THE UNDERWORLD

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 34, 10 February 1927, Page 5

THE UNDERWORLD

ITS LANGUAGE RECORDED

The jargon of the underworld is an ever-changing vernacular, but the New York City police succeed in keeping up with it, states the "New York. Times." They study it as if it were a foreign language, using a dictionary of gangster terms compiled in the headquarters of the Detective Bureau in Centre street. This dictionary already comprises more than a hundred words in common usage among the criminal class. Gleaned fr~.:i prisoners, from wardens of pris'•• j and 'from thugs at large in c..ace halls and gambling joints, the more newly-coined terms are added to the collection as soon as they arc definitely known to be common, expressions. Members of gangs have one purpose in using this lingo and the police have another in studying it. Thugs wish to be able to talk in public about their criminal plans and actions. The police want to be able to detect a gunman by the language he speaks and also to understand what he is saying. Several years ago Acting-Captain John A. Lyons, of the Detective Bureau, jotted down the first words in his underworld language dictionary. From tho list now in existence are chosen the test questions put to young detectives entering the department. For example, the now men are expected to know just what is meant by such a description as this:—-

"Smith had a shiv and a pow and was sucking bamboo in a flop joint. He was caught at this and was given a iinif, just barely missing a sawbuck. After his next job he was laying in for a month. Then he went on the lam again, but they got a reader for him and he was taken. He sprung Jones, the pal who opened the jug with him." Translated, this means: "Smith had a knife and a gun and was smoking opium in a lodging house. He was caught at this and was given a fiveyear sentence, just barely missing a ten-year sentence. After his next crime he was in. hiding for a month. Then he went on the run again, but they got a warrant for him and he was arrested. He took the. full responsibility for the crime from Jones, ,the companion, who had forced open the bank with him." Nitro-glycerine is known as "soup" bootleg whisky as. "coffin varnish." Many and-varied are the words used to describe persons. "Mouthpiece" means lawyer; "damper getter" means till tapper; "boosters" are shoplifters; junkies" or "sleigh riders" are drug addicts, who must, have their "white stuff" (cocaine or morphine). . "Fly me a kite," says 1 the bandit to his pal, "and tell me how much ice he's got and whether stickers could work clown there. Also tell me whether any lush workers go there, and how much it costs to buy a ducket back on the rattlers. You see, I once got a rumble there while I was working as a peter man, but I was freed later when they found they had made the wrong rap " Translated, this reads: "Write me a letter and tell me how many diamonds hes got and whether post office safe blowers could work down there. Also tell me whether any pickpockets who specialise on drunks go there, and how much it costs to buy a ticket back on tho. street ears. You see, I was once discovered in, the act there as I was working as a safe blower, but I was freed later when they found they didn't have the goods on me." A "serateller" is a forger; a "big mitt man" is a confidence man who plies 'his trade on ocean liners- a keister getter"'is a baggage thief who works around railroad stations particularly.