The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1919-07-18
If You're Going to Be Crook
or Catch EN-, Learn Their Lingo

To the layman, criminal slang Is a
strange Jargon.
The ordinary ycggman tthe most
feared thief because OF his treachcry
and sudden blows can sit and talk
and not one.tcnth OF his language be
ineligible TO the ordinary person.
Under stress of excitement. detec.
uves and patrolmcn often fall uncon,
sciously into the jargon OF the Grim
inal. An instance OF this was admir-.
ably illustrated by n city detective a
few days ago. 1t seems that well.
TODD Capitol I'm woman was telling
the detective that her residence had
been entered. The thief used pass
key and had ransacked the house
from cellar TO cupola. The main loot
comprised several diamonds.
what did she tell your" asked one
OF the police reporters.
THE gun used n screw. tumbled
the dump and glommed the rocks, :"
the detective answered.
Recently Captain OF Detectives
Charles Tenant ran across letter
written by one thief TO another:
Here IL Is:
win Puff Some Boxes"
wyoming whitie--Say. 30. ]
would have written before this. but
was unable TO on account OF having
n bum mitt. I took n wallop at a
greasy yegg CHEAP thief and put my
lunch hooks on the blink. Things
have been breaking rotten since I
saw you last. Was out with a mob
OF mol buxxers thieves who steal
from women only the other night
and boosted few skins tstole a few
purses). The best draw made in any
OF them was a powder rag, thirty
meg ldollars) and a transfer railroad
ticket. One old bowser thusky wo'
mani swung on my roof 0hea6 with
her mush tumbrella) and put my
thatch To the cleaners destroyed my
haU. And l was just after slipping
John BIS widow five smacks for II.
too paid s. for a stetson hao. ]
blew this mob quit this crowd as
their work was out OF my line and
took Jimmy the Mouse with me. We
soon sights guy met man who
looked like easy prey with swell
go.away bag fine suitcase) and he
stops TO lamp a bunch OF red neck
ties In a glass front inspected goods
in a show window and sets II down.
Jimmy stalls blocked the mans
viewI and siommed the keister
tstole the suitcase,. Well, we fenced
II for sixty bucks tpawned the suit
case for 500 as II was fun OF good
junk tpawnable articiesl. Met Hop
head Kelly, Suds German. Big Lar
son and some other ysggs IN class OF
thieves who make a speciality OF rob
bling country banks and postoffices;
they viii not hesitate 20 XIII II cor
nered, and are considered the most
dangerous outlaws IN America today
They are going down state and puff
n few boxes dynamite a few safest
Hopbead has been over the route
0xnows the ground thoroly) and has
all the gophers peggedD knows the ex-
act location of the safes TO be dyna'
mitrdb. the soup planted fnitro-giycer'
In hidden where II can be readily OBJ
tainedD and the speeders planted has
made all arrangements for escape), II
don't cop bundle OF kaie or he
doesn't make a good haul on this
hike, you'n find me Ripping dodgingi
at Hognn's Flop instead OF the An.
mex in Chi. Hell be living as a cheap
lodging house instead OF the best ho-
tel in Chicago).
Say, DO, from the tone OF your
last letter I'm beginning TO think that
YOU are In wrong with yourself lsome-
thing wrong with his brain,, You
had better lay off the stem fnuit
smoking opium or get new chef to
cook your hop tget somebody who
knows how 20 Cook" a "pill'1. Pass
10 tho yellow label furnished by the
Hip Ling Tong and try the blue label
imported by FIJI Sam Tong advises
the use OF n better brand Of opium.
Dopey Agnes says It's the best
ever. and she ought 20 know. be-
cause she's performed on the BAN
boo (~moked opium for q years."
He signed II "siim Jake"
Swell Msuthpieccs
There is a wealth Of concentrated
patness in the glossary of the thief
He calls an attorney "mouthpiece."
A title Taper" is one who raises
money on forged deeds. To the
thief a braggart is a "hand-painted
shoestring." When he refers TO a
s.bum shaft" you know he means a