Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(UK Und.) stealing (bags and purses) from carriage seats.

1839		H. Brandon Dict. of the Flash or Cant Lang. 162/2: Culling – snatching reticules from the seats of carriages at races.
1857		J. Archbold Magistrate’s Assistant (3rd edn) 444: Snatching reticules from a carriage – culing.
1860		Hotten Dict. of Modern Sl. etc. (2nd edn) 125: CULLING, or culing, stealing from the carriages on racecourses.
1864, 1867, 1870		Hotten Sl. Dict.
1870		Rochdale Obs. 24 Dec. 6/2: ‘Culing’ is [...] robbery in vogue chiefly at race times. Whilst the attention of the ladies [...] is drawn to the winning horse, the thief abstracts reticules, silk bags, etc.
1882		Sydney Sl. Dict. (2 edn) 3: Culing - Snatching reticules from carriages at races while ladies are looking at the horses coming in.
1895		Crowe Aus. Sl. Dict. 21: Culling, stealing ladies’ purses.