THEFT

in its simple form is known to the law as Larceny, the act of dealing with anything capable of being stolen, with the intention of permanently converting the thing to the use of any other person than the owner. Thus, if a carter converts his master’s cart to his own use; or a man finds lost property, and, knowing the owner, converts it to his own use, or if a man finds money in a bureau sent to him for repairs, and appropriates it; or if a post-office clerk destroys letters to hide his mistake in sorting—all these acts amount to larceny. To receive stolen goods, or money, knowing them to have been stolen or unlawfully obtained, is a crime. It is also a crime to take any Money or reward directly or fndirectly, on the pretense of helping any person to recover any stolen property, unle the receiver uses due diligence to cause the offender to be brought to trial. T. from buildings was formerly treated as a separate offense of many kinds—stealing in a dwelling-house, sae 6 etc. urglary is the breaking and entering a dwelling-house between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m., with intent to commit a felony, or the breaking out after having committed one inside, or after having gone in with the intention of committing one. ‘Breaking’ means the breaking of any part, internal or external, of the building itself, or the opening by any means whatever of any door, window, shutter, or other place of entry. ‘Entering’ means entrance into the house of any part of the offender’s body, or of any instrument used for the purpose of intimidation, or for removing goods. The maximum penalty upon conviction is ‘penal servitude for life. House-breaking between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m. is not burglary, and includes T. from outhouses, shops, schools, etc.; the slighter nature of the offense probably dates from O.E. legislation—maximum punishment, 14 years’ penal servitude. Burglary may also be Robbery, which is theft with violence or the show of violence, and formerly 2 capital felony. of XVII. and XVIII. cent.’s glorified by romantic fiction as ‘gentlemen of the road’; famous highwaymen ‘were Claude Duval (1643-70), John Nevison (hanged at York, 1684), Jack Sheppard (1702-24), Dick Turpin (1705-39), Jerry Abershaw (1773-95). soldier), robbery by armed bands of outlaws, is historically important in Italy, Spain, and Greece. Similar bands appear in early history of all countries, (e.g.), Robin Hood and ‘merry men’ in England, ‘broken men’ of debatable lands, or borders. B. grew up in Greece under Turk. rule and flourished in early days of independence; brigands of Naples and Sicily are notable. Famous brigands are ‘Jack the Skinner’ (Johann Buckler), Pietro Mancino and his banditi, and Roque Guinart (character in Don Quixote). Piracy is ‘robbery within the jurisdiction of the admiralty.’ The Act now in force, by which piracy, accompanied by attempt to murder, is felony. According to Coke a pirate is host is generis human, and therefore (Black stone) every community may inflict punishment upon him; he is distinguished from privateer, who carried letters of marque. Masters of Eng. ships of certain size were forbidden to surrender to pirates without resistance by statute 22 & 23 Charles II. In the course of history various bands or pirates have attained celebrity; they were frequently formed by outlaws; the chief are—(1) The pirates who infested the Mediterranean, 67 B.O. (2) Barbary pirates. (3) Buccaneers of Span. Main. (4) Irish ‘sea tories’ of XVII. cent. Eng. colonial governments of XVII. and XVIII. cent.’s lived in continual dread of piratical descents. West Indies and North Africa remained homes of daring and famous pirates till beginning of XIX. cent.; lingered in Sicily and Gk. islands; now relegated to Far East. ‘Those of North Africa were famous as the Barbary Pirates, whose chief port was Algiers, but_who and other places. Their depredations were most widespread during the XVI. cent., and their power was not finally broken until 1830. They preyed upon the shipping of all nations, and their captives were condemned to slavery. Many of the richer victims were enabled to buy their freedom but few of ordinary captives ever escaped from clutches of their cruel masters. attempts were made to suppre irates. Blake led an expedition unis in 1655, and during the reign Charles II. both the English and undertook frequent operations their common enemy. The bombarded Algiers in 1682-83; English, under Admiral Neal, in put not until 1830 did France reduce it. The name Buccaneers was given pirates who infested Span. territory XVII. cent. The term was originally applied to Fr. hunters of St. Domingo, who dried and smoked flesh on then to freebooters of all nations, whom St. Domingo was original and illicit trade in meat first Tortuga, Span. island, N.W. of paniola, final headquarters, and all united in enmity to Spain, whose ing monopolies they infringed with connivance of England, Holland France. Span. colonies plundered by under Britons, Mans field and Morgan, 1654; Panama sacked with view capturing Span. ingot, 1671; merchantmen: driven from the 1680-85. Political changes put an to buccaneering; Hngland and became enemies, while both alliance of Spain; but b’s had fmportant part in commercial colonial decline of Spain. still insure against ‘pirates, rovers, thieves,’ for whose depredations ship-owner is not liable. The Camorra, a Neapolitan society, was formed about 1820 purposes of murder, robbery,and_ mail. It had twelve centers in and branches in all the chief Ital. At first its energies were directed private individuals, but acquired jcal scope. In March 1911 the C. trial commenced at Viterbo, after over 300 sittings, closed in 1912, the prisoners receiving sentences of from 4 to 30 years’ imprisonment. Bushrangers, the name given bands of robbers who formerly parts of Australia and Tasmania. They first appeared in Tasmania c. but were most troublesome in New Wales and Victoria 20 years Earliest were escaped convicts; terrorized whole districts, robbing cattle. In several cases martial had to be proclaimed to rid the districts of them. The last to give trouble was the Kelly gang in 1879. word signifying a retainer; ranked the beneath the Aethel, but above the ceort. the The status of T. was either inherited Many or acquired by service. The order was the subsequently divided into King’s t’s and against t’s ordinary. Dutch Shan state, Upper Burma. Area, 8,730 against sq. miles. Pop. c. 200,000. French