Wairarapa Daily Times [Established Third of a Century.] WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 1914. PICKPOCKET TRUST.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume LXVI, Issue 11976, 13 May 1914, Page 4

Wairarapa Daily Times [Established Third of a Century.] WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 1914. PICKPOCKET TRUST.

This is certainly an age of unionism. Individual effort is even now at a discount, and in the future it may be quite unknown. We are so well acquainted with unions of employers and employees, of trusts and combines, Black Hand and Nihilist societies and Suffragette organisatiens that it does not come as a great surprise to learn that a "pickpocket trust" exists in New York". According to Mr Samuel D. Levy, for many ycara a police magistrate in that city, although there arc trusts both richer and stronger, there are none better organised than the '' pickpocket trust.'' Bach member has his own territorial district allotte-d him to "work," and each has a confederate within easy touch of'him, and cognisant of his every movement. Suppose there are three of the pickpocket fraternity, A, B, and C, working together. A enters a crowded train compartment, B and C close on his heels. Selecting a suitable victim, he deftly locates the latter's wallet arid takes advantage of the sudden lurch of the train on stopping to extract it from his pocket. He does not keep it, but passes it at once to B, who moves away. The train arrives at the next station, and all three move out, and pass the wallet on to a fourth man, who takes it to headquarters. This is a typical successful case in which the theft remains undetected until after the thieves are away. On another occasion, such as the following, they aro less lucky. A enters a street car close behind a girl whom ho sees put a pocketbo*ok in her outside coat pocket. The passengers are standing, packed fairly tight. He abstracts the article, but tho girl feels

the "touch and'raises tho hue and cry. A policeman is called, and A is arrested. B all the time is near by, but not quick enough to relieve his confederate of the stolen object, so ho slips away to a telephone and summons bondsmen to go to tho Police Station and give bail for A, and then telephones the local counsel for the trust. Having done this, he himself goes to the police station and gets into conversation with the complainant, and ascertains if possible her address and place of employment. Bondsmen and counsel appear shortly, and A is ordered to appear at the court the next morning. Tho case is duly called, and is adjourned on the application of defendant's counsel. The adjournment is made use of by the defendant and his lawyer to devise innumerable schemes to defeat the law. Friends and confederates set to work to do their best to prevent the informant from appearing in court, and that failing, to urge her to withdraw the charge. If she remains obdurate, and' cannot be bribed into silence, threats arc made, and anonymous letters written to frighten her into subjection. If this fails, more adjournments arc contrived in the hope that the complainant -will become tired of. the whole business, or will shrink from the publicity of repeated appearances in court.. Tho peculiarities of the various magistrates have been made a special study by the "trust," and cases are so cleverly arranged as to fall during the assignment of one who is known to be lenient to '' jostlcrs.'' Unionism is Avell known in this country, but we have need to be thankful that Avc have not reached the stage Avhen a "pickpocket trust" can carry on "business" in tho community. With such an organisation as that described it is small Avonder that petty thieves in New York are seldom laid by the heels.