Thieves' Slang (1916)

[Brian Kariger]

Barry,

I really enjoy your contributions to the list. One word you might be
interested in antedating is scam, which only goes back to 1963 in OED
and elsewhere.

All the best,
Brian


On Tuesday, September 30, 2003, at 09:13  PM, Bapopik at AOL.COM wrote:

>    Not much new here.  Did Barney Bertsche publish anything?
>
>
>    19 January 1916, TORONTO STAR, pg. 2, col. 5:
>
>    _THIEVES' SLANG_
> _Graphic Language as Heard in the Underworld._
>
>    The following glossary of thieves' slang is compiled by Barney
> Bertsche,
> the notorious Chicago crook, who is now telling the story of his life:
> ARREST.....................................................Glaum
> BANK..........................................................Jug
> BANKER......................................................Jugger
> BLOW A SAFE.............................................Kick in the
> gopher
> BOND JUMPER............................................Lamster
> CHAIN..........................................................Slang
> DETECTIVE...................................................Bull,
> dick, Mr.
> Richard
> DIAMOND......................................................Rock
> EAT...............................................................Scoff
> GIRL..............................................................Moll
> HAT...............................................................Skypi
> ece
> HOTEL...........................................................Kipsvil
> le
> JAIL................................................................Sti
> r, pen
> JAILER............................................................Screw
> JEWELRY.......................................................Junk
> KNIFE.............................................................Chiv
> LAWYER.........................................................Mouthpie
> ce
> MONEY...........................................................Scratch
> ,
> dough, jack
> OVERCOAT.....................................................Benny
> PATROLMAN...................................................Harness,
> bull,
> flatty
> PHYSICIAN......................................................Croaker
> PICKPOCKET...................................................Cannon,
> gun dip
> POCKET BOOK...............................................Poke, leather
> POCKET PICKING GANG..................................Gun mob
> REVOLVER......................................................Gat
> RING................................................................Hoo
> p
> TO RUN............................................................To
> tear, to
> lam
> SAFE................................................................Pet
> e,
> gopher
> SAFEBLOWER....................................................Peterman
> SHOPLIFTER.....................................................Booster
> SILK..................................................................W
> orm
> SLEEP..............................................................Kip
> STREET CAR....................................................Short
> STUD................................................................Pro
> p
> SUIT OF CLOTHES............................................Tog
> TO CATCH A TRAIN...........................................Hop a
> rattler
> TO PICK A POCKET...........................................To nick, to
> touch
> TRAIN................................................................Ra
> ttler
> VICTIM...............................................................Su
> cker,
> boob, vamp, mark
> VALISE, BAG.....................................................Koester
> WATCH..............................................................Thim
> ble
>