Green’s Dictionary of Slang

toucher n.2

[touch v.1 ]

1. (US Und.) a pickpocket.

[US]Morning Herald (N.Y.) 30 June 2/5: Pickpockets caught. – Two ‘touchers,’ as the pickpockets phrase themselves, were yesterday arrested.

2. one who practises the touch game under touch n.1

[US]N.Y. Daily Trib. 23 Sept. 2/5: A noted colored thief and ‘toucher’ [is arrested; he] for a long time has been in the habit, aided by a mulatto girl, of inveigling strangers into their den and robbing them by means of the secret panel.
[US]C.R. Wooldridge Hands Up! 66: Women who are known as ‘touchers’ decided upon the style of their new bonnets as soon as the ranchmen hove in sight.

3. (US) a thief.

[US]G.G. Foster N.Y. in Slices 24: A notorious kracksman with his pal — a celebrated ‘toucher.’.
[US]‘Number 1500’ Life In Sing Sing 256: Lush Toucher. A person who robs intoxicated people.
[US]Monteleone Criminal Sl. (rev. edn) 242: toucher A robber of intoxicated persons.
[Ire]B. Behan Scarperer (1966) 75: Bowsies and touchers [...] The cat is what they want.

4. a cadger, one who solicits small loans.

[Aus]Bulletin (Sydney) 28 Feb. 12/1: ‘No hurry, old toucher,’ said the applicant affable; ‘only I want to be in this fake. You can just put me through the hank-panky part, and I’ll be anything you like. A sergeant or captain – it’s all the same to me.’.
[Aus]Dead Bird (Sydney) 22 Feb. 3/2: He was helped to his feet by a man in the street, / Who observed, in a style most polite, / As he shook up the Scotch, and shook out Gussie’s watch, / ‘So long, my old toucher, good night!’.
[UK]Mirror of Life 13 Apr. 14/4: The Toucher (with pride): ‘My word is just as good as my note any day.’ The Untouched (grimly): ‘Yes, that's what's the trouble with your notes’.
[Aus]E. Dyson Fact’ry ’Ands 212: He tred to speak as one with unshaken confidence in the Toucher, but there were subtle doubts hovering at the back of his head.
[UK]Wodehouse ‘Jeeves and the Hard-Boiled Egg’ in My Man Jeeves [ebook] I’ve [...] felt the hot breath of the toucher on the back of my neck and heard his sharp, excited yapping as he closed in on me.
[UK]Wodehouse Carry on, Jeeves 79: I’ve hurried along Piccadilly and felt the hot breath of the toucher on the back of my neck.
[US]Monteleone Criminal Sl. (rev. edn).
[Ire](con. 1890–1910) ‘Flann O’Brien’ Hard Life (1962) 111: The streets aren’t crawling with touchers like Dublin.
[Ire]P. Boyle At Night All Cats Are Grey 66: He kept up this toucher’s litany in his hoarse growling voice till he got the pint in his fist.
[Ire]E. Mac Thomáis Janey Mack, Me Shirt is Black 108: I’ve known many touchers in my day.
[Ire]G. Coughlan Everyday Eng. and Sl. 🌐 Toucher (n): someone who is always looking for a handout.