Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. (mid-19C) drops of semen.

1857

Venus’ Miscellany (NY) 31 Jan. n.p.: Here is to the hoary-headed hermit, who never enters his mossy cell without dropping a tear.

2. (US) pearls.

1934		J.L. Kuethe ‘Prison Parlance’ in AS IX:1 27: tears. Pearls.
1949		Monteleone Criminal Sl. (rev. edn).