The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-09-29
WOMEN TO BLAME.
Pickpocket Says They Garry
Valuables TemptlngIy.

Its an old story about the way
women tempt US. isn't it?" remarked
the alert and rather well-dressed man
who had just made his appearance at
police headquarters under the escort Of
a detective.
you wouldn't be finding me here
again." he went on, IF 1t weren't for
the temptations they strew in my path.
It's all on account of the fashion they
have of wearing their jewels and purs-
es so as to invite lifting l can't resist
trying my hand at the game occasion
ally. Did you ever notice how women
seem to hang their watches and jewelry
on themselves as though they were In
tended as bid for us to make try at
getting them? Well, they do, and
whenever q pickpocket is caught in one
of his deft little acts 1t might be inter-
esting to figure out how much Of the
responsibility of the crime lies with the
carelessness of women.
IT'S no use trying to reform" the
man reflected. Reforms all right until
you run up against tempting bit Of
green or a fine piece of jewelry, and
the first thing you know you've fallen
under the spell again and it's all off
with good resolutions.
This isn't the first time I've decided
to try the higher game or to chuck 1t
altogether, but I'll leave it to you hon
est and fair If 1t isn't a crying shame
the way the ladies put temptations be-
fore us fellows who are making an at
tempt to steer clear of any rocks and
lead a straighter life.
What do you suppose are the feel
ings of an old hand when he runs
across a blazing sunhurst that Is dead
easy or a dangling purse that would
take only the simplest little trick to
transfer to your inside pocket and no.
body the wiser? The wonder is that
there aren't more pickpockets, but
then 1t takes a clever hand and con-
siderable training. When l look back
over my own career-that is, since I've
grown up for, of course, / started in as
a kid can honestly say that every
time I've made an effort to reform the
whole thing has been knocked in the
head by some tempting bit on a woman.
after few months of good be-
havior everybody had forgotten my
pickpocket days, except the detectives.
About my being here today? oh, yes,
1t was one Of them new tangled bags
hung on gold chain that child could
snap in two. / was standing on the
rear end of a crowded car when two
ladies got on. One of them wore lit
tie diamond watch pinned on the front
of her bodice and the other carried a
handsome gold and jeweled purse.
Maybe this had been reserved as a
special temptation for me, SO at the
next corner / decided to quit the car
and forget all about it, but If you'll be-
lieve me, that watch and purse hanging
there before my eyes fascinated me so
that couldn't move for the life of me.
That was my finish in the reform act.
There was more exciting one, which
pn qpiW " al
cry and stage props at hand.
why it was easier than picking
those things up off the street. The
woman never knew how it happened,
and after / had found myself in pos
session of the watch and purse / came
near laughing, right out loud to think
how l still remembered all the little
tricks.
MY blood was up then and looked
about for more things to nab, and in
my eagerness and joy at being back at
the game / grew careless. Suddenly
some one collared me and there / was
caught with the goods on. After all,
it was worth it just to feel at home
again in the game. In those fifteen
minutes OF excitement and joy 1 real
lied that my trade is still in it's good
old form. So here l am, the victim
of women's temptations.
Say" continued the pickpoeket a
little later, did you ever notice how
women carry bundles and little things
under their arms, SOS to leave their
hands free to hold up their skirts and,
maybe, umbrellas? Well, that's a reg
ular snap arrangement for US, but the
way they practice 1t would make one
think that they never consider the
chance of pickpockets relieving them
of something. Slipping a bundle is no
trick at all, and by the time 1t is miss
ed the wire is blocks away. Some
times the lady doesn't know 1t until
she is home and then half the time she
thinks she dropped it somewhere. It's
really shame" he added, reflectiyely
Ito take things so easily.
"A man that's clever with his fingers
doesn't have any trouble at all snip
ping bag chains and leather straps
and in a crowd he can work as many
as he can stow out of sight before any
body gets wise.
Seems to me 1t would be a good
thing II there were some kind of a law
passed prohibiting women from raising
a rumpus If they lost any valuables
that weren't properly guarded by
themselves. We're only human, you
know, and We have to live by our wits
and picking pockets is getting to be
regular childs play."-Kansas City
Star.