The Indianapolis journal., 1904-02-28
SECRET LANGUAGE USED
BY CRIMINAL CLASSES
Their Jargon Is as Greek to the
Ordinary Person-How They
Work Their Signs.
WOULD FILL DICTIONARY

LONDON. Feb 27.-"Few people seem
to realize that professional criminals form
a class by themselves as distinct as the
gypsies,' said an ex-official of Scotland
Yard. land that they have a language of
their own almost as difficult for the out
slider to understand as Romany. and a code
of signals as complicated as any secret So
ciety.'
If you were to find yourself in the COM
pany of thieves they might converse in the
frankest way about their doings without
your being much the wiser Suppose. now,
one of them was confding to his friend the
following bit of autobiography: II was
Jogging down a slum in the chapel when
l butted a reeler who was sporting a red
slang. 1 broke off his jerry and boned the
clock, which was a red one, but L was
spotted by a copper, who chained me. L
was lugged before the beak, who gave me
six doss in the steel. The week after 1
was chucked up l did a snatch near St.
Pauls, was collared, and got seven stretch ="
Now, what can you make OF that? Two
or three of the expressions such as cop
per- for policeman and ''beak' for magis-
trate, you would recognize, OF course, put
four-flfths of il would be Greek TO you
! Translated into English it means that when
the gentleman was walking down w Whlte-
chapel slum he ran up against drunken
man who wearing a gold chain. He
broke off the chain and annexed the Watcn,
which was gold one, but he was seen py
a constable. who arrested him. he was
taken before the magistrate, who gave MIN
six months hard labor. A week a1ter ne
regained his freedom he committed THEFT
near st. Pauls, was arrested and sentenced
to seven years penal servitude.
To the student of words this thiefs jar
gon is interesting. Many of the expressions
are very descriptive, such as DONG
burst" which is not at all bad way OIL
saying committing burglary; wnlIe
''fngersmith" is quite an ingenious term
to apply to a pickpocket. ,
To the thief a purse becomes a 'poge;
silver plate is, fer some unintellgloie eede res-
nizable as bank notes; Russia is pock-
etbook Ga name probably suggested by Rus
money: half a James is half a sovereign
and "spark-prop' stands for diamond
pin.
VENERABLE MAGISTRATE.
The venerable magistrate who plays such
an important part in the criminals life is
always. as we have seen, "beak," and
barrister whether prosecuting or defend
ing, is suitably described as a mouth
piece" A Tagging does duty for sem
tence, which may be so many months
''doss' or imprisonment, or so many years
''stretch''-penal servitude.
In the criminals poetic fancy a tread
mill is glorified into wheel of life," and
stealing linen becomes smuggling snowy"
He sleeps in kip instead of bed, sub
mits to ''bashing" when he is fiogged
calls the convict gang of which he is
worthy member push" and when he dies
"pawn-ticket' and not tombstone. II
he ever reaches that post-mortem dignity,
describes his virtues to posterity.
But a decent-sized dictionary could be
compiled from the words peculiar 10 the
criminal Here are a few more which, In
one way or another, are interesting: His
skeleton keys. which are so useful pro
preserver he carries is a 'needle;" bas-
ket it ''kipsy;;" cashbox conceals It's
identity under the name of Peter a mad
man is ''balmy''-a word not unknown in
more refined circles than those of GRIM
inals, and steps are dancers"
AS criminals often work together, a COM
mon code of signals by which they can
communicate with one another unobserved
is most useful. To give anything like
complete list of these signals would be i'm
possible in a short article, but a few may
serve typical of the rest.
Thus, to touch the right ear is warning
TO be careful and not say too much; TO
stroke the mustache means Come here,
want to tell you something privately" a
vigorous use OF the pocket handkerchief is
hint to pal TO step outside the bar,
wherever they may be.
BY clasping his hands one thief will
signal to his confederate to annex a ring
or by toying with his own watch chain to
relieve some unsuspecting man, on whom
they have an eye. of his watch. Scraping
the nails Is an Indication that a job is a
safe one; a silent snap Of the fingers is a
sure warning of danger In an attempt;
while, If ever you see burglar stroking
his chin to a friend, you make stake your
last shilling that some housekeeper will en-
tertain unexpected guests that night