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Examples
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It was this dogged, single-hearted persistency, coupled with his cunning and his desperate courage, that made London Bill the foremost figure of his old but criminal guild of 'peter-men.
The President A novel Alfred Henry Lewis 1885
vendingmachine commented on the word peter-men
1890s. Thieves who surreptitiously drugged their victims with knockout drops (typically chloral hydrate) then lured or led them into a dark place where they were quickly robbed. Sometimes the victims were killed, other times they were left to sleep off the effects of the drug. Many times, the drug itself killed victims.
"The victim is usually robbed as soon as he is stupefied by the drug. Beyond the crime of robbery grave peril to life is entailed by this reckless use of chloral. The same dose will affect different persons to a varying extent, and what will barely stupefy one may kill another. There is little or no precaution taken in pouring a dose from a phial, and a number of deaths have occurred."
Also known as peter-players. Women often robbed by drugging their victims in this manner.
July 27, 2015
ruzuzu commented on the word peter-men
Fascinating! What's your source, VM? Is this related to Mickey Finn?
July 27, 2015
vendingmachine commented on the word peter-men
https://www.flickr.com/photos/126377022@N07/14758879576
July 27, 2015
ruzuzu commented on the word peter-men
Ah! Thank you! That had something about a panel game....
*wanders off, mumbling something about the search for confectio Damocritis*
July 27, 2015