The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1867-06-13
Baker, the Detective, and the
Booth and Surratt MysteTIes-
A Pen Picture Orthe Lying
Rascal.
From the Mao-A-oheek Press, June IL
BAKER vENTILATEs.

From the Mac-N-oheek Press, June u
BAKER vENTILATEs.
The business Of detective, how.
ever necessary it may be, has never
been regai ded as the most reputable.
Whether it can be regarded otherwise
than despisable, depends altogether on
the character Of the detective. In
Europe, whore the system, both po-.
liucal and of the police, has been car
ried TO almost perfection, the first
quality sought for in tho detective is
honesty. Ho is intrustod withso much
irresponsible power that unless he is
possessed of the highest integrity his
Office becomes the means Of carrying
out what it was created to sup
press.
In this country, acting on the old
maxim of setting thief to catch a
thief, we suffer moro from our police,
and especially the detectives, than we
do from the rogucs. And in all cases
whore the honest man gets into troub-
lc he had better go over to the enemy
at once, and seek safety among the
thieves. lie may IN that case lose his
property, but he will save his temper
and be relieved Of much aggrAvation
and disappointment.
General Baker (Brevet Brigadier
Gencral--God save the mark) IS rep
rcscntative man. He is the American
detective. From among tho thieves
he was selected as the thief to catch
thieves. He has the distinctive tea-
lures and qualifications Of his calling.
OF these he boasts. II is hIs pride OF
character. 1t is SAID that Gen. Scott
first appointed him, and the General
had been questioned why, he would
have responded, because, sir, he is the
most active, intelligent, adroit rascal
that | know Of" For the same rea-
son the Secretary of War, MIR. Stanton,
continued Baker in office We can
sec the grim smile which the sardoniC
Secretary would dwell on his creature {
utter want Of conscience and honesty
1t was q grave error, A blot has
been left on the fair fame of the Secre.
tary, and shame on our admlnistra,
ton.
Breyct Brigadier Gen, Baker has
rushed into print, lie has made a book
And since the publication of Barnum 5
Confessions and Wykoffs Courtship
nosuch STAINLESS volume has appeared
Recollecting General (Brevet Brigo
dicr) Bakers qualifications as de-
tectivc, we may appreciate his quail
ficatiOns as an author. How many
lies are we to have to the square inehi
That is the question that ustanlmate
the reading world on taking up his
volume.
We nc; ;er could make out what the
late and lamentcd Mr.. Lincoln wanted
with detective system at all. From
the hour of his first Inauguration up tC
that of his doalh, tho thieves were all
in office Excepting Messrs. Chase
Stanton and Holt, it was impossible
almost to lay hands on an Official and
not touch man not made rich througl
his position. This was especially the
case with the moneyed offices, Hon
est men stood aghast Mt the impunity
with whioh stealing went on. AL
cries of shame and outrage seemed un
availing. All opposition was throwr
away. Thieves were turned out TO b'
sueccededby thieves, and colossa
(, fortunes were made in an hour. Th'
amiable old President cracked joke
lover the rascality, and said that in hi