“There are now many thousands of pickpockets robbing at the rate of £300 to £1000 a year, who boldly follow their trade under the idea—too much justified by past experience—that their particular line of practice involves but small risk of transportation, while its gains are certain and easily obtained.
“Even when apprehended ‘legal assistance’ is generally forthcoming to aid the chances of escape.
“A short time after the conviction of the Clarkes a boy named O’Brien, alias Johnson, alias Slaver, was caught in the attempt to pick a lady’s pocket in Preston.
“The boy’s accomplice, a man who had trained him, and who lived upon the produce of his robberies, escaped and reached Manchester in time to secure the professional services of a rather celebrated attorney, who came to Preston to appear for ‘Slaver,’ and extricate him from his dangerous position.
“The boy’s skill as an apprentice pickpocket made it worth his master’s while to incur the expense of £10 for having the best ‘professional aid.’
“‘Slaver’ was convicted, however, as a rogue and vagabond, and sentenced to three months’ imprisonment.”
We must conclude this chapter on prisoner and prison life, and recur to this interesting subject in a future number, as we have to chronicle a much more heinous offence than robbery, this being the taking of human life.
Peace had not been many weeks in gaol before another prisoner was lodged therein charged with a capital offence.