The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1858-07-24

The Rogues' Gallery of New York, is grow
ing up into an important institution. TIN
collection ofportraits known by that name ane
exhibited at the Detectives Rooms in tn
General Police Headquarters. on the corntr o
l'roome and Elm streets, now numbers neaily
two hundred and forty. The advantages o
the idea are daily illustrated, in enabling per
sons to identify burglars, pickpockels ant
other villains by whom they have suffered
Recently, for instance, a man whose hous,
was broken into by fellow whose face he had
seen. bat who had escaped arrest, looked ovel
tie gallery and instantly spotted the perpe
traitor and another person who had had hi,
pocket picked, recognized the "Knuck ;
among the portraits and officers were at once
put on the track of the guilty parties. BY a
frequent examination of THESE Photographs, the
detectives become so familiar with them that
they easily identify the originals on the street
and the regular members of The Department
as far as they choose, derive similar benefit
refugees from other cities are picked up in this
way. For example, not long ago, fellow
was arrested ON suspicion of being pickpock-
ct and his face was duly added to the gallery
Boston policeman happening to be in town
shortly afterwards, recognized this man as a
",
by that means succeeded in procuring his ar.
rest, and he was taken back to Massachusetts
ard put in the pcntcntary for ten years.
In connection with portraits, Sergeant
Lciltrts, who originated the gallery, iots down
minute personal description of the originals
with any important facts in their criminal his
tory within his knowlcdg e-which record al
ready forms quite volume. This plan Of
hn ,hfIo \
Of justice, has already been copied in one
Western city, and will soon, without doubt
be adopted in all the cities of the land. a
system of exchange. by which copies of por.
traits taken in one city should be forwarded
to another, with the necessary accompany
ing information, would prove valuable aid
the United States.
to the claims of of physlo9nomicsl science.
Imagination dont!iess eNaggeratcs the evil as
pect OF known cnlprt, out there is no mis-
taking the hidcous lineaments Of vice and
crime which lower upon the spectator from the
Roencs Gallery. Low cunning, ferocity. I'M
bndIed intern. erance and lust, and especially
that malignant misnnthlopic look which we
expect to find in the branded outlaws of so.
though some exhibit well couuterfctcd i'll
nocence and amiabllty which make them all
more dangerous to the public. These are
generally confidence men and other plausible
rascalS, who live by their wits. The greater
proportion are young men--say under twenty
five years; and it Is notorious that The ma or :
ity Of our most hardened villains are not over
that age.
Most men do not object to the exhibition
Of ther portraits in public places but rogues
are decidedly averse to lending their facial or,
naments to this gallery, and most of them re-
qulie little gentle compulson before they
Will consent to sit for picture. There is a
variety ofingcnlous ways for bringing them 10
terms. One is, TO lasten placards on their
backs and parade them on Broadway till they
give up. out of pure shame-a feeling which
is probably not altogether cxtinctin the brca st
Of the worst of mon. One obstinate fellow
was escorted up and down broadway, some
time ago. with large laLe! "pck. pocket "
upon him. Lie held out well for while, and
endured the comments and .icers of the pub
lie with high stoicsm, but finally burst in.
TO tears and expressed willingness to have
his portrait taken. Another and more COM
mon process is TO pass the ccntumacious chap
from one station house to another, showing
him up to the men at roll CALL until he has
made the entire circuit of the precincts, un.
less he gives in at an carly stage of his dis.
graceful progress, which he generally does
The rascals, when placed before camera,
sometimes screw up their faces into forms of
heightened ngliness, so as to prevent subsc.
quent Identification but they are promptly
informed that such grimaces will not be al
lowed, and that they will be detained Ill. they
assume a natural countenance.
journal Of Commerce.