New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-07-18

We had few days ago, in the course OF all Ill
ve.toat;on into the cause of the death of notorious
burglar, glimpse behind the screen OF secrecy
which for alleged prudential reasons covers the
operations of the detective police Ii was testhed
that this burglar had at various times, directly or
indirectly, paid black mail or blood money to CHRIS
TOPPER V. Hogan, formerly detective or shadow
attached to the select corps which Mayor Wood
had gathered around himself and placed in positions
well known as sinecures. Although the story is
straightforward, we do not put full faith In IT, Tor
the reason that it rests entirely upon the statement
of the burglar himself as related by him to his wife,
The woman testifes that Hogan had on several Oc-
casions visited her husband, and her inference
seems to be that he was after money Letting this
testimony 20 for what it is worth as against Hogan,
it no doubt affords true picture Of certain class
of the old Police. Notwithstanding the care which
they take to cover up their sins, and the fact that
the character of their victims is such that but little
legal weight is given to their testimony, it is well
known that the striking" system, as 1t is called,
is practiced to remarkable extent.
1t is the business of all policemen, but more es-
peciay of detectives, to "spot' burglars, thieves,
gamblers and all yiOatOrs of the law; they are to
make themselves familiar with the haunts and
movements of these characters, to "pipe' or fol-
low them, and be ready atany moment to nab them
in the act of crime. But not few officers stop
short of the arrest become the accompices of the
outlaws, share the plunder or divide its proceeds,
and conveniently absent themselves when the next
operation is to be performed Should detective
become hard pressed for money, he calls upon some
rascal over whom he holds the terror of exposure,
and the money is forthcoming; and by those evies
the detective is enabled to sport diamonds and flash
jeweIry until he can scarcely be distinguished from
the scOundrss with whom he consorts. At the last
State Fair gang of gamblers and pckpockets from
this city attended to fleece the countrymen. They
held their orgies and spread their faro tables in the
leading hotels while conspicuous among them shone
New-York detective, dining walking, talking and
drinking with them, and generally believed by the
unipitiated to he one of the leaders of the band
Was be there as detective or as a stool.pigeon7
If as an officer why did he not arrest the bully of
the gang. for whom warrants were then out, and
whose delivery to the keeper of the Tombs would
have been an act of real public benefit 7
But this completely with criminals is not con-
fined to the detectives; the patrolmen and district
officers have had their modest share, drawn princ-
paly from lower grade of offenders, but still
yielding handsome perquistes. To let smart
thief iun, after mock arrest, is worth five or ten
dollars; to fail to appear, where the arrest was
made, is Of more or less value, according to the
gravity Of III, ofense; to keep the peace in house
cfIlfame and proven. rOwdIes from kicking at the
door, is worth certain weekly or monthly stipend;
TO have an eye on woman's lover, or the inmates
OF Der house, insures many good meal with cham
payne and cigars in a haunt Of licentiousness;
while the comparatively legitimate protection of
rum shops against the inroads Of drunken rOwdies,
adds something to these sources Of revenue. Now
very little of all this can be absolutely proved by
legal evidence, but that such have been the prac-
tees for years is VIGOROUSLY true. OF the thou.
sands Of petty offenses known TO tie police more
than half are arraigned without coming to
trial. while of those tried large proportion fail of
conviction through absence Of witnesses, Others
get of by legal chicanery, more are relieved by
babeas corpus, and few-and those probably the
lea.t guilty-get the full measure Of punishment.
1t is DO wonder that crime has Hourished so
rankly in this city, under such encouragement no
wonder that the votes Of those who live upon the
proceeds Of crime were thrown in solid phalanx
for tie head of such a police that the policy
vendors, rum-sellers and keepers Of bawdy- houses
subscribed literally to aid bis election and to return
to the Common Council bis peculiar friends. The