Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. the feet; the legs; occas. in sing.

1889–90		Barrère & Leland Dict. of Sl., Jargon and Cant.
1912		Daily Trib. (Bismarck, ND) 5 Feb. 3/3: It’s my wheel, in’t it? [...] My wheel, my creeper, Oh golly, that hurts.
1935		A.J. Pollock Und. Speaks.
1941		in Pittsburgh Courier 29 Nov. 7: These guys always have their peepers on what they really want and their creepers on the path that leads up to it [HDAS].
1966		L.B. Kenney Caste 73: The damn dirt’s so soft my creeper’s sinkin’ in [HDAS].

2. (US) soft shoes worn by burglars, sneak-thieves and prison guards.

1904		‘Number 1500’ Life In Sing Sing 247: Creepers. Soft shoes worn by burglars, sneak-thieves and prison guards.
1924		G. Henderson Keys to Crookdom 402: Creepers. Rubber-soled shoes.
1931		Irwin Amer. Tramp and Und. Sl. 56: Creepers. – Felt or rubber-soled shoes worn by prison guards and sneak thieves ; tennis shoes.
1949		Monteleone Criminal Sl. (rev. edn).
1959		‘Screwsman’s Lament’ in Encounter n.d. in Norman Norman’s London (1969) 68: Me and Bill shoots round the back, we does the break a treat, / We get in without a sound, because we got creepers on our feet.
1962		Ragen & Finston World’s Toughest Prison 796: creepers – Felt or rubber-soled shoes.
1985		T.R. Houser Central Sl. 16: creepers A pair of black woven, soft soled shoes usually worn by hoodlum types when they commit crimes at night. An element of gang dress.

3. see brothel creepers n.