The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-10-23
BEWARE OF THIEVES
POLICE CAPTAIN WARNS PUbLIC
 AND VISITORS. N
c..s.,, Taylor Expects Great Grewa Tu~.ssx to see Pres1Aent and Thinks Pfckpockets Will
 Be Here.

"Rewarc of pickpockets, citizens, Ileaye your diamonds, jewelry and other yaIuab bIes at home and have somebody there to look after them next Tuesday when President Roosevelt visits the city
 These were the words of warming | spoken last night by Police Captain w. H. Taylor of the Montgomery depart ment. He believes that the utmost pre- caution should be taken by the people of Montgomery to guard against what are believed to be gangs of pickpock- cts who arc following the Presidential party in it's trip through the South. Captain Taylor says that the police force will be so busy Tuesday that he advises every person to be on the watch and assist the police.
 Information comes from Atlanta that a gang of pickpockets got in their work there Friday, while the President was In Atlanta. Thirty-one cases of this nature were reported to the police department of that city and only two arrests were made. These two thieves were caught by the persons. from whom they were endeavoring to secure valua- bles. Out of every twenty cases of pickpocketing. says Captain Taylor, an average of only one thief Is caught. II tn person whose pocket Is picked does not catch the thief at the time the police have small chance of apprehend- ing him. In a great many instances, the thieves have been apprehende,l through jewelry which they left with pawnbrokers.
 Among the police of the different cit ics, there is general belief that there are well organized gangs of thieves which go into the cities which the Pres ident visits. Owing to the great crowds that assemble
 'srhe places where these pickpockets usually get in their work" said Captain Tavlor. fare where the crowds are dens- est. Now. on Tuesday. I should think the greatest throng will consreeate around the Capitol where. the speaking takes place and here Is where the peo- ple want to be Oh their guard. Prop abIy just as the President opens ms mouth to begin the delivery of his ad- .fress. the thieves will begin to oper- ate. There will also probably De tnick crowds lining Commerce street. Dexter Avenue and the utmost precautions should also be used by persons along these thoroughfares.
 "Pickpockets have various methods of going after valuables. While the crowd is congested. man may walk ,n in front of you, put his hand on vour shoulder, force your head pack- wards, and with his other hand take a valuable scarf pin or diamond stuu which may be passed immediately pack to confederates. The person may nan tbe thief but he has gotten rid Of the articles and there IS no evidence apainst him. great many of these thieves carry pair of plyers made especially for the business. With It a stone is neatly cut of from it's base | and the stone falls back into sack at- l tached to the pliers. A great many of 1 the thieves walk 'ur to the side of q person and take his watch, fob and money from his pocket in quiet. un- observed manner"
 Captain Taylor says that on the day
 of the Presidents visit. both the day
 and the night men, and the detectives | including his plainclothes men. will be ] in service, but with all these. he thinks | he will hardly have enough facilities to insure safety. The police will be kept
 busy in forming the line of march and keeping the crowds in check without
 being able to watch for thieves.
 l A squad of policemen will be at the lCnion railway station when the Pres l idential party arrives. and. as soon as
 the line of march has been formed tc
 the Capitol this squad will get in ve- l hcIes and be driven swiftly to the Cap 1 itcl where they will reinforce another squad at the State House. The union
 station squad will reach the Capitol
 ahead of the Presidential party. "I want each person to take 1t upon himself to beware of pickpockets," said Captain Taylor.