Page:The London Guide and Stranger's Safeguard.djvu/94

78 of character, they include the fear of imprisonment, and nearly all aim at the life of the accused; which there is too good reason to believe they sometimes take away, inasmuch as having once ventured to broach the subject there is no retreat left them. In all cases of false accusation or entrapment, the accusers generally prove too much; acting always with indecent eagerness they overshoot their mark.

Seeing the success which has attended the depredations of officers bearing his majesty's staff—as Vaughan, Brock, Pelham, Johnson and others, many an old thief assumes the garb and authority of such, in order the better to carry on their own, or their accomplices' robberies. This is usually done at night, by ordering off, peremptorily, any casual passenger, or other person, who may be upon the watch, while the business is carrying on. At other times, small thieves get about among groups of people, particularly on Saturday night; and one crying out "be off," "go home," "come, come, I'll have no more of this!" the people show their spirit by reprobating such conduct; when the accomplice pretends