Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-07-12
TRICKS OF KNAVES.
Ingenious Methods by Which officers
Of the Law Are Evaded.

FROM Casseils Saturday Journal.
To the habitual criminal 1t is often of
vital importance that he should be able
to communicate swiftly and secretly with
an accomplice, either to elaborate
scheme of rascality or send a warning OF
imminent danger from the police. No
body knows better than he however, that
by availing himself of the orthodox chan
nels he runs the risk of discovery. Hence
it is becoming a common practice for
clever rogues never to communicate in a
straightforward way If they can avoid it.
but. irstead. to set up and use peculiar
post ofhceS. which are essentially their own.
A typical case was, that of a man who
was wanted in connection with certain
notorious turf frauds When the warrant
was issued he sought shelter in shabby
lodgings in a back street not five miles
from the Bank of England. He had friends
who strongly objected to his capture main
~ because his appearance in the dock would
nave led to unpleasant consequences to
themselves. But they were all SO well
known to the police and detectives that it
was impossible for them to send message
directly to the fugitive. even though he had
adopted an alias, much less to pay him
visit. All of them, however agreed to
Keep watch on his behalf and to send him
word Immediately they had reason to fear
his place of refuge was In danger of dis
covery and the time come for him to make
final bolt
One of the watching gang learned of the
coming danger to the fugitive by methods
ne saw nit not to talk about and carelessly
sent the servant of his lodgings to dis
patch wire to another of the allies in
Edinburgh to the effect that his aunt was
dead. The bereaved nephew mastered his
srlef SO far as to in turn dispa-ch a wire,
accompanied by a telegraph money order
TO hosier in the city of London desiring
him to send half a dozen black ties TO a
given address without delay The articles
were duly taken to the t1erna in
ment by an unsuspecting errand boy and
the trick was done. Every apparently in
slgnlhcant detail was part of previously
arranged code. The firm sending the ties
their number and color-all conveyed hint
to the person most interested as to the
safest mode of flight, the best port at which
TO attempt embarkation and the very street
IN which he was to joStle against q sup
posed stranger who was to surreptitiously
transfer to him store Of money and his
passage counter-foils, which had been taken
under false name.
Nothing is too elaborate or ingeniousIy
audacious to men playing a game the loss
OF which means penal servitude to them
In midland town lived in lordly style
and the odor of outer responsibility a per
son who was strongly suspected of being
IN league with gang of ''smashers"-that
Is, co1ners-who also disposed of sham for
elgn notes and did quite brisk business in
worthless securities. There was no doubt
that, while they were all scattered about
the country, their operations were being
directed by master mind. whom the au-
thorlt1es had no moral doubt was identical
with the aforementioned gentleman who
may be called Smith. Smith was never to
be seen in dubious company, and the post
man never brought him a letter which he
ne was not willing to affably show to any
Dody. For months there came to Smiths
house every morning young milkman with
a placid smile and a shiny brow of inno-
cence. He had set himself UP to explain
10 his customers generally, with legacy
lett to him by his uncle
he handed quart can of milk in at Smiths
area door-and every morning Smiths lille
gal correspondence was lying at the bot
tom or that quart can in metal box. and
the stout cook who took it in for appear
ances are shockingly decetfuD was one of
the most cool and daring of all Smiths
tools, while the milkman was another The
smashers had set him up in business
simply and solely that they might have an
innocent address to which to send the mis-
sives 1t was his duty to deliver