STEAMER. A tobacco pipe.
STEEL. House of Refuge.
STEPPER. The treadmill.
STEPPING-KEN. A dance-house.
STICK. A breastpin.
STICK-FLAMS. Gloves.
STICKS. Pistols; household furniture.
STIFF. A letter; a written or printed paper; a newspaper.
STIFF 'UN. A corpse.
STIFLE. Kill.
STIFLE THE SQUEAKER. Kill the child.
STINK. To publish an account of a robbery.
STIR. A crowd; a fire.
STOGGER. A pickpocket.
STONE PITCHER. Sing Sing.
STOP. A detective officer.
STOP LAY. Two or more well-dressed pickpockets go into a fashionable
quiet street and promenade singly until they select a person that will
answer their purpose; one of them stops the person and inquires the
direction to a place somewhat distant. On being informed of the route he
should take, he pretends not to exactly understand his informant, who,
getting a little more interested in his desire to be explicit, draws
closer to the inquirer. At about this point, one or both the others walk
up and in an instant the amiable individual is minus some part of his
movable property. The above practice is what is termed the "stop lay."
STOW YOUR WID. Be silent.
STRAMMEL. Straw; hay.
STRANGER. A guinea.
STRAW-MAN. False bail.
STRETCH. One year.
STRETCHERS. Horse-racers.
STRIKE. To get money from candidates before an election, under the
pretense of getting votes for them; to borrow without intending to pay
back.
STRING. To humbug. "String the bloke and pinch his honey," humbug the
man and get his money.
STRUMMER-FEKER. A hair-dresser.
STUBBLE. Stop it.
STUBBLE YOUR RED RAG. Hold your tongue.
STUFF. Money.
STUKE. A handkerchief.
STUMPS. Legs.
STUN HIM OUT OF HIS REGULARS. Cheat him out of his rights; deprive him
of his share of the plunder.
STUNNER. Extra; superior; very good.
STURBIN. State prison.
SUBSIDE. Get out of the way; run away.
SUCK. Any kind of liquor.
SUCKED. Cheated.
SUCKER. A term applied by gamblers to a person that can be cheated at
any game of cards.
SUDSDAY. Washday.
SUET. Liquor.
SUGAR. Money.
SUITE. Watch, seals, etc.
SUPER or SOUPER. A watch.
SUPOUCH. A landlady.
SURE THING. A term used to denote that the person is certain to be a
winner.
SUSPERCOL. To hang.
SWABLER. A dirty fellow.
SWADDLER. A fellow who pretends to be anxious for the salvation of every
body, and harangues crowds of gaping knaves and fools in the parks, or
any other public place. The pickpockets generally pay him well for his
efforts. Sometimes fellows who pick a quarrel with a man, beat him, and
at the same time rob him, are called swaddlers.
SWAG. Plunder.
SWAG-COVE. A receiver of stolen goods.
SWAG-RUM. Full of wealth.
SWEATING. Reducing the weight of gold coin by putting it in a bag and
shaking it violently for some time, and then collecting the dust which
is thus worn off.
SWELL. A gentleman. "Swell mob," the well-dressed thieves with good
address, who appear like honest gentlemen.
SWIG. Liquor of any kind.
SWIG-COVES. Fellows who traverse the country under the pretense of
begging old clothes.
SWING. To hang.
SWITCHED. Married.
SYEBUCK. Sixpence.
SYNTAX. A schoolmaster.
T
TABBY. An old maid; or a talkative old woman.
TACE. A candle; silence; hold your tongue.
TACKLE. A mistress; sometimes clothing.
TAIL-DIVER. A thief who steals pocket-handkerchiefs from coat-tail
pockets.
TALE. The number; quantity; share. "Give him tale," give him his share.
TALLEYMEN. Men who loan clothing to prostitutes.
TANGLE-FOOT. Bad liquor.
TANGLE-FOOTED. Drunk.
TANNER. Sixpence. "The kiddy tipped the rattling cove a tanner for
lush," the lad gave the coachman sixpence to get a drink.
TAP. To arrest.
TAPE. Liquor.
TAPPERS. Officers.
TARRELS. Skeleton-keys.
TATS. False dice; rags.
TATTLER. A watch or clock. "To flash a tattler," to sport a watch.
TATTY-TOG. A sweat-cloth.
TEASE. A slave; to work.
TEEHOKOIS. Dogs or dog.
TEIZE. To flog. "To nap the teize," to receive a flogging.
TESTON. A coin with a head on it.
THEATRE. Police court.
THIMBLE. A watch.
THORNS. Anxious; fearful.
THRESWINS. Three cents or pence.
THROUGH HIM. Search him.
THROW. To cheat; to rob; to steal.
THROWING OFF. A term used by gamblers when a capper is the partner of a
sucker. The capper can lose when he pleases, thereby throwing the sucker
off, as it is termed.
THRUMS. Three-cent pieces.
TIBBS. A goose.
TIBBY. A cat.
TICK. Trust.
TICKRUM. A license.
TIED UP GONNOFFING. Stopped stealing; living honestly.
TIFFING. A good natured war of words.
TILE. A hat.
TIMBER. Matches.
TIME ON THAT. Wait awhile, sir; not so fast.
TIP. Information; give; hand to me; lend. "Tip me your daddle, my bene
cove," give me your hand, my good fellow.
TIPPET. The halter.
TIT. A horse.
TITTER. A sword.
TIZZY. Sixpence.
TO BE PUT IN A HOLE. To be cheated by a comrade out of a just share of
the plunder.
TO BLOW THE GAB. To confess.
TO BLOWER. One who imparts secrets; to inform.
TO BOUNCE. To brag or hector; to tell improbable stories.
TO BOUNCE HIM. To get one's property and refuse to pay for it.
TO BREAK A LEG. To seduce a girl.
TO HAVE A GAME DEAD. The gambler has a sure thing, and must beat his
opponent.
TO RIGHTS. The evidence is conclusive enough to convict. "Try all they
knew, the coppers could not pinch him to rights--he was too fly for
them," the officers were not able to find evidence enough against him.
He was too cunning for them.
TO TURN STAG. To turn informer.
TO YARD KICK. Coat and pants.
TOBBY COVES. Fellows that in the night walk the streets near a river.
They stun their victim by striking him with a bludgeon; they then rob
him and tumble him into the river. If the body is found, it is difficult
to say that the man was not accidentally drowned.
TOBED. Struck on the head and made senseless.
TOBY. The highway.
TOBY-LAY. Robbing on the highway.
TODGE. To smash. "Todge the bloke and pad," smoke the man and run.
TOGE. A coat.
TOGEMANDS. A gown or cloak.
TOGS. Clothes. "The swell is rum-togged," the gentleman is well dressed.
TOLOBON. The tongue.
TOLOBON RIG. Fortune-tellers.
TOM-CONEY. A foolish fellow.
TOMBSTONES. Teeth.
TOMMEY. Bread.
TONEY. A simpleton.
TOOLS. Burglars' instruments.
TOOTH-MUSIC. Chewing food with a good appetite.
TOP. To cheat; to trick.
TOP-DIVER. A roué.
TOP-ROPES. Extravagant or riotous living.
TOP-TOG. An overcoat.
TOPPED. Hanged. "The cove was topped for settling a bloke," the fellow
was hanged for killing a man.
TOPPER. A blow on the head.
TOPPING-COVE. The head man of a party; sometimes the hangman.
TOTH. Rum.
TOUCH. To steal.
TOUNGE-PAD. A scold.
TOUT. Look; take notice; remember that.
TOUTED. Followed or pursued.
TOUTING-KEN. The bar of a drinking-place.
TOWER. Rage; very angry.
TOWN-TODDLERS. Silly fellows easily taken in by the sharpers.
TRACK. To go.
TRADESMEN. Thieves.
TRANSLATORS. Second-hand boots or shoes.
TRAP. Shrewd; smart.
TRAPES. Sluttish women.
TRAPS. Officers.
TRAY. Three.
TRIB. A prison.
TRICKS. Anything stolen from a person at one time by pickpockets.
TRICUM LEGIS. A quirk or quibble.
TRINING. Hanging.
TRINKETS. Bowie-knife and revolver.
TRISTIS. Not good. "The fly kinchin is a tristis canis," the smart boy
is a sad dog.
TROLL. To loaf or loiter about.
TROT. An old woman.
TROTTER-CASES. Stockings.
TROTTERS. Feet.
TRUCKS. Pants.
TRUET. Stealing money under pretense of changing it.
TRUMP. A brave fellow.
TRUMPET. A vain fellow who has a decided partiality for the letter I.
TRUNDLERS. Peas.
TRUNKER. The body.
TRUNT. Nose.
TRY ON. To endeavor; attempt it. "Coves who try on," fellows who live by
stealing.
TUMBLED. Suspected; found it out. "Tumbled on him," came upon him
unexpectedly. "Tumbled to him," suspected him; thought it was him.
TUMBLER. A cart; a lock; a sharper.
TUNE. To beat. "Tune the toney," beat the fool.
TURF. Race-course. "The knucks work the turf for leather and skins," the
pickpockets attend the race-courses to steal pocket-books and purses.
TURKEY-MERCHANTS. Purchasers of stolen silk.
TURNED UP. Acquitted; discharged.
TURNING OVER. Examining.
TURTLE-DOVES. A pair of gloves.
TWIG. To observe. "Twig the copper, he is peery," observe the officer,
he is watching us.
TWISTED. Convicted, hanged.
TWITTOCK. Two.
TWO TO ONE. A pawnbroker.
TYBURN BLOSSOM. A young thief.
TYE. A neckcloth.
TYKE. A dog; a clown.
U
U. S. COVE. A soldier; a man in the employ of the United States.
U. S. PLATE. Fetters; handcuffs.
UNCLE. A pawnbroker.
UNDER-DUBBER. A turnkey.
UNICORN. Two men and one woman, or two women and one man banded together
to steal.
UNTRUSS. To let down the shutters of a store.
UP HILLS. False dice.
UP THE SPOUT. Pawned.
UP TO. Knowing.
UP TO SLUM. Humbug; gammon.
UP TO SNUFF. Cunning; shrewd.
UPISH. Testy; quarrelsome.
UPPER-BENJAMIN. An overcoat.
UPRIGHT MAN. King of the gipsies; the head of a gang of thieves; the
chief of banditti.
UPRIGHTS. Liquor measures.
USED UP. Killed; murdered.
V
VAG. Vagrant. "Done on the vag," committed for vagrancy.
VAMOSE. Run away; be off quick.
VAMP. To pledge.
VAMPERS. Stockings.
VAMPIRE. A man who lives by extorting money from men and women whom they
have seen coming out of or going into houses of assignation.
VARDY. Opinion.
VELVET. The tongue.
VENITE. Come.
VENUS' CURSE. Venereal disease.
VERGE. A gold watch.
VICTUALLING OFFICE. The stomach.
VINCENT'S LAW. The art of cheating at cards.
VINEGAR. A cloak or gown.
VIRTUE ATER. A prostitute.
VIXEN. A she-fox.
VOWEL. Give your note; I. O. U.
W
WAITS. Strolling musicians; organ-players, etc.
WALL-FLOWERS. Second-hand clothing exposed for sale.
WAME. The stomach.
WARE HAWK. Lookout; beware.
WARM. Rich; plenty of money; dangerous.
WASTE. A tavern.
WATERED. Longed for. "The cove's chops watered for it," the fellow
longed for it.
WATTLES. The cars.
WEDGE. Silver-ware.
WEDGE-BOX. A silver snuff-box.
WEEDING. Taking a part and leaving the balance in such a manner as not
to excite suspicion. When a thief abstracts a portion from the plunder
without the knowledge of his pals, and then receives an equal proportion
of the remainder, it is called "Weeding the swag."
WELCH COMB. The thumb and finger.
WELL. Not to divide fair; to conceal a part.
WESAND. The throat.
WET-SNOW. Wet linen.
WETTING. Drinking.
WHACK. Share of the plunder.
WHEEDLE. To decoy a person by fawning or insinuation.
WHET. To drink.
WHIDDLE. To tell or discover. "He whiddles," he peaches. "He whiddles
the whole scrap," he tells all he knows. "The cull whiddled because they
would not tip him his regulars," the fellow informed because they would
not share with him. "The joskin whiddles beef, and we must pad the
hoof," the countryman cries "thief," and we must be off.
WHIDDLER. An informer; one who tells the secrets of another.
WHIDS. Words. "Tip me your wattles, my pal, and touch my whids, or I'll
make you whindle like a kinchin," give me your ears and take my words,
or I'll make you snivel like a child.
WHIFFLER. A fellow that yelps or cries out with pain.
WHINDLE. A low cry; a painful suppressed cry.
WHIP-JACKS. Men who pretend to be shipwrecked sailors.
WHIPE. A blow.
WHIPER. A kerchief.
WHIPPED. Cheated out of a share, or equal part of the plunder.
WHIPSTER. A sharper; a cunning fellow.
WHISKER. An enormous lie.
WHISKIN. A drinking-vessel.
WHISTLER. The throat.
WHIT. A prison. "Five gonnoffs were rubbed in the darkmans out of the
whit and piked like bulls into grassville," five thieves broke out of
prison in the night, and ran like locomotives into the country.
WHITE TAPE. Gin.
WHITE VELVET. Gin.
WHITE WOOL. Silver.
WIBBLE. Bad drink.
WIFE. A fetter fixed to one leg.
WIFFLER. A relaxation.
WILD. A village.
WILLOW. Poor.
WIN. A cent.
WIN. To steal; to cheat. "The sneak tracked the dancers and win a
twittock of witcher glimsticks," the thief went up-stairs and stole a
pair of candlesticks.
WIND. Money. "Raise the wind," get money.
WINDER. To sentence for life. "The cove has napped a winder for settling
a tony," the fellow has been sentenced for life for killing a fool.
WINGS. Oars.
WINNINGS. Plunder; money or goods.
WIRE. A pickpocket; the fellow who picks the pocket.
WIREHOOK. A pickpocket.
WISH. Be off; away with you.
WITCHER. Silver.
WITCHER BUBBER. A silver bowl.
WOBALL. A milkman.
WOBBLE. To boil; to reel; to stagger.
WOOD. In a quandary.
WOODBIRD. A sheep.
WOODEN COAT. A coffin.
WOODEN HABEAS. A man who dies in prison is said to go out on a wooden
habeas; that is, in his coffin.
WORD-PECKER. A wit; a punster.
WORM. To obtain knowledge by craft and cunning.
Y
YACK. A watch.
YAM. To eat.
YAVUM. Bread and milk.
YELLOW. Jealousy.
YELPER. A fellow who cries before he is hurt.
YIDISHER. A Jew.
YOKED. Married.
YOKLE. A countryman.
Z
ZANY. A jester.
ZNEES. Ice; snow; frost.
ZOUCHER. A slovenly fellow.
ZUCKE. A dilapidated prostitute.
SCENE IN
A LONDON FLASH-PANNY.
"Ho! there, my rum-bluffer; send me a nipperkin of white velvet."
"Make it two," said a woman, seating herself on a skinner's knee; "and
if Jim don't post the cole, I will."
"Why, Bell, is it yourself? Tip us your daddle, my bene mort. May I
dance at my death, and grin in a glass-case, if I didn't think you had
been put to bed with a shovel--you've been so long away from the cock
and hen club."
"No, Jim, I only piked into Deuceaville with a dimber-damber, who
couldn't pad the hoof for a single darkman's without his bloss to keep
him from getting pogy."
"Oh! I'm fly. You mean Jumping Jack, who was done last week, for heaving
a peter from a drag. But you talked of padding the hoof. Why, sure, Jack
had a rattler and a prad?"
"Yes, but they were spotted by the harmans, and so we walked Spanish."
"Was he nabbed on the scent?"
"No, his pal grew leaky and cackled."
"Well, Bell, here's the bingo--sluice your gob! But who was the cull
that peached?"
"A slubber de gullion named Harry Long, who wanted to pass for an
out-and-out cracksman, though he was merely a diver."
"Whew! I know the kiddy like a copper, and saved him once from lumping
the lighter by putting in buck. Why, he scarcely knows a jimmy from a
round robin, and Jack deserved the tippet for making a lay with him, as
all coves of his kidney blow the gab. But how did you hare it to
Romeville, Bell, for I suppose the jets cleaned you out?"
"I kidded a swell in a snoozing-ken, and shook him of his dummy and
thimble."
"Ah! Bell! you were always the blowen for a rum bing."
"It was no great quids, Jim--only six flimseys and three beans. But I'm
flush of the balsam now, for I dance balum-rancum for the bens."
Bell here produced a rum bing, which at once made her popular, and the
nucleus of a host of admirers; for, as it respects money, it is with
rogues and their doxeys as with all the rest of the world. Bell truly
justified the adage, that "What's got over the devil's back, goes under
the devil's belly;" for she gave a general order to the rum-bluffer, to
supply all the lush that was called for by the company, at her expense;
and thereon there was a demand for max, oil of barby, red tape, blue
ruin, white velvet, and so forth, that kept all the tapsters in the
establishment in a state of restless activity for the next half-hour.
"Bell, you're benish to-night," exclaimed Knapp, who probably had a
design on the purse, which the course of events somewhat interfered
with.
"Stubble your red rag," answered a good-looking young fellow. "Bell had
better flash her dibs than let you bubble her out of them."
"Why, you joskin," retorted Jim; "if you don't stow your whids I'll put
your bowsprit in parenthesis. Ogle the cove, Bell--he wants to pass for
a snafler in his belcher tye, though he never bid higher than a wipe in
an upper benjamin."
"I may bid as high as your pintle, and make you squint like a bag of
nails," replied the intruder, "though you rub us to whit for it."
"Oh! it's all plummy," said Knapp, "so you may cly your daddles. But
come, Bell, let us track the dancers and rumble the flats, for I'm tired
of pattering flash and lushing jackey."
"Bar that toss, Jim," said Bell, "for you're as fly at the pictures, as
the devil at lying, and I would rather be a knight of Alsatia than a
plucked pigeon."
This resolution produced a round of applause, which was followed by
another round of liquor--promptly paid for by the lady of the rum bing,
whose generosity now so far extended itself, that she withdrew from Mr.
Knapp's protection, and, even without waiting to be asked, deposited
herself in the lap of him of the belcher tye. She had scarcely asserted
her title to the premises, before it was disputed by another fair
damsel, who emphatically declared, that if the tenant in possession did
not immediately leave that, she would astonish her mazzard with the
contents of a "nipperkin of thunder and lightning."
"If you do," returned Bell, "I will fix my diggers in your dial-plate,
and turn it up with red."
"Mizzle, you punk."
"Well said," Madame Rhan, "but the bishop might as soon call the parson
pig-stealer."
"You lie, you bat. I couple with no cove but my own. But say, Harry,
will you suffer yourself to be made a two-legged stool of by a
flag-about?"
"Oh! button your bone-box, Peg," replied Harry. "Bell's a rum blowen,
and you only patter because your ogle's as green as the Emerald Isle."
"It's not half so green as yourself, halter-mad Harry," retorted Peg;
"for you know if I wished to nose I could have you twisted--not to
mention any thing about the cull that was hushed for his reader."
On a bench, close by the last speaker, was seated Hitch, a police
officer, who appeared to be quite at home with the company, and to
occasion no alarm or misgivings; but the moment Peg mentioned the
circumstance of "the cull that was hushed for his reader," he rose from
the table, drew forth a pair of handcuffs, and tapping Knapp's rival on
the shoulder, playfully whispered:
"Harry, my lad, the game's up; hold out your wrists for the ruffles."
"There they are, Mr. Hitch, though I suppose you'll be asking me in a
week or so to hold out my gorge for a Tyburn tippet."
These proceedings naturally drew a crowd around the parties concerned;
but though all sympathized with the prisoner, and the minion of the law
was without any assistant, yet there was not the slightest attempt at a
rescue, or even the least disposition manifested by the captive of a
desire to escape.
"Only nine months on the pad, and to be up for scragging! What a pity!"
"He's too young--he hasn't had his lark half out; and it's like making a
man pay a debt he don't owe, to twist him before he has gone the
rounds."
"He'll die game for all that! Poor fellow! he takes it like a glass of
egg-nog."
"Ah! Mr. Hitch! isn't it out of order, and he so green? You ought to
give a chap a year to ripen for the hemp."
"Do, Hitch, give him a little longer rope, and take him in his regular
turn. You're sure to have him, you know, when his time's up."
"O! stubble it, George. Hitch can't, or he would; for he never hurries a
cove when it's left to himself."
"That's a fact, my kiddies," exclaimed the officer, who seemed pleased
at the compliment; "but the commissioner wants Harry, and so, of course,
I must pull him."
"I'm satisfied, whatever comes of it," added the prisoner.
Bell whispered in the officer's ear: "Couldn't you let him pike if I
come down with a thimble and ten beans?"
"A watch and ten guineas?"
"Of course."
"I might if you paid on delivery."
"Ready's the word."
"Warehawk, then, and follow."
Hitch departed with his prisoner, followed by Bell; but in a few minutes
the latter returned and whispered to Knapp:
"Your client has slipped the darbys, and his name's Walker. Here's a
flimsy, to lay low and bottle your gab."
The flash-panny was now in the full tide of successful operation--two
thirds of its patrons being about three sheets in the wind, and none of
them perfectly sober. In one corner there was a mill, wherein the
combatants hit the wall more frequently than they hit each other. In
another, two blowens were clapper-clawing each other for a bob-cull, who
was seconding both parties, and declaring that the winner should have
him. Here a snafler lay snoring on a bench, while a buzman, just half a
degree less intoxicated, was endeavoring to pick his pocket. There,
three cracksmen were engaged in a remarkably animated dispute on the
state of the country. Under almost every table might be seen a son or
daughter of Adam, luxuriating in the realms of Nod. But the bulk of the
company were amusing themselves in a dance; for one of the fixtures of
the establishment was an Irish piper, who, by the way, was a little
fortune to it, for every one treated Pat.
The dance was yet in its fullest vigor, when Hitch returned and called
Bell to one of the tables.
"Bell", said he, "I have been looking for you more eagerly than any of
your lovers for several months past--though I found you at length by an
accident. What have you done with the bloke?"
"Me, Hitch? Why, I have neither seen or heard of him."
"Come, Bell, it's no use our wasting time in small talk. You were with
him the last night he was heard of."
"Not I, faith, Hitch. Bring me the book, and I'll swear No to that."
"How then came you by his super?"
"Blast the super! for I fear it has got me into a muss."
"If I take you to Newgate for it, Bell, it will be apt to get you into a
halter."
"Well, then it will save me from the Bay fever, or dying in the gutter;
for all such as I am must draw one of the three chances."
"Make me your confessor, Bell, without any equivocation or drawback, and
I may stand between you and Jack Ketch."
"But what about the stone-jug?"
"That depends upon circumstances. Is the bloke living or dead?"
"Living, for all I know to the contrary."
"You know all about him, Bell."
"If I do, may I cly the jerk at a drag; be trussed in a Kilmainham
garter, and fall to the surgeons."
"Well, it may be so," said Hitch, musing; "for if you knew all, half the
world would have known it before this time. However, Bell, you can
supply a link or two in the chain of evidence, so give me the
particulars; and remember, if you tell me a lie I will smell it as it
comes out of your mouth."
Just then the guests of the Crooked Billet were interrupted by an uproar
in the street.
"Some swells on a lark," exclaimed lawyer Knapp; "dub the jigger and let
them in."
And Jim was right; for on the jigger being dubbed, in staggered four
bloods, who were sufficiently top-heavy to be ready for any thing. Two
of the newcomers, who prided themselves on "knowing the ropes," while
their companions were green from the fens. Immediately on their
entrance, this hopeful addition to the convivial party already
assembled, began to exhibit their "tip-top education" by squaring off
for a fight, pattering flash, and ordering in lush. In fact, they
out-heroded Herod, for they proved themselves to be yet greater
blackguards than the poor rogues whom they were so emulous to imitate.
And yet they were "gentlemen," who would have been shocked at the touch
of a mechanic, though they gloried in doing things up nutty, like
pickpockets and highwaymen. But they were not such knowing kiddies after
all, though they considered themselves bang up to the mark; for suddenly
one of them cried out that he had lost his purse; and then they all
discovered that they had lost every thing they had which was fairly
removable. Thereupon there was a devil of a muss, generally, with
vociferous calling for the police. The four fellows who had the four
worst hats, exchanged them _sans ceremonie_ with the strangers, while a
couple of fogle-hunters tore off the skirts of their coats to mend their
breeches. To finish their spree, by and by in rushed the police, and, on
the charge of an elderly, responsible-looking cracksman, hurried the
bloods off to the nearest station-house. What rascally things are
policemen! Alas! and alack! just about as rascally as all the rest of
the world.
* * * * *