Gilpin observer., 1906-07-19

often gets the better or his opponent,
hired for his sagacity and paid to
catch the thief. the hold-up and the
burglar. is sufficient indication of the
average superiority of wit possessed
by the professional criminal when
compared to the criminal catcher.
One quick-witted thief can often keep
100 famous sleuths busy without re-
suits for weeks, months and years,
and be plying his particular calling
all the time. The old adage that
the same amount of ingenuity expend-
ed by the average criminal in earn
ing a dishonest living would, IL ap-
piled. be the means of his achieving
unlimited success in legitimate busi-
ness channels is exemplified in GRIM
inal records every day in the year.
There is vast difference between
the methods of the old and the new
pickpockets. Criminologists OF world
wide reputation tell us that there is
a new school of pickpockets arising
which is SO far more astute than the
pioneers of that class that the old
timers. skillful though they may have
been, are themselves occasionally
victimized by the youngsters"
There are probably hundreds of
young fellows in Chicago, ranging
from Is to 20 years of age, who are
SO far ahead of the older pickpockets
that it is impossible without an in
innate knowledge of their operations
to form fair idea of their skill. For.
merly when a pickpocket took his vic.
TINS watch he was satisfied to twist
1t from the ring that held it to its
chain. This method is quite obso-
lete now. The younger element in
the light-fingered profession consider
themselves disgraced and unfit for
honors unless they can take watch.
chain. charm and whatever may be
attached to the other end of the
chain in the opposite waistcoat pock-
et They consider the ancient sys-
tenn coarse work.
An inspector. whose intimate ac-
quaintance with criminals dates over
a period of several years, declares
that he has never yet had personal
experience with alleged schools for
the education OF thieves along the
plan originated by the late Mr.. Fagin.
of the Dickens period. But whether
there are Fagin schools for pckpock-
cts or not. 1t is n positive fact that
in the larger cities Of the country
the pickpocket problem at this period
is a very serious one, and far more
difficult to deal with than was the
case several years ago. In those
days the professionals were not near.
ly SO numerous as they are now, and
nine times In ten when the detectives
became acquainted with the details OF
a Job in the pocket.picking line they
could tell offhand who did 1t, and
all they had to do was to look up
the man or woman whose peculiar
kind of handiwork was shown in the
crime. In those days, too. there were
less people in Chicago who bought
stolen goods, and 1t was compare.
lively easy matter to trace anything
lost through the pocket.picking proc.
ess.
Formerly, too, there were n few
concert halls. principally In the
"levee" districts. where the thieves
used to congregate, and the police
often found the criminals when they
went after them In these places.
working on the theory that where
the molasses Is there you will find
the flies" Thieves who acquire their
money quickly and occasionally In
considerable sums almost invariably
make q bee line for some place where
their female acquaintances congre-
gate. The pickpocket. the burglar
and the hold.ur man are usually