Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. (UK Und.) one who runs a ‘find the lady’ or ‘three-card monte’ card-game.

1834		Leamington Spa Courier 27 Sept. 3/2: Williamson is known as a notorious ‘Charley-pitcher,’ other wise ‘Thimble-rigger’.
1843		Leeds Times 3 June 3/5: They said the watch had been given to them by a ‘Charlie Pitcher’ (a thimble rigger).
1853		Chester Chron. 25 June 6/6: ‘Charley-pitchers’ are men who frequent fairs and races, and who are versed in the iniquities and mysteries of roulette and thimble-rigging.
1859		G.A. Sala Twice Round the Clock 153: Even at remote country race-courses, you may find [...] ‘charley-pitchers,’ the knavish gentry who pursue the games of ‘under seven or over seven,’ [...] or inveigle the unwary with ‘three little thimbles and one small pea.’.
1876		Besant & Rice Son of a Vulcan I 220: With them marched the ‘Charley-pitchers,’ who gained an honourable livelihood with the thimble and the pea.

2. (also charlie-pitcher) a cheating gambler.

1846		Censor (London) 25 Jan. 6/1: The company [...] consisted, [...] of all sorts, from the sporting and betting men, gaming house-keepers, coupiers [sic], and sharps of dliforent denominations [...] to the scientific professor of thimble-rigging. The assembled party were under the auspices of Charles Pitcher Atkins [...] and Jem Grey.
1856		H. Mayhew Great World of London I 46: ‘Charley pitchers,’ or low gamblers, cheating those with whom they play.
1859, 1860		Hotten Dict. of Modern Sl. etc.
1861		H. Mayhew London Labour and London Poor (1968) IV 24: ‘Charley-pitchers’ and other low gamblers, defrauding those with whom they play.
1864, 1867, 1870		Hotten Sl. Dict.
1873		Sl. Dict.
1882		Sydney Sl. Dict. (2 edn) 2: Charley-pitchers - Low gamblers who cheat at play.
1893		Southern Reporter (Selkirk) 9 Nov. 4/4: Salute him, bullies, He’s the charley-pitcher for to handle this butter-box.
1895		Crowe Aus. Sl. Dict. 16: Charley Pitcher, a low, cheating gambler.
1901		Argus (Melbourne) 20 Sept. 6/4: Amongst these small fry of the profession [are] the carrier pigeon, a swindler’s agent, the cat and kitten stealer, whose special line is quart and pint pots, the Charley pilcher [sic], a very poor kind of cheat, the dido, who steals from carts.