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Author Archives: Anthony Vaver

Anthony Vaver has broad expertise in the social and cultural history of crime and punishment. He holds a Ph.D. from the State University of New York at Stony Brook and an M.L.S. from Rutgers University.

Early American Crimes: Lush Workers

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

The lush worker is headed to the annals of early American crime. The New York Times recently reported that, according to the New York Police Department, a specific breed of pickpocket, the lush worker, will soon be extinct. The lush worker rides the New York City subways late at night looking for a drunken reveler […]

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The American Malefactor’s Dictionary: bracelets

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

bracelets – handcuffs. Sources Barrère, Albert and Charles G. Leland. A Dictionary of Slang, Jargon, and Cant. [London]: The Ballantyne Press, 1889. Farmer, John S. and W. E. Henley. A Dictionary of Slang and Colloquial English. Abridged from Slang and Its Analogues. London: George Routledge and Sons, 1912. London Antiquary, A [Hotten, John Camden]. A […]

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Early American Criminals: Owen Syllavan’s Bunker

Thursday, October 20, 2011

After one week, hunger finally drove Owen Syllavan out of his hiding place in the Connecticut woods and forced him to seek refuge with an acquaintance. Syllavan cut open a plank in the floor of his friend’s house, dug a large cavity that went under the hearth of the fireplace, and rigged a vent so […]

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The American Malefactor’s Dictionary: bowsprit

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

bowsprit – a nose. bowsprit in parentheses – a pulled nose. From the nose being the front-most part of the face, as the bowsprit is of a ship. Sources Barrère, Albert and Charles G. Leland. A Dictionary of Slang, Jargon, and Cant. [London]: The Ballantyne Press, 1889. Grose, Francis and Egan Pierce. Grose’s Classical Dictionary […]

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Crime and Prison Songs: “Prisoner’s Song”

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

[display_podcast] In 1924, Vernon Dalhart, a classically trained light opera singer, had some success recording a song, “The Wreck On The Southern Old 97,” for the Edison Company, but believed that he could get wider distribution if he recorded it with Victor. The recording executives at Victor agreed, but they needed a song for the […]

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