Elegant English Crooks

Pickpockets, or "hoöks, as they are teriued iu the criminal vernacular, are ofteu well educated and of geiiteel appeararce aml mauners. Those who work the "tubs" (omnibuses) are exceptionally respectable iu their dress and quiet in deineanor. As stated iu tbe printed warniDg exhibited iu railway stations aud omuibuses, pickpockets are "both male and female," but the proportion of the laneras srnall, probably lessthan 10 per cent. The best educated and most genteel are generally experts at devices such as card sharping aud tossing for money, and, speaking several languages, are enabled to travel all over the world. This class is especially daugerous on board the large Atlantic liuera. Representiug theniselves as gentlemen oí property traveling for pleasure, they disarm suspicion by fheir liberal condnct in paying for champagne and cigars. But woe to auy unfortunate passenger who plays at cards with one of these varapires. The victim is possibly gently handled for the first few uights, nntil confidence is fully established, vhen larger stakes are proposed. He is then plied with drink, and after losing uearly all his rnoney ís "kindly" assisted to his berth by his "friend," who coolly rifles his pockets of the remainder. On awaking he is unable to recollect the exact amonnt of his losses and can only come to the conclusión that he has been very "unlucky. "-