At War with Society; or, Tales of the Outcasts

by Rodrigues Ottolengui

  The Society-Box.

  The way by which the ranks of thieves and robbers are recruited is bythe _old_ teaching the _young_ the figure system. Yes, there is aproselytism of evil as well as of good. Society is always strainingafter the making of parties, and while churches are working for members,the old thieves are busy enlisting the young. The advantage, I fear, iswith the latter, for there's something more catching in the example oftaking another man's property than that of praying for grace. Of courseI am here looking to the young, and I make this statement without caringmuch how your beetle-browed critic may take it.

  I have known a good many of those dominies of the devil's lore, not afew of them with streaks of grey on their heads, who, having themselvesbeen taught at the same desk, have taken up the trade as a kind ofnatural calling, and raised their pupils according to the old morality,"The sweet morsel of another person's property is pleasant to roll underthe tongue;" and perhaps the more pleasant, too, that the tongue that_sucks_ is the tongue that _lies_. There was Hugh Thomson, about thecleverest thief in my day, that rogue brought up as many youngsters inthe faith as would have filled a conventicle; and what a glorious gripthat was I got of him, just as he was trying to reap the fruits of hislesson, through the ingenuity of one of his scholars, William Lang! Iwould not have exchanged it for the touch of a bride's hand, with themarriage ring upon her finger.

  In 1841, there was a Mr Brown who kept a spirit shop in the Low Calton,nearly opposite Trinity College Church. One of those modern unionscalled "Yearly Societies" was kept in his house, the members payingtheir contributions on the Monday evenings, which contributions, theproduce of toil and sweat of poor, hard-working men, were deposited inthe society box, and secured under lock and key. One Monday evening, Iwas passing down the Calton on my way to Leith Wynd homeward, to getmyself refreshed with a cup of tea. In the mouth of an entry, on theother side of the street called the North Back of the Canongate, Iobserved Hugh and his scholar Lang, engaged, no doubt, in the mutualoffices of teaching and learning. I thought I might learn something too,and stepping into the recess of Trinity Church gate, I watched theirmovements. Shortly, Lang came out--he had become a man by this time,recollect--and having mixed with the workmen, who were going intoBrown's shop to make their weekly payments, he went in among the rest.

  At first, I confess, I could not understand this. The thief could makenothing of the workmen, even if unknown to them as a thief, which in alllikelihood he was, and the idea of his trying the pocket line amongfustian jackets never entered my head. But that there was some play togo on, where Thomson was patronising, I could have no doubt whatever.After a time, during which I took care that Thomson should not see me,Lang came out, and, having joined Thomson, the two went off together,with something that sounded in my ears as a laugh, and the meaning ofwhich was made clear to me by a happy thought that occurred to me on theinstant like a flash. I now wanted to see Brown by himself, but as theworkmen were still going in and coming out, I was obliged to wait aconsiderable time. Selecting at length a moment when the coast wastolerably clear, I entered the shop. There, in the back room, was thesacred box, devoted to benevolence, and from which some widow andorphans might, before the year expired, receive something that wouldmake _her_ tear less scorching and _their_ cry less shrill--some brokenbones, too, broken through the labour and toil of the poor man for therich one, might have less pain through the charm of that box. Thoughtsthese pretty enough to some minds, but to such as Thomson quaint, if notfunny.

  "Mr Brown," said I, as I entered, "will you be kind enough to shew meyour list of members?"

  "Surely, Mr M'Levy." And he placed the book in my hands.

  Running down the names I came to "William Lang, joiner," though all his_junctions_ were between his hand and the property of another.

  "I have seen enough," said I; "and now, Mr Brown, you will take especialcare to carry your box up-stairs with you to-night to yourdwelling-house."

  And without giving him time to ask for explanations, which I did notfeel much disposed to give, I left him. I knew that Brown shut up lateon the pay-nights, and therefore having plenty of time that evening,even in the event of an emergency, I went home to get my tea. Afterwhich, and having cogitated a little under its reviving influence, Itook another turn down Leith Wynd. I wanted to examine the iron gateleading to the church. On looking at it, I found that the lock was off,and consequently free ingress was afforded to any one wishing to enter.I went to a blacksmith's and got a chain and padlock, the use of whichwill be apparent, when I mention, that if I adopted the recess withinthe gate as a look-out, from which I could see Brown's shop, it was aslikely to be so used by those we wanted to observe, as by ourselves, theobservers.

  Having made these preliminary arrangements, I proceeded to the Office,where I secured the services of one or two of the most activeconstables, besides my assistant, for I knew that having Thomson tocope with, we had something to encounter far more formidable than anyother thief or robber within the sound of St Giles's. I was in all this,I admit, fired with the ambition of getting a man who had become as boldas Macbeth under the witches' prophecy. Having waited till about eleveno'clock, the hour when Brown generally closed, I repaired, accompaniedby my men, to our place of retreat. We entered cautiously, and shuttingthe old gate with as little noise as possible, I secured the two halveswith the chain and padlock, with which I had provided myself--aproceeding which, as it afterwards appeared, was necessary to thesuccess of our enterprise, but the object of which my men could not atthe time very clearly understand. Yet what more likely than that Thomsonand his gang should wish to reconnoitre us, as we wished to reconnoitrethem. We were soon enclosed, and ready for observation. We saw the lightput out in Brown's shop, and heard the locking of the doors both infront and at the back, or rather in the side of the entry which led upto the premises above which the spirit-dealer resided. But more thanthis, we saw the cautious cashier with the sacred box under his arm, ashe stept up the entry--a sight which I enjoyed with a secret chuckle ofsatisfaction, for it was no mean pride to be up with a man such as HughThomson.

  It might be about twelve o'clock before we saw any symptoms of sport.Suddenly, three men, coming apparently from different directions, met,and whispering a few words parted, to act for caution-scouts to eachother. Each took a round, casting wary glances to the right and left,and desultory as their movements were, I could recognise Hugh, Lang, andanother, David L----, also an old pupil of Thomson's. It seemed to beThomson's special care to look into the Trinity Church recess, and as wesaw him coming forward, we retreated behind the pillars of the gate. Heappeared to be taken aback as he observed the gate secured, and takinghold of a railing, he shook it; so that it was evident to me that theplace we occupied had been fixed on for retreat, if not for observation.I had thus again the advantage of my old friend, and the moment hereceded we resumed our posts. In a few minutes, the different scoutsseemed to agree in the opinion that all was safe, and went direct to thework I had anticipated, the moment I saw Lang enter with the members ofthe society. The front door was not their object; it was the back, ormore properly the side one in the entry, which, from the passage beingright opposite to us, I could see along, though very indistinctly,scarcely more than to enable me to trace their dark figures against thelight thrown in at the farthest opening. None but a keen trapper orsnarer can appreciate the pleasure a detective of the true instinctiveorder feels when engaged in the capture of game so wild, shy, andcunning. Their very cunning is what whets our appetites, and Iabsolutely burned to embrace the dauntless leader of the gang.

  Now we saw one separate from the rest, come up the entry, and begin toact the "goose-guard," dodging backwards and forwards, throwing up hishead, and looking from one side to another. Inside the entry, meanwhile,some obstruction seemed to take place, even adroit as Thomson was; butpresently we were surprised as a vivid flash of exploded gunpowderilluminated the passage. Though unprepared for this, I understood it atonce. Thomson had a way of his own with
_sullen_ locks--placing a smallparcel of powder into the key-hole, and pushing it home, so as to reachthe wards, he exploded it with a match. The only thing I wondered at wasthe scarcely audible report--perhaps to be accounted for by the moderatecharge, and the resistance of the guards which he intended to loosen. Solong as they were in the entry, we could not move, even to undo thepadlock and get the gate open and ready. Our moment was that of theirentrance; and watching thus, with breathless anxiety, we saw that thedoor had been opened, by the disappearance of the shadows from theentry. Out we sallied. The "goose-guard," L----, is made secure in aninstant. Two constables, placed one on each side of the front door. Iand my assistant enter the close and get to the side door. Lo! it islocked. The gentlemen had wanted time, not only to rifle the box, butto enjoy themselves with ample potations from the whisky barrel; and nodoubt their libations would have been rather costly to Mr Brown, asevery minute besides would have been devoted to the abstraction of asmany portables as they could carry away.

  Finding the door barred, (for I think the lock must have been rendereduseless,) we began to force it--a circumstance that really added to mysatisfaction, as every wrench and thump must have gone home to thehearts of the intruders, now fairly caught in a novel man-trap. Nay,with the constables at the outer door, I didn't care what noise we made,provided we were not annoyed by curious neighbours; and then, to makethe play more exciting, we heard them as busy with the front door tryingto get _out_, as we were with the back one endeavouring to get _in_.Forced at length, and a rush in in the dark, the noise making thethieves desperate, so that their energies to force the front door mightrather be termed fury. They succeeded, just as we were at their back;and in consequence of the door being in two halves, and one startingopen while the constables' eyes were fixed on the other, Lang bolted, atthe moment that Thomson was embraced by a powerful constable. Anotherconstable was off immediately in pursuit of Lang; and such was myweakness, that when I saw Thomson struggling ineffectually in the graspof the officer, one whom I had so often sighed for in secret, and eyedin openness, that I took him from the man with that kind of feeling thatno person ought to have the honour of holding him but myself.

  By this time Mr Brown was down among us in great consternation.

  "Ah!" said he, "I see the reason now of your having told me to carry thesociety-box up-stairs."

  "I fear that would have been nothing to your loss," replied I, "if wehadn't been as sharp as we have been. All's right."

  Mr Brown's fears were appeased, and we then marched our gentlemen up tothe Office, in which procession, so honoured by the presence of HughThomson, I enjoyed one of my triumphs. Lang was sought for during weeks,but could not be found; and here I have to recount one of my wonders.One dark evening when I was acting the night-hawk out near the GibbetToll, I had gone considerably beyond that mark, and was returning.Dalkeith is a kind of harbour of refuge for the Edinburgh thieves whenthe city becomes too hot for them, and I had some hopes of an adventureon this road, otherwise I would not have been there at that hour, for itwas late. The road to Portobello is also a hopeful place at times; buton that night I had some reasons, known only to myself, (and it was notoften surmised where I was at any time,) for preferring the southernopening. Well, sauntering along I met a young fellow, but it was sodark that, at the distance of two or three yards, you could scarcelyrecognise anybody. I had a question ready, however, that suited allcomers.

  "Am I right for the city?" said I.

  "Right in," was the reply.

  And seeing the man wanted to be off, I darted a look at the side of hisface. It was Lang's; and I suspected he had recognised _me_ before I did_him_, for he was off in an instant on the way to Dalkeith, and I musttake to my heels in pursuit, or lose him. I immediately gave chase, anda noble one it was, though the night was as dark as pitch, and everystep was through liquid mud.

  Lang was a good runner, and had, I fancy, confidence that he wouldescape, and that which he had to escape from might very well grease theheels of even a lazy fellow. He ran for freedom, that dear treasure ofeven a thief's soul; and I ran to deprive him of it, a feeling as dearto a detective. The race became hot and hotter, and I could see only thedark outline of the flying desperado, and I heard the sound of his rapidsteps as the voice of hope. By the side of the road one or two peoplestood, and seemed to wonder at the chase, but no one ventured tointerfere. We had run a mile and a half with no abatement of the speedof either, so that we were about equal, and if this continued we mightrun to Dalkeith; but this issue was rendered improbable by the fact,quite well known to me, that a _pursued criminal_, with a clever officerafter him, may almost always be caught by loss of breath. The impulseunder which he flies is far more trying to the nerves than that whichimpels the officer to follow, and hence it is that criminals are sooften what is called "run down." The same remark is applicable to achase of animals. Fear eats up the energies, the lungs play violently,and exhaustion is the consequence. And so it was here. I gained as timesped, and at length I heard the grateful sound of the blowing lungs. Hefelt his weakness, and the old bravado getting up, he stopt all of asudden, and waited for me.

  "Why, man," said I, "you have just to walk back again; so what's theuse?"

  "No use," he replied, doggedly; "only if you hadn't caught me I wouldhave been well on to Dalkeith."

  Plunging my hands into his coat-pocket, I pulled out a bundle ofpicklocks.

  "Not cured yet?" said I.

  "No," replied he, "and never will. You have spoiled a good job atDalkeith with your d----d dodging."

  "Are you a member of a Dalkeith society, too, Lang?" I retorted,good-naturedly.

  "Something better," said he; "I might have had L10 in my pocket beforemorning, if you hadn't come between me and my game."

  We began our walk homewards. I didn't require to take hold of him. Wehad measured our powers, and he knew he had no more chance in flightthan in personal conflict, and he walked quietly enough. I would put myhandcuffs to use, however, at the Gibbet Toll, to provide against thedangers of alleys favourable to a bolt. I remember I tried him on thesoft parts, in regard to the society-box, reminding him that he wasrobbing the widow and the fatherless.

  "Humph! what have I to do with the widow and the fatherless? I am anorphan myself, and there is a difference besides, for your widow andfatherless have friends, because they have characters, and I don't knowbut they are better cared for than I, who have neither the one nor theother. I am bound to a trade, as that trade is bound to me, and I mustlive or die by it. So there's no use for your blarney about widows andorphans. All you have to do is to take me up, and get me condemned andimprisoned, and I will be the same man when I come out."

  No doubt he would; and why should I have doubted, who scarcely, in allmy experience, could hold out my finger and say, "There's a man whom Ihave mended, and he is grateful to me for having been hard with him?" Nowonder I am weary of my efforts at penal reformation.

  I believe the nine months' imprisonment awarded to these threedesperate fellows only steeled them to dare the committal of crimesdeserving transportation for as many years. How true it is, that thecurrent of vice and criminality proceeds, both in its ebb and flow, on a"sliding scale."