Year: 1869

shc WIS last ehopplng, ana 30 VIC get
off easy enough Tho stories about
throwing a bullet, which is shut into
the pocket book, and is fastened TO a
slender cord, is a humbug, and any
person Of sense ought to know it."


"Now, as to getting watches and
jewelry !"


"We don't do it-that is, the best
of us don't-unless we are hard up.
Some poor sticks make a business Of
stealing watches, but they are inferior.
If We want mans watch, we manage
pretty much the same way as if we
were after his money. No; we don't
cut the chain. We get the.watch out
of his pocket easy enough, and twist
the ring out OF il. Some of the old
fashioned ones have the ring riveted,
and make a loud snap but the thing
is easy. Then we get new rings put
in and have the numbers altered
christening we eoallit-and sell them
TO the fences For a watch worth
5000 we get from $40 to $50. Silver
watches we don't bother with Chains
we rarely get except by force, and
they amt worth much unless solid,
then we have them melted down, as
we also sometimes have the cases."


"As TO diamond pins and studs 2"


"That's a trick that requires bold
ness and skill. The usual manner of
doing il is for the operator, carrying
cloak or coat on his arm, to meet
the victim, behind whom come the
confederates. As if by accident, be
runs plump against his man, and
thrusts the coat into his face with one
arm, while with the hand Of the other
he snatches the pin. If there is any
row the coniederates pitch in, and all
get away in the confusion"


"But can you take money from a
mans inside coat or vest pocket 2"


"Of course, the same plan is adopted
as with the pin. We spot a man on
the cars and watch him; get some
distance forward Of him and my two
pals behind when he starts to leave
the car hurry forward of him and
they hurry back; ! get out ahead Of
him and turn around to meet him,
while my confederates have come out
and got close behind him; rush
against him in front and they do so
behind j shove the coat in bis face
with one hand and dive for the money
with the other. Sometimes we follow
a man for two or three days, and when
we are sure be has got u good pile
with him we are bound to get it, and
unless he is protected we do get it one
way or another"


"But how do you know a man has
a good pile 2"


"Oh, that's easy enough. In the
first place, We spot agents from the
country who are in the city 10 buy
goods, and then there is no difficulty
in finding out where they keep their
money. The principle Of the whole
thing is, that a man having an unusu.
ally large amount Of money on his
person will be so careful of il that he
will often feel TO see whether it is safe
Besides knowing these men we watch
them, and so learn which ones are the
most promising. Sometimes, too, the
operators who stay in New York OF
other large cities are informed by
brokers clerks and others they
get a small share, about five per
cent Of the gains of a certain
merchant or banker having IN his
possession a large sum; if this is
known, the man very likely loses his
money"


"Nell, George, what is the average
amount taken from a mans pocket !!


at isn't so very much. have fol
lowed a man two or three days with
my pals, and only got S5 or So from
him, because he kept the bulk of his
money in drafts. We get slipped up
in that way once IN a while Then
again, / have 'raked in as much AT
$4,000 But good average is $50
and that is very good in ordinary
times"


"Finally, what is the great danger



in this business Z"


at is that we get too bold, and thai
we generally drink and gamble. If J
should have two good confederates
and all of us should be strictly temper
ate and moral, we never would b,
caught. Why there is B--n, Of Brook
lyn, who is worth $50, 600, and he hai
never been arrested But | tell you
Capt, that if could make a gooC
living honestly, would do il bu
everybody is down on me, and ! can
get any work, and so am forced L
steal. can do it pretty well, to b,
sure but | don't like the continua
fearand suspense The safety guards
are humbugs, and don't amount t.
anything"


"Thcn you are going at 1t agail
when you get out Z"


81 don't SEQ what else / can do, bu
one thing is sure, l shan't blab ant
get caught again soou."


And he has not.