Bisbee daily review. [volume] (Bisbee, Ariz.) 1901-1971, 1907-12-22
LONDON PICKPOcKETS
Tricky or Brutal and Vicious, Ac-
cording to Their Class.
METHODS OF THE ~GUa MOB"


sss Red Pepper rriek--t4o~ Gang
via Pluck Victim In Crowd.
~ean mob" Is simply English thieves
slang for pickpockst and his ssRg OF
observation-disclosures who reap
"A annual harvest Of anything they
Cas- iay their hands upon in a crowd.
sunner time. when race courses. sth-
letie grounds and seaside places sr
crswaed. is the pickpoekets fzysrin'
ana Essst profitable psssoa. sad whei
an event occurs Ike 4 royal Earsiel
party at Windsor the light hase7r
gentry positively chuekle.
Twenty plain clothes detectives al
tenzea the last garden party TO pre-
beet his majesty's guests from ID,
tricks Of the pickpockets. but the LATTER
left windsor richer by hundreds 81
pounds in spite of Scotland Yard aud
carried away with them the go;c
hunter watches of several OF the titles
guests
AT enc time the modern detective
was apt TO despise the pickpocket
somewhat. characterizing him as low
and not particularly clever thief. His
Ingenuity, daring and coolness today.
however, compel our admiration" To
quote one Of the cleverest detectives.
''and we feel pleased when we lay
one 81 them by the heels"
The British pickpocket's tricks are
many and various, and he is adding to
their number every day. The false
arm game is one Of the cleverest and
Is calculated to deceive a detective.
even although he may have his eyes
on the operator. A coat is thrown
loosely over false arm, which is held
naturally. Apparently both Of the
pickpockets hands are in view. while
In reality the skillful fingers Of one
hand are going through the pockets Of
the man beside him.
The use OF the pocketless overcoat, or
the cape coat, which makes an entire
cover for the hands, is an old dodge.
which nevertheless is still popular
with the pickpocket He often pre-
fers, however, to use q novel inyen-
ton known as the sash method. The
sash consists Of piece of black silk
or alpaca two yards long and three
quarters wide. 1t is folded the same
as a neck scarf and crossed centrally
beneath the coat and vest, both ends
being brought under the arms and
placed in the hip pockets OF the trou-
sers When ready for action the tool, -
as the man is called who actually
picks the pocket, places his hands be-
hind the folds of this device, and IT
enables him to conceal his purpose as
be fronts a man to rob him of his
<rousers pocket
"a tool" however, has other means
Il covering his hands without resort
sss1iz 10 the aid of coat or sash. 4
Newspaper or theater programme is
often used. Beware Of looking over
strangers shoulder to glance at a
newspaper or programme little ac
Z don we are often guilty Of when 1t
only necessitates turn of the head.
You may be risking nothing, but, on
the other hand. you may be seated or
standing by the side of a professional
pickpocket. who has only TO hold the
paper at certain angle while you are
engrossed in some item to cover his
movements as be relieves you of your
vaiuables.
The black silk handkerchief and hat
are employed in the same manner as
the paper. only the former is some
times used in the sizing method" TO
carry a supposedly crippled arm. The
eanner in which that arm would rest
xainst your face. as IL raised to avoid
: some one striking ii. while the other
3 hand fnaI< vanr Scarfnin and watch
would excite compassion from the viz
tim himself.
The pickpocket's most dastardly trick
but one, be It noted, which is only
used by the man who is too clumsy TO
perform that sleight of hand upon
which the clever thief prides himself
10 that of binding the victim with pep
per blown through a pipe The bowl
Of the latter is filed with a false bot
tom and second tube. the cavity below
the false bottom being filed with cay
enne pepper. while tobacco is placed
above It Approaching gentleman in
an I'll lighted street. the thief asks for
light for his pipe, and while the vic
tim feels for his matches he is sudden
~ blinded by a discharge of cayenne
pepper. which the scou1drel blows
through the hole In the bottom of the
pipe into his eyes. Aaddened with the
4 terrible pain. the victim presses his
hands TO his eyes. and the robber
4 snafches his watch and chain and de-
camps. to repeat his exploit on some
2 other unsuspecting pedestrian.
4 1t is not very often. however, that
the pickpocket works alone, although
women who belong to the light finger
ed fraternity-and who. By the way
are often more successful than men
usually prefer to do so. Men thieves
Ike to work in '.mobs." for the simple
reason that they can transfer the boo
die1 from one to the other In q crowd
consequently II recognized by a de-
Receive and arrested on suspicion there
Is nothing in their possession On which
they can be convicted.
Besides, confederztes-or stalls" as
they are called in the vernacular of the
'professfsn7-are necessary to do that
sittle BIT Of busting which makes the
tools task so much easier and less
ens the risk Of detection
Many are doubtless aware that tram
ermini In busy thoroughfares are
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