A TEACHER OF POCKET-PICKING.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 2993, 28 January 1881, Page 4

A TEACHER OF POCKET-PICKING.

Twenty years ago Chester established a school in London, dedicated to the devotees of S-. Nicholas, and lie speedly obtained many pupils. The moat well-known and skilful pickpockets who have paid the penalty of being caught, and those who were clever enough to evade the clutches of the myrmidons of the law, have all been moulded according to theChesterianmcthod. And when it is stated that in twenty years Chester has been able to amass a fortune of £50,000 sterling, tho great importance and efficacy of his lessons will be thoroughly appreciated. His pupils on leaving his institxrtion, were formed into bands of ten, under the guidance o£ a " schoolmaster" ; anditwa3 under the regis of this ever—"tohful guardian that they overran the *•*-- of the "profits" were earth. •nctually paid to the faithfully and pu~ demeaned illustrious professor. _-- -_ « — 01 himself but twice in his career 0y _ . t, e ing" personally. It was in Paris, during w. two last Exhibitions. In 1878 he was arrested and condemned to six months' imprisonment, and he was, however, prohibited from ever entering France again. He has since disposed of the good-will of his " business" to two of hi 3 best pupils, and retired to Birmingham, where he ha 3 a great deal of property. Having some very urgent affairs to Bettle in Paris, he applied, a few days ago, for permission to pass a week in this capital, which has been duly accorded him. But as it was deemed urf-' advisable to allow a man of his capacity to roam about the city without let or hinder'anoe-fcwo-police agents have been told off to act as an escort of surveillance. Chester is sixty-five years old, and is the father of ten children, whom he has educated in a princely manner, and he himself is master of several languages.