Criminal Slang: The Vernacular of the Underworld Lingo

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The Lawbook Exchange, Ltd., 2003 - Language Arts & Disciplines - 292 pages
A fascinating addition to any criminal law history library or collection, this book will likely be perused often. With a new introduction by Bryan A. Garner, President, LawProse, Inc. [1-2 new introduction], 292 pp. Originally published: Boston: The Christopher Publishing House, 1949.

Monteleone was a police officer with thirty-two years of service throughout the United States. He compiled this collection of words and phrases used by the "gangster, tramp or hobo" over the course of a career that spanned the 1920s, 30s and 40s. Both instructive and amusing, it contains hundreds of entries relating to criminal matters of the time, such as "Academy" (a jail), "Across the River" (dead), "Grease the Track" (to fall under a moving train), "Looseners" (prunes), "Sprinkle the Flowers" (to distribute bribes), "Suey Bowel" (A Chinese opium den), "Write Short Stories" (to forge checks) and "Zib" (an easy victim). Also includes a table of hobo code symbols.

 

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Contents

Section 1
5
Section 2
9
Section 3
150
Section 4
161
Section 5
187
Section 6
188
Section 7
246
Section 8
258
Section 9
273
Section 10
278
Section 11
281
Section 12
285

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