Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1860-07-21
The Science of Thief Catching in London.
The last number Of Household Words has

The last number Of Household Hords has
this interesting sketch; IS. lp
Your wife discovers on retiring for the night
that her drawers are void; her toilette table is
bare; except the ornaments she now wears,
her beauty is as unadorned as that of Quak-
eress not thing is left; all the fond tokens
you gave her when her pre-nuptial lover, are
gone; your own miniature with its setting OF
gold and brilliants her late mothers dia-
monds; the bracelets dear papa" presented
on her last birthday; the top of every bottle
in the dressing case brought from Paris by
Uncle John, at the risk of his life, in February,
l846 (being gold,) are off-but the bottles
(being glass; remain. Every valuable is
swept away with the most discriminating
villany; for no other thing in the chamber
has been touched; not q chair has been
moved the costly pendule on the chimney
piece still ticks; the entire apartment is as
neat and trim as when it had received the
last finishing touch ofthe house-maids duster
The entire establishment runs frantically up
stairs and down stairs, and finally congregates
in my Lady's Chamber. Nobody knows any
thing whatever about it, yet every body
offers suggestion, although they. have not
an idea "who ever did it." The house-maid
burst into tears; the cook declares she thinks
she is going into Mysteries; and at last you
suggest sending for the police; which is taken
as suspicion OF, an insult on, the whole as
sembled household and they descend into the
lower regions of the house in the sulks.
X 40arrives. His face betrays sheepishness
combined with mystery. He turns his bulls
eye into every corner of the passage and
upon every countenance on the premises. He
examines all the locks, bolts, and bars be-
slowing extra diligence on those which
inclosed the stolen treasure. These he de-
clares have been violated" thus concisely
intimating, without quoting Pope that there
has been more than one Grape Of the Lock"
he then notes the non-disturbance of other
valusbles; takes you solemnly aside, darkens
his lantern, and asks, in a mysterious whis-
per, if you suspect any of your servants,
which implies that he does He then ex-
amines the upper bedrooms; and in the
room of the female servants he disdovers the
least valuable of the rings and cast-ofi
silver toothpick between the mattresses. You
have every confidence in your maids; but
what can you t1ink2 Youi z est .t1eir
safe custody; but your wife intel cedes, and
the policeman would prefer speaking to his
inspector before he Iscks anybody up.
Had the whole matter remained in the
hands Of x 49, it is possible that your whole
trouble would have lasted till now. A train
of legal proceedings-actions for defamation
of character, and suits for damages-woulo
have followed, costing more than the value
of the jewels, together with the entire exc
vate friend of your domestics. But happily
the Inspector promptly sends plain, earnest
looking man, who announces himself as ON
of the two Detectives of the x division. ii
settles the whole matter in ten minutes. Hi
examination is ended in FIVE. As con
noiseur can determine the painter of a pic
ture at the first glance, or Winchester th,
precise vintage of a sherry by the merestsip
so the Detective at once pounees upon author
of a Of h,
the style Of performances; II not upon tn
precise executaut, upon the school TO whicl
he belongs. Having finished the toilet brancl
Of the inquiry, he takes a short view of tn
parapet Of your house, and makes an equal,
cursory investigation of the attic window
fastenings. His mind is made up, and mos
likely he will address you in these words
Dancing SCHOOL,"
"lmpossiblep exclaims your plundere,
partner "Why, our children go to Monsieu
Pettitoes, of No. 81, and assure you he is
highly respectable Professor. As to hi
pupils, IT,"
The Detective smiles and interrupts
Dancers" he tells her, 'is name given I
the sort of burglars by whom you have bee
robbed; and every branch Of the thieyin
profession is divided into gangs, which ar
termed "SchoolsH From No. 80 TO the en-
of the street the houses are unfinished. Tn
thief has made his way to the top of one
these, and crawled to your Rarret-"
but we are twenty houses distant an
why did he not favor one of my neighbors ?
you ask. -a
EITHER their upper stories are not so pra,
ticable, or the ladies have not such valhabi
Jewels"
"But how did the thieves know that2n
'By watching and inquiry. This affai
may have been in preparation for more tina
month. Your house has been watched
your habits have been ascertained. The
have found out when you dine-how Ion
you remain in the dining-room. A day
selected; whileyou are busy dining, and yor
servants busy waiting on you, the thing
done. Previous many Journeys have bee
made over the roofs, 10 find ont the be
means of entering your house. The attic
chosen; the robber gets in, and. creeps uois
lessly, or dances into the place 10 /
robbed
Is sthere any chance of recovering on
property You ask, anxiously seeing III
whole matter at q glance.
II hope 60. ] have sent some brother O
hcers TO watch the Fences houses"
Fences
Fences" explains the DetectiyeI In fanl