The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1916-05-04
HOW DIPS" PLY TRADE.
Pickpockets Usually Go in Mobs and
Help Each Other.

The police of Chicago contend that
pickpockets have national organiza-
tion like the American Federation of
Labor. New York detectives deny
this, saying that the pickpockets
work in mobs of four to twelve. One
mob is not bound to another by any
organized union.
Two pickpockets in jail in Chicago,
charged with robbing a bank, sent a
telegram to a New York address, say
ing:
For Manny-NIake collection and
come on quiet. Framed; bad Able,
Pinkie'
Capt. Hunt, of the Chicago police,
says this note upholds his contention
that thieves have nationwide or
ganization. When arrested in one
town they give bail and hire attor-
neys.
THE idea that all the dips, as they
are called, are bound together in one
grand federation" said Val, O'Far-
rell, head of the Val O'Farrell Detec-
tive Agency, is a fallacy. They
work in mobs numbering as high as
ten or twelve members. The men,
bers are bound to protect each other.
If part of the mob should be arrested,
say in Chicago, they would wire to
members of their own mob, who, for
instance, might be in New York. The
New York members would telegraph
money to professional bondsman to
get them out of Jail. Then the New
York members would send delegate
with money to fee lawyer, who
would get their pals out of court.
But should all the members of
mob be caught at once there would
be no one to help them. Other mobs
would not come to their assistance.
They have not yet achieved such
solidarity. They do not have any
banners, notices, parades nor
speeches in union square. They
could not afford to adopt the slogan,
'Pickpockets of the world, unite!
You have nothing to lose but the po-
lice, and you have the world to win
"All the members of mob are not
seized at the same time That is the
secret of their mob organization.
They divide up, so that part of the
gang will be free to come to the aid
of the others if anything happens.
They take up a collection from men,
bers of their own, mob and borrow
from other pickpockets. The other
pickpockets are not under any obli-
cation to lend, and they do so only
on the promise of being repaid. With
what money the out-of-jail members
of the gang have and what they can
borrow from women friends and 9TH
er pickpockets they go to the rescue
of their pals and hire lawyer with
political pull. He soon gets them
out, with perhaps ten-dollar fine
instead of penitentiary sentence.
Each mob knows lawyer and a
bondsman in every city. One mob
recommends it's lawyer and bonds
man to another mob. So that while
they do not have a national union
that retains these lawyers by the
year on fixed salary, the effect Is
much the same. The pickpockets
have nationwide facilities for keep
ing out of jail and the lawyers have
plenty of cases yielding enormous
fees. 1t is the lawyers political pull
rather than his legal knowledge that
saves the day for the pickpocket.
They don't need any national dips
union as long as the free lance gangs
have the addresses of these lawyers.
There is an old song that says:
Sailors have sweethearts in every
port,
And drummers in every town.
1t might be paraphrased thus:
"Pickpockets have bondsmen in every
port,
And lawyers in every town.
The New York detective bureau re-
fused to discuss the Chicago charge
of national organization.