Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1905-04-21

Journey Considered Unlucky-Antpathy Of
Yellow Dog to Be Avoided-A Cat Cross
ing the Path at Night Is a Sign That the
Crook Should Turn Back - Good Luck to
Work Wedding Party and Bad to Pilfer at
Funsral-Don't Steal From Cross.Eyed
People-All Believe in Dreams. and Avoid,
if Possible. Swearing by the Book.
Washington Star.
A Washington crook who has been
over the road" several times to Tren-
ton and Moundsville, and who de-
clared he is going to reform, was dis.
cussing some of the tricks of the trade
In front of one of the city mis-
sions. The conversation finally re-
verted to the superstitions which are
prevalent among thieves and crimi.
nails. The Washington man said while
he was in prison he had talked with
many crooks on this subject, which
was, he added, an interesting one to
him.
"On my last tour to Trenton" he
said to Star reporter, met up with
an old fellow who has been in the pro-
flesh for many moons. From him l
got data enough to fill up my book
on superstitions connected with the
business"
He said many of these beliefs came
from England. One of them is that
no pickpocket would think of "work.
ing" unless he has about his person
charm of some sort. These some
times consist of lucky penny. a small
stone or some other article which the
wearer believes possesses mystic
power against ill-luck. He met q
pickpocket at Trenton who carried in
his pocket the finger bones of an old
woman whose hand was amputated in
a railroad accident. The owner OF
this uncanny charm claimed that he
resurrected the hand from the spot
where it was buried near hospital,
:" in the light Of the full moon." Whom
the fellow lost the charm one day he
delared misfortune would soon over
take him.
"And it did," said the Washington
man, for in less than week he was
pinched by a New York bull and is
now doing a five-year stunt in one OF
the State pens."
Should thief be riding in vehicle
OF any kind and the horse suddenly
slips or stumbles, he regards that as
warning that he must refrain from
"work" on that day. Almost all pro.
fesssonal thieves regard the Bible with
awe. Under ordinary circumstances
they will lie with impunity, but they
wilt when the Bible is placed in their
hand when on the witness stand and
resort to all sorts Of schemes to evade
kissing the holy book. To kiss the
Bible and then tell what is falee they
regard as sure to bring the worst sort
OF ill.luck, which veteran crooks de-
clare will follow the perjurer all the
days of his or her life. Therefore TO
evade kissing the book some OF them
kiss the thumb that is helping to hold
the book instead of the actual Bible.
They have an utter disregard, it is
said, for the practice of affirming by
holding up the right hand. which is in
vogue in some of the Washington
courts, and when a fellow has told
lie to the court after raising his hand
he will explain that he has famed
the Judge" or the "wise gazaboo," as
his honor is termed.
A policeman is known as "a bull"
because for q thief to see a real bull
when he is out of "job" is q sure
sign that he will either have an en-.
counter or . foot race with police
man, constable or some other officer
OF the law.
Another omen of evil to thief is to
have a yellow dog bark or snap at him
when he is out looking for "work." "
To have cat cross his path at night
when he is going to perform job is
also considered sign of bad luck. In
the legends of thievery it is related
that the noted English highwayman,
Claude Duval, came to bis death event.
ually by ignoring the warning given
him by q" big black cat with cleaning
eyes which crossed his path on the
Charing road"
To steal a purse containing foreign
money is regarded by the purloiner as
certain that before the year is over he
will have travelled in strange lands. 1t
is good luck for pickpocket to find
gold in q purse he has stolen from
some person at wedding, while
it is equally bad luck to work" at a
funeral.
Funerals and the houses OF death
are regarded by every class of crimi'
nails as token OF ill.luck. To meet a
funeral while going to a "crib" that
is to be cracked" means that death
or imprisonment awaits the attempt.
Cross-eyed men and women are i'm
mune from the attention Of the GRIM
inal classes. Even . shower OF coun.
terfeit money will never attempt to
get rid of any of the "queer" by pass
ing it on a cross-eyed man or woman.
All thieyaa ar, heiieyars in DIRE AIMS,