli-nigh ua-
intelligible. Therefore detectives follow
their avocation with slang as a watch
word. much as trained dog follows his
scent.
1t Is true all thieves have a peculiar
regard for the man who can show them
the badge" said the detective last night.
'but once he was out of sight, there
would be mighty laugh at the duck
who addressed them In the language of
the parlor. Now I know the class we'll
enough not TO be misunderstood, for II is
well defined among us that a 'geezer.' as
they call us. would seek information in an
entirely different way. Now suppose the
theft of a diamond pin has been reported.
and | am assigned to the case. Ny first
effort is to make a connection which
means to hunt up some one of my
stools, one of those loiterers ABOUT the
saloons, the streets, or the clubs, as the
case may be. With him 1 must always
be a jolly good fellow; must drink while
the wine is red, and generally must face
the task without f1inching. Every wise
detective has such buddy on his staff.
for the stool is almost invaluable He
hangs about places where thieves congre-
gate: buys drinks for the crowd with the
detectives money, and tells of days past
when he did jobs before he lost his
nerve:
But it happens that stool does not
always gain the desired information, for
thieves at times become 'leary of him.
and naturally shove on that is. leave
him to think 1t over as best he can. Then
| must go out among the class myself.
Generally the thieves know me. and, Of
course, / know them. SO | enter a sa-
loon or hang out with a jolly hello
gather the crowd about me, and buy
drinks for all In sight. | am then a good
thing but | must drink what the thief
drinks, be it whisky or wine. so that there
may arise no suspicion in his mind After
several rounds many of the thieves draw
off, that is leave the saloon. leaving me
with a few 'intimates for whom | have
been searching. If there is stranger In
the crowd as frequently happens. 1 en-
that he is "A wise one, yet unknown To
my friends among the class Again II
the stranger is pointed out to me by
friends as student, | know he is yet
n training, learning the handicraft of
he class and. therefore. not likely TO
nave turned a trick of any particular
size.
after a while I tell my 1ntimates' in
The class what am after; that there are
many squeals, meaning complaints.
rom the Dig Seventh Street stores, Ave
lue establishments, or elsewhere as the
nature of the 'squeals to them; again
ask them If they can help me I'LL the
dill. And many times | am given tip
IN the game
1T is true that there are many thieves
Who would willingly make a holler (tell
what they klow), but they are afraid OF
YOU, so you must set the pace. They are
lfraid, too of losing their graft that is.
10 be disowned by their fellow crooks.
should 1t become known that they had
peached.' These willing ones. too, will
stick by you if you do by them. but It
-akes careful pilot to steer the bark
through the meshes and rocks of slang
diplomacy into the harbor of success.