| Show past master in crime the old man james read whom detectives colllns and waters ot the L division succeeded on saturday in sending to six months hard labor was reputed to be one ot the most expert and tn his heyday the most success tul pickpocket in lordon on the proceeds ot his profession he used to drive in a brougham read Is in his seventieth year tall elegantly dressed always with vener aide white beard and glossy gilb hat he was sometimes mistaken tor a peer of the realm when he spoke the de was the greater tor his voice was clear and cultivated lie was once a master tailor in the west end hut for many years he has netted large sums in consequence ot hia mania tor collecting other people s purses he was an earnest patron ot fashionable bazars weddings and other ceremonies and functions at tended oy crowds ot wealthy women As the detectives said another of his schemes was to follow bishops at con urination services to all these affairs it was his cus ton to drive up in his brougham then in the rare cases when ion fell upon him he possibly escaped on such strong evidence of billay as the possession ot a private carriage it Is believed that to that end he has always made his own clothes and they were perfectly provided for his needs his covert coat could be apparently hanging over hla wrist yet so arranged was it with slits that his hand would be gliding through the center of it all the time in and out of other people s pockets the departure ot the continental boats in the holiday season also at him he was a man of con sid erable education and so great was his gift of assumed dignity that often even when caught almost red handed he would escape the consequences by the aid of his plausible tongue it wag in a large measure due to him that the backs of outside seats on lon don omnibuses had to be altered london news |
