Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-11-16

guest, but he said little. After a
while one OF THE Lords" went out
to get deck OF cards. The little
man followed him. Down stairs the
keen eyed stranger on his trial still,
the young man wa engaged in con
versation by a young woman well
known in exclusive Atlanta society.
We'll, by Georgia" he heard his
unknown companion mutter. Later
the little stranger accosted him with
a laugh.
Beg your pardon, friend, for but
ting in just now" he apologized. II
had picked your bunch for the pick
pockets we are aftern tonight"
A Nemesis in the Crowd.
II was merely a single illustration
Of the vigilance that held forth at
the Winecoff that night. r.nally that
vigilance was rewarded, but by the
merest accident. d. B. Gilbert. a
fire insurance man, walked careless
ly through the crowd. He saw a
clean shaver, well dressed man whose
face was familiar He looked again,
and then made a break for the house
detective. He had lost 800 in Ma
con through the work OF certain
dips"
The prosperous looking man who
had caught his eye was in company
with several other men. The eleva-
tor door opened for load, and along
with a bunch OF others. the party Of
the well dressed stranger entered. SO
did Mr.. Gilbert and the officer
While the car was in Its flight Gill
bert spoke out.
Keep The door closed" he warned
the elevator man. There are pick
poplyate bsra Dnp't Lat fharn
out"
A woman screamed The party Of
strangers fought like bulls in a pen.
One made his way through thea door
and down the hall. Gilbert tripped
one and held him. Two others sur
rendered.
The three who we're arrested gave
their names as w, NJ Rayner. OF Bir-
mingham, q. l.. Peterson, OF Knox
vile. and II, e. Barnard. OF Louis
vile. They were bona fide pickpock-
cts, the detectives assert. In the
Innings of their coats and vests, and
in odd parts OF their trousers, unex-
pected pockets were found, in which
money and various bits of jewelry
were discovered.
Prisoners Have Friends.
The detectives found that the three
fiuences In their behalf were being
worked. A lawyer was employed.
One Of the trio made bond OF $1,000
for his appearance before Recorder
Broyles. The other two We're held.
When the time for the hearing be-
fore the Recorder came, the pickpock-
ct who had made bond failed to ap-
pear. The town was secured for him,
but he was nowhere to be found,
Waving examination through their
attorneys, the others were bound over
under the sum OF $1,000 each to await
the action OF the Fulton County
Grand Jury.
But since the day Of this haul by
the police only one or two evidences
of the presence of pickpockets in At
lanta have been dlscernible, The 9TH
ers Of the invading army, II is be
lieved, fled, chagrined at the vigi-
lance of hotel detectives and the city
force and dismayed at the arrest of
their friends.
"Of course there 10 an organiza
tion, and these men are members of
It," said Chief OF Detectives Lanford
yesterday THAT much ought to be
common knowledge. At least 1t is
well known to the police. and their
methods. too.
These men, for instance, who
came TO Atlanta, sent an advance
agent He familiarized himself with
members of the detective force. so
| whenever the bunch Of workers found
an officer near them. That explains
the difficulty regular members of the
force have in apprehending them.
| The Advance Agent Comes.
Usually the advance agent of the
organised pickpockets comes into At
lanta when big event Is pending
We always look for them about circus
time or when such things as the auto
mobile show or big football games
are on. This scout obtains rooms
somewhere near the police headquar-
tiers, and learns the faces and the
presence of the detectives. Look
here. for instance"
He led the way to a balcony or
the front of the police station. jutting
out over Decatur street. From its
vantage point II was easy to see into
the second story window OF a build
ing next door.
an that room" he said, I've caught
a little army Of them one year. II
was when President Cleveland came
to town. and when all Atlanta was
out to welcome him. 1t was a great
harvest Tune IpI the ups. we SPOT
ted the lookout in the room across
the way, watching us. But we watch.
ed him even more closely. and wher
others Joined him. we caught then
all.
Usually they travel with a WON
an, who acts as banker. But thi,
time there was no trace OF woman
attached TO the bunch whose mem
bers we caught at the Winecoff Ho-
tel.
Pockets Cut by Knives.
This bunch used the same meth
DDS Some OF them were armed with
| little scissors with which thev r'>',oa
diamond studs and scarfpins from the
owners ties They had sharp KNIVES
with which they cut out the entire
money pockets OF their victims. Some
Of the party watched the banks on
pay days, ascertaIning the men who
drew out big sums for pay rolls.
They would always work in threes
So much was easily learned from all
he complaints that came to us. For
instance. one man would board n car
ust in front of an intended victim
He would stand hesitatingly on the
step for second or two, as il un-
lectded, The victim. lust behind him
. would be thus held un. and the second
me or two would be enough for the
, 'ther crook. who stood JUS behind. 70