Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(UK Und.) the stealing of handkerchiefs.

1703		Hell Upon Earth 3: Some are good Workmen at Clouting; which is, taking Handkerchiefs out of Folks Pockets.
1729		Life of Thomas Neaves 11: At first he began to Play at small Game, viz. to go a Clouting (that is picking Handkerchiefs out of Men’s Pockets).
1734		C. Johnson Hist. of Highwaymen &c. 444: He first went a Clouting, that is, picking Handkerchiefs out of Pockets.
c.1786		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue ms. additions n.p.: Clouting Lay. Picking pockets of Handkerchiefs.
1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue (2nd, 3rd edn).
1812		Vaux Vocab. of the Flash Lang.
1823		Egan Grose’s Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.