The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1904-05-10
THIEVES OF MEXICO.
The Willy Rateros Will Steal the Coat
OF Your Back.
Kansas City Star.


There arc no burglars i'll Mexico
and for a very simple reaSon-the
DAYTIME and the public street AFFORD
the adroit ratero such easy opportun-
tiles for appropriating other people ;
property that it really is not worth
his while to bother with night raids
or 70 take the risk OF forcing an ELL
trance into private houses.
Other countries. other customs
the ratero is an institution i'll MeNlco'
and like the rest OF the Mexican IN
sti;utions he is indigenous to the soil
The sneak thief in other countries Is
d product OF civilization human mill:
the burglar is poison separated
somewhere in the process OF milling.
The ratero is nothing OF the sort. he
IS lust a. legitimate product, luSt
as much a part OF the regular output.
as any other member OF society. lie
is without shame or rcpr"ach III MS
calling and is quite al peace with
mankind.
There is a diversity i'll the methods
OF these thieves, ranging from the
audacity OF a moments impulse to the
most elaborately plotted trap. Bold
specimens attack a victim suddenly
and rely upon the surprises for an eS-
cape. A man descending from street
car has the diamond snatched from
his scarf before his feet have ta'rIy
touched the ground. and by the time
he has caught his breath the thle1 is
lost in a crowd. 4 woman stops to
gaze in shop window in busy San
Francisco street in the capital city.
and her richly embroidered cloak Is
ierked from her shoulders. and the
ninable footed ratero disappears be.
fore nearby gendarme gets the
alarm.
\ crowd gathers in the street to
watch a horse fallen on the slippery
asphalt pavement. or procession on
A fiesta day. and the very hats are
nor safe on the heads OF respectfully
dressed people, or it may be on Sun
day. when al the suburban trans
are crowded. and the little stations as
well. that long arm is thrust INTO
the open window OF starting cleo
rr;c car and several hats gathered be-
lore any one knows what has hap
pened. .
The more willy and conSlderate OF
the calling avoid giving these rude
shocks to their prey. These are the
ones who, annex pocketbooks and
watches SO quietly that the loss is
only gradually appreciated and VINO
teach women the Jolly OF wearing
dangling ornaments in the street.
Often thcv are So elegantly dressed
that no one could object 10 beng
.elbowed BY them. while the plausl-
bic situations they create attest their
lively wits. Certainly they supply
an ever fresh flow OF stories. many
OF them too wildly impossible to De
told of any other country.
Some wears since a travelling iakir
OF the popular loud mou'hed type az
rived in the capital and set up his
booth in the Plaza mayor. The eA-
traction Of teeth without pain was the
lure that drew a throng and several
successful performances made good
the promise. His rather primitive
method was to FIRE pistol close to
the patients head at the moment OF
gripping the molar The shock OF the
noise, suficed to ditract the suffer
er's attention. and on the whole there
were few complaints.
At last we'll dressed Mexican
pushed his way through the crowd
and. moaning over his aching TOOTH
seated himself in the chair.
(which one?" asked the densist
biskly.
The man hesitated moment.
The smallest on the left side. he
finally answered.
But the tooth appears perfectly
sound" said the dentist. after SUI
yey.