Twenty Years a Detective in the Wickedest City in the WorldWooldridge, Clifton R. (Clifton Rodman)
History
Twenty Years a Detective in the Wickedest City in the World
Wooldridge, Clifton R. (Clifton Rodman)
Crime -- Illinois -- Chicago; Police -- Illinois -- Chicago
Blackmailers are ever on the alert to learn anything detrimental to
a person's character, and let them once obtain this, they fatten on
it. Men's passions are taken advantage of by that particular class
of thieves known as "badgers," and their operations are very rarely
followed by exposure or punishment. A pretty woman is the bait used
by these thoughtful rascals, who know full well that where a hundred
men will resist a burglar, scarcely one will resist a robbery where
disgraceful publicity must surely follow.
Briefly the mode of procedure is as follows: A house is rented in a
quiet side street, not far from the principal thoroughfare. One man,
occasionally two men, run the house--that is, they do the actual
stealing, while they have from three and often as high as a dozen
women out on the street picking up the victims.
MUST HAVE PRETTY WOMAN.
The qualifications necessary for the woman to have is to be pretty,
plump, wear good clothes, and understand the art of making herself
attractive. It is an understood thing that she shares one-third the
proceeds of the robbery. The house is arranged especially for the
purpose. The rooms on each floor are fixed so that the door separating
them has the panels cut out and put in again on hinges, and fastened
with a small button not noticeable. The hinges are well oiled, and a
small hole is bored through the door, so that the thief can see into
the room, or hear any slight signal given by the woman. The house
rented has a front and rear entrance, the latter for the thief or
thieves, who always station themselves on a corner of the street near
the house, by which the woman will always bring the victim, so her pal
can see him.
The woman goes out in the evening past the principal hotels and
through the principal streets, never speaking to a man, but if she
notices one who looks like a stranger and well-to-do, she will give
him a coquettish glance and pass on, looking sideways to see if she
is followed. If so, she will continue slowly, turning the first quiet
street, until the man who follows her has a chance to overtake her.
The chances are ten to one that he will address her. She will appear
shy at first, and not inclined to speak, but after a short time she
will talk, and after some conversation she will convey the idea to the
man that she is a married woman; that her husband is out of town and
no one is at home. If he will be discreet he may accompany her home,
she says, and have a talk. The pair then walk to the house, passing
the corner where the male accomplice is lying in wait, and the woman,
pulling out her latch-key, will open the door; and the fly is in the
parlor of the spider.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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