How a Young Thief Learned his Trade.

Evening Star, Issue 7307, 3 September 1887, Page 5 (Supplement)

How a Young Thief Learned his Trade.

[By One of His Friends.)

Of all the professions, says the ‘ Pall Mall Gazette,’ learned or otherwise, perhaps the most unsatisfactory and unremunerative is that of a thief. Here is the experience of one who has followed it with considerable ability for the last four years When he first entered this profession he was sixteen years of age. He was driven from home, and upon the fourth evening after his expulsion he was waiting about Seven Dials when three young men invited him to partake of refreshment. The boy had no objection, and the party entered the public-house. The gentleman who paid produced a handful of sovereigns. “ Here’s a lucky touch,” he said to tho boy; “look at the quids we’ve got off. ” Tho poor boy was dazzled; he had never before seen so much gold ; but at this moment a number of young ladies entered the bar and the gentlemen had to treat them. These ladies are known as the Forties, They ally themselves to promising young thieves and aid them in their professional studies. There is a rather stale maxim that there is honor among thieves ; but those most likely to experience its truth find that members of their profession do not scruple to take advantage of a comrade’s drunken condition if an opportunity offers. The boy noticed that the gentlemen who had so kindly treated their lady friends did so at the expense of about Ll6. On the following day he was still hanging round the publichouse, when one of his acquaintances, known professionally as “ Long ’un,” came to him and said: “Do you want half a load ?” The boy had not yet learned the thieves’ slang. “What do you mean’” he asked. Mr “ Long ’un” proceeded to undo a tissue parcel and produced ten counterfeit florins, which he offered to sell for 2s 9d. The boy did not like the idea of passing counterfeit coin (snide pitching), and for two days resented the temptation. But he was hungry, and in response to “Long ’un’s” taunts he ultimately yielded. They went to a shop ; “Long’un” handed him a coin and sent him inside. The lady who took it omitted to give it due examination, and the operation was successful. For some time the two made a very satisfactory sum by this method, and the boy became bolder. “Long ’un ” now introduced him to the company frequenting the Glass House, another public-house in tho Seven Dials district. A man was showing a gold watch and chain to one of the Forties. “Was jt a ‘ blag,’ or did you ‘ unreef ’ him 1 ” said “Long’un.” The boy was interested. He learned that “ blagging ” meant snatching, and that “umeenng” is a more delicate operation. Two confederates walk in front of the victim so as to cover their friend. Their friend walks on the victim’s left hand side. In his right hand he carries a pockethandkerchief. The left hand crosses his body and gently unbuttons tho victim's waistcoat and withdraws the watch and chain. Should the victim feel these gentle proceedings the operator withdraws his hand and finds it necessary to blow his nose. Should he remain in blissful ignorance the “ toy ” and “ tackle ” are transferred to the handkerchief, the operator gives a click with his tongue, the confederates move on quickly and disappear down the next turning, and their friend shortly afterwards joins them. In case of a hue and cry the confederates join in the pursuit, pretend to be detectives, and arrest any troublesome pursuer on the charge of stealing the watch, and keep him until their comrade has escaped. The boy listened open-mouthed, “ You can run," whispered “ Long ’un ” to his protege!, “ If you like to come with me to-morrow I’ll show you where we can get some quids.” The promising locality was Weatbourno Grove. They went there, and “Long ’un” pointed out a nice old Mr Brownlow sort of a gentleman taking an afternoon stroll. “We are only two-handed,” he whispered, “ but you go up and pull his watch out of his pocket. If you can do it without a ‘ rumble ’ (quietly and effectively), let it ‘ roast.’” The boy went up to him and asked the way to some place. The kind old gentleman gave the directions and walked on, smilingly unconscious that his watch was roasting—that is to say, gently tapping at his epigastrium. Now came the most difficult part of the operation. The watch must be detached, and here “ Long ’un ” was treading on new ground. He was a very good “snidepitcher,” and he knew the first principles very well, but he had never yet practised this little feat. So the coward told his young companion to “knock it off.” Thieves do not retain stolen watches in their possession. If they require a watch for their own personal adornment, they go and buy one at a respectable shop. “Long ’un” said, “Should I fall at any time” (this sounds like military glory), “ I’d better introduce you to a fence (receiver), because you might have some stuff to do in yourself.” So they went to a barber’s shop, and “ Long 'un ” desired a shave. The attendant saw that ho desired something more. “ Do you want tho gov’nor?” he asked. “Yea, I’ve got something in the way of scent to sell,” replied “Long ’un.” “You had better step inside for a few minutes,” said the assistant. So they stepped inside, and up to a room on the first floor. It was a bedroom. The honest barber examined the watch, and on being asked about double the price he intended to pay, told “ Long ’un ” to take it away. “ It’s of no use to me,” he said. But at half the price he found that he could make use of it, and, having paid L 9 10s for a watch and chain that could scarcely have been bought for less than LSO, he dropped them into a bag hanging upon a bedpost. The boy was next introduced to the company on the first floor of a public-house in the Seven Dials dis-

triot. Here' he found a glorious fire, sur rounded by the older members of the profession, the “old tubbers’’—gentry who have done their ten years, and are under police supervision. Here, too, ho found little children decoyed into the room by abandoned wretches, who hoped to share in the profits of their teaching. He saw little boys taught to spring upop a counter with their backs to the till, to turn round, pull out the tillj seize the contents, and slip off the counter and out of the shop. He listened to exciting stories from the “ old tubbers ” of their past victories, until he felt that there \|as no profession that gave so much glory ’as thieving. He extinguished the glimmering light of morality which still struggled \Vithin him by the perusal of poisonous literature, and he practised with considerable success upon many and various specimens tne art of opening ladies’ satchels and bags, and of picking pockets in its various branches. The boy was clever. He rapidly acquired artistic skill, and the application of this knowledge showed him that “ Long ’un ” was too incompetent to remain his companion. A lady’s watch had been made to roist one day, and “Long ’un ineffectually tried to break it from the chain by twisting the ring. But the ring would not snap,'the treasure was lost, and the two “pals” quarrelled and separated forever, Now a man known as Mad Alf took the boy in hand. He told him to snatch a watch in Leicester Square one nighty A hue and cry was raised. The boy ran with it in his hand as far as Hyde Park, when he was knocked down by two gentlemen. Within a week from this | time he was picking oakum in Holloway Gaol, It is the custom of thieves to remember when they may expect their friends out of prison, and if the authorities would but release them at an unexpected time, or iii an unexpected manner, there are many who( might escape from their old associates, and lead a new life. Mad Alf was waiting with another “book” outside Holloway Gaol when hisyoungfriend hadoompleted his third month. “My golly,” said he “ you’re lookin’ well. I ain’t got no tin, or else I’d treat ycr.” The boy held in his hand 2s lOd. It had been given him on account of his good conduct in the prison. A few minutes later and it was spent. His old c’othea were very shabby, but he had no money left, and the temptation to take a pair of boots hanging on a rail outside a shop was irresistible. Mad Alf called the man out and asked about some boots in the window. The prize was secured; Alf thought the boots in the window would not suit him, and said “Good day.” The boots fitted nicely and the companions proceeded merrily along. “ There you are, Alf,” said the friend who accompanied him, “ there’s Mother Right.” This meant that a lady carrying a satchel was a certain catch. “ I beg your pardon,” said Alf, stumbling against her and undoing the fastening of the bag. “ I beg your pardon,” said the other man, as he stumbled against her, took out the ptirse, and banded it to the boy. The young thief had as his share of the profits a “ corner!’—that is to say, a third of the contents. And he had more. As he ran round the corner to run over the rule (count the contents) he abstracted a L 5 note without mentioning it to his companions. Honor among 'thieves! With this money he bought a suit of clothes, dressed himself in faultless style, and placed his thumb and two fingers in a lady’s pocket as she was looking in a shop window. The two confederates covered the operation by looking in at the window upon the side where their friend \yas working, and. a purse was withdrawn. In this way they lived for some days, and after a time the boy tried a new art, that of ringing the changes. He bought some dummy silver watches (specially prepared in Hoimdsditch for the purpose) at 2s 81 apiece, and going to a jeweller’s asked to see some silver watches. A tray is placed on the counter. Then he wants to see sonic chains the assistant turns, a watch is exchanged for the dummy. Yes, he is not a judge of watches ; he thinks hit* father had better come with him to help him in his choice some time this afternoon, and he joes out. Once a day for six months did ie ttaVel to some part of London, sometimes several miles out, and once a day did he successfully change a watch. But his ventures have not always been successful. He had recently come out of prison for the fourth time absolutely penniless. Yet it is scarcely nine months ago since he abstracted from a carriage an Indian shawl (which he sold for LI 2) and a purse containing L 64 in notes and gold. The coachman was quite unconscious of his operations. He did not hear the off window raised by hard steel tweezers, but he might have noticed it fall, for he half awoke from his reverie. The thief stood with his back to the window and abstracted the property in this position. VVhat became of the money ? He does not know. L7G was spent within a fortnight.