The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-10-26
TRAINED IN POCKET PICKING.
PRACTISED FOR HOURS on MAN
AND WIFE, BOY SAYS.

Ftfteen.Year-OId q Caught Operating
1T Williamsburg Bridge COnfesses in
ChIIdren's C~Ourt-StOre OF Booty in
Home or Couple with whom He IAved.
When LYMAN Grossman, a f~ifteen-year-
old lad Of so Ridge street, was arraigned in
the Children's Court yesterday on a charge
Of picking pockets he not only admitted
all the bad things the detectives said about
him but swore that a man had taught him
to steal and sent him out at 5 o'clock every
morning to dip.
Detectives Wall and Raab of the Union
Market station house, who arrested Gross
man yesterday morning, have been on the
lookout for him for the past two weeks.
The police say he ia one of the oleverest
pickpockets on the East Side, and while he
has been in the tolls several times he has
always managed to be discharged. He
has been plying his trade right along since
he got out Of his last scrape. they say and
successfully eluded the detectives until
yesterday.
When Wall and Raab saw the youngster
frisking the crowds near the entrance to the
Williamsburg Bridge yesterday they knew
what he was up to. They crept up and col
Jared him before he had a chance to escape
In the lads pockets we're found a gold watch
and fob, a lady's silver watch and a heavy
watch with gold and silver chasings and 50.
Grossman admitted that he had stoIen
the watches and money during the morning.
and when arraigned later in the Children's
Court before JusticeZeller he pleaded guilty.
TIT boy said his parents we're dead and that
he lived at $50 Ridge street with Harry Stein
and the latter wife.
"Does Stein know that you steal?' asked
Justice Teller. .
taught me" replied the lad. =! never stole
in my life until my mother and father died
and | went to live with him"
The ~younRster then went on to tell how
Stein instructed him for weeks in the art OF
picking rockets before he sent him out.
He said he had to practise for hours every
day on Stein and his wife, relieving them Of
wallets, pocketbooks, watches and iewelry
until he became 40 adept that he could rob
them without their knowing il. II he did
the lob in a clumsy fashion Stein would beat
him. Constant practice, however. made
him so clever at the game that a real victim
hardly ever knew he was being robbed.
Grassman told the detectives that all the
booty he got during his thicving operations
he turned over to Stein. and STEMS wife did
the pawning. Neither he nor stein ever
visited a pawnshop. Thu lad said that Stein
invariably went out with him during the day
and night and pointed out intended suck
ers." prosperous looking men and women.
Besides -capping" for the on dip
Stein, the lad alleged, very often aided him
in making a raul by engaging a victim in
conversation or holding "A newspaper in
front of him while the little thief did the
FRI skiing"
After the boy had confessed Justice
Zeller asked where Stein could be found.
Hes here in court" replied GrassInan,
pointing TO Stein who was standing A few
feet away unconscious that the lad was
squealing. .
Stein was called up and promptly placed
under arrest by Detective Wall and ta!.en
to the Essex Market police court. where he
was arraigned on a charge of receiving
stolen goods and held in 81 800 hail. The
detectives searched his house and fCund a
quantity Of stolen goods that had not been
paw ned. Stems wife was not arrested.
Justice Zeller remanded Grassman until
Wednesday. when he will be sentenced. The
police say that Stein has been ~instructing
boys how 70 pick pockets for several years
and numbers among his pupils some Of
the best known East Side -dips." many Of
whom are now serving sentences in the
Catholic Protectory and the House Of Refuge.