CONFIDENTIAL. PORTRAITS OF EXPERT AND TRAVELLING CRIMINALS. SERIES 1.] Enclosure in Supplement A, Police Gazette of Friday, January 2nd, 1914. [ VOL. I. CONFIDENTIAL. Supplement A. THE POLICE GAZETTE NO. 1. FRIDAY, JANUARY 2ND, 1914. VOL. I. EXPERT AND TRAVELLING CRIMINALS. KXPLAKATIOX OF ABRKVIATIONS,& C.— B., born; ht., height; ft., feet; in., inches; c.. complexion; h., hair; e., eyes; l> en., penal servitude; supn., supervision; impt., imprisonment; yrs.. years; mos., months; < Ik.. dark ; It., light; rt., right; 1., left; con., conviction; pre. con., previous conviction; Sees., sessions; Pol., Police; Ct., Court; C. C. C., Central Criminal Court; N. L. S., North London Sessions; S. L. S.. South London Sessions: C. L. S.. County of London Sessions; L., London; St.. Street: Met., Metropolitan. 1 George Thompson, alias Hubert Rayner, Albert Donovan, and ( as he is known among criminals) " Bert Arcal," C. R. O. No. 1866- 1918. Description: Born ( has stated, Birmingham and Manchester) 1879; ht., 5ft. 7Jin.; c., fresh; h., brown; e., grey; small round scar at top of uose. Personal Weaknesses, Peculiarities, etc.: Deposits dress baskets containing dress suits, lounge suits, etc., at railway stations in order to provide himself with changes of clothing as occasions demand; is very cool and confident in manner; well built and of smart appear- ance; speaks with American accent. Convicted at C. L. S., 19- 3- 1912, and sentenced to 23 mos.' impt. for housebreaking ifalse key) and larceny. Released 28- 10- 1913, into the Met. Pol. District. Previously convicted of receiving. Met. Pol. ease, and larceny and unlawful possession at Liverpool. Method.— ( i) Visited an hotel where a confederate was staying and entered bedrooms left insecurely fastened during the occupiers' temporary absence, the necessary information for its accom- plishment being supplied by the confederate. ( ii) Entered a first- class hotel as though he were a resident and, provided with a master key capable of opening practically every door in the establishment, entered bedrooms, prised open jewel cases with a jemmy and decamped with the contents. ( iii) Has also effected entries to flats after having ascertained that the occupiers were absent. ( iv) The plunder is supposed to have been disposed of to Frank Rafter, C. R. O., No. 182- 1899. Associates: Eddie Guerin, C. R. O., No. S62207, who is believed to have arranged the hotel larcenies; Frank Rafter ( see above), also prostitutes upon whom he trades. The portrait is a very good likeness. Specimen of handwriting at C. R. O. Subsequent History: 2 Douglas Campbell, alias Roderick Logan Rennie, Robert Somerville Logan Rennie ( said to be his correct name), C. H. Hill and ,4 Captain'" Scott, C. R. O. No. 879- 1910. Description: Born ( in London), 1872; ht., 5ft. 9Jin.; c., fresh; h., auburn ( thin on top); e., blue; scar rt. cheek. Personal Weaknesses, Peculiarities, etc.: Speaks slowly and quietly; is well educated; of gentlemanly appearance and manners. Convicted at C. C. C., 10- 1- 1911, and sentenced to 3 yrs.' pen. for fraud— obtaining money by false pretences. Liberated on licence 19- 11- 1913, into the Met. Pol. District. Previously convicted of forgery, Met. Pol. case, and using armorial bearings without a licence, etc., at Colchester. Method.— ( i) Opened a scholastic establishment in Leeds, also conducted the " Scholastic Association " at an address in London, whose professed object was to provide suitable schools for parents wishing to educate their children. Communicated with principals of schools, forwarded a list ( fictitious) of the names of parents and obtained money by representing that he could secure desirable pupils. ( ii) Obtained a post as professor at a college by means of false references and swindled the proprietors. ( iii) Announced in a provincial journal that he had just inherited a sum of £ 20,000, and in consequence obtained extensive credit in the country. ( iv) Posed as " Captain Rennie, of the 19th Hussars," forged bills of exchange and induced moneylenders to discount them. The portrait is a good likeness. Specimen of handwriting at C. B. O. Subsequent History : ^ 3. John Smith, alias John Taylor, John Williams, and Cuba Wilson, C. R. O., No. 414- 1909. Description: Born ( at Huddersfield) 1878; ht., 6ft. l£ in.; c., sallow; h., dk. brown; e., hazel; scar rt. eyebrow, boil scar rt. of neck; busts of trooper and woman, and Japanese woman, etc., 1. forearm, dot 1. hand. Personal Weaknesses, Peculiarities, etc.: Has a habit of smiling when in conversation. Convicted at Hanley Sess., 29- 10- 1909, and sentenced to 5 yrs.' pen. for fraud- obtaining money by false pretences. Liberated on licence 8- 12- 1913, into the Met. Pol. District. Previously convicted of similar offences at Hull, Manchester, Rochester and Chester. Method.— By means unknown he obtains knowledge of people who have friends abroad, calls on them, states he is well acquainted with their friends and has just arrived from the place where they are living. Having gained their confidence, he proceeds to explain that he is temporarily short of ready cash, and is therefore unable to secure his luggage, which is detained at a neighbouring railway station, owing to the excess fare charged. On this plea he induces them to advance him sums of money, which he promises to refund on the following day. At the time of his arrest in 1909 he admitted having similarly defrauded people at Coventry, Nottingham, Great Grimsby, St. Helens, Crewe, and Skerton, Lanes. The portrait is a good likeness and, although usually clean shaven, at the time of his recent release was wearing a moustache. Specimen of handwriting at C. R. O. Subsequent History: 4 Thomas Lane, alias Thomas Henry Lane, and Thomas King, C. R. O., No. 995- 1910. Description: Born ( has stated, Birmingham and Leicester) 1878; ht., 5ft. 2Jin.; c., fresh; h., dk. brown; e., grey; scar^ over rt. eye and on chin, nose broken, woman each forearm. Personal Weaknesses, Peculiarities, etc.: Is very active and walks quickly; dresses smartly when awaiting an opportunity to steal, afterwards dons labourer's attire, frequently commits offences while under the influence of drink, and has resorted to violence on being arrested. Convicted at Birmingham Sess., 10- 10- 1910, and sentenced to 4 yrs.' pen. for larceny— bicycles. Liberated on licence, 19- 11- 1913, to Birmingham. Previously convicted of larceny and minor offences at Birmingham, uttering base coin at Acock's Green, and burglary at Manchester. Method.— ( i) Steals bicycles left unattended in the streets. ( ii) Enters middle- class dwelling- houses in suburban districts during the afternoon and at night by means of false keys or by forcing the front doors with a jemmy. ( iii) Has disposed of the proceeds of his crimes to James Simms, C. R. O., No. 43- 1913, who was convicted with him on the last occasion. The portrait is a very good likeness. Specimen of handwriting at C. R. O. Subsequent History: 6. Malcolm George Parker, C. R. O., No. 1825- 1913. Description: Born ( at Walton, Essex) 1875; ht., oft. 6Jin.; c., fresh; h., brown ( turning grey); e., blue; scar rt. temple, coat- of- arms and woman rt., woman and clasped hands 1. forearm. Convicted at Surrey Assizes, 28- 6- 1913, and sentenced to 4 mos.' impt. for forgery. Released, 8- 10- 1913, into the Met. Pol. District. Previously convicted of uttering a worthless cheque at Kidderminster. Method.— ( i) Endeavoured to obtain a situation as attendant at a public institution by means of an Army certificate which he had forged. ( ii) Formerly engaged in the capacity of a male nurse by the proprietor of a nursing association he forged his late employer's name on a blank cheque which he had purchased from a person who had a banking account. He then filled in the cheque for a considerable sum, stated it represented wages due, and prevailed on a tradesman, with whom he had a slight acquaintanceship, to cash it. The portrait is considered to be a good likeness, but he is usually clean shaven, which gives him a smart appearance. Specimen of handwriting with Kidderminster Police and at C. R. O. Subsequent History: 6. George Brown, alias Joseph Occulstone, Joseph Hoxton, Joseph Occulston and George Johnson, C. R. O., No. 279- 1902. Description: Born ( im London) 1880; ht., 5ft. Sin.; c., fresh; h., dk. brown; e., brown; ring each 1. finger. Personal Weaknesses, Peculiarities, etc.: Regales himself with food at houses he has broken into, leaves a note to that effect, and suggests the occupiers should leave their money handy as he will call again. Does not carry tools, but buys them in the locality in which he intends to operate. Convicted at Hull Sess., 25- 4- 1912, and sentenced to 18 mos.' impt. for housebreaking. Released, 26- 7- 1913, to Hull. Previously convicted of larceny, burglary, warehousebreaking and minor offences in Met. Pol. District, burglary at Portsmouth and Grimsby, and attempted shopbreaking at Hull. Method — ( i) Selects shops occupying corner sites, climbs high gates or walls at the rear and effects entry to the premises by forcing the doors with a jemmy. ( ii) Gains access to dwelling- houses during the early morning by slipping back the window catches, operating at the rear. ( iii) Breaks into shops by wrenching out with a crowbar the iron bars protecting the windows. Associate: Frederick Jones, C. R. O. No. 2804- 1901, with whom he has been convicted. j The portrait is said to be a fairly good likeness. Specimen of handwriting at C. R. O. Subsequent History: VNOTE :— In the event of information being received of the DEATH of any criminal, whose particulars have appeared in Police Gazette Supplement A, the fact should be notified to C. R. O. As the latest information or subsequent convictions of criminals whose particulars have been inserted in Supplement A will appear each week at the end of the cases, the original numbers should be' cross- referenced on the printed lines provided for that purpose. LONDON :— Printed for li: sMajesty's Stationery Office by J. J. KKLIHEK 4 CO., LTD.. 73, Mooreate Street K C • Craven House, Kingswmy, W. C.: and Mar » balsea Works. 8. E.