The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-03-23
The Detective Police Department.

AN HOUR IN THE CITY HALL BAsEMENT-wHAr
ONE SEES THERE-THE "BLAcK HOLE" HARD
PLACE FOR vMLANs-THE ORGANIZATION AND
PAY OF The DETECTIVE FoRcE-wHAT THEY
HAVE ACCOMPLISHED, &C.
In the basement of our City Hall is an in
stitution which in little more than year has
become as familiar to the sinners Of the COM
munity, as our churches are familiar to the
saints. Dark, dismal labyrinthian ; suggestive
of modern Borgias, catacombs, Blue Boards,
anything you please that calls up memories of
'sgoblins damned" Even the visitor feels a
cold chill creeping like an east wind through
his bones, when candle in hand he makes an
exploration of the mysterious apartments de-
voted to the purposes of the Detective Police
of Charleston.
We recently paid the place ia morning CALI
in one sense, place 30 musical that all the
windows have ''bars," the reporters take
'tnotes," the prisoners ''sbake, and the Of
fcers perform The ailegreto nsaestoss move
ment to perfection. You enter the front door.
Straight before you is an iron grating, which
revolves upon o central pivot, and is like the
portal to Internal darkness. Turn to the right;
knock; private Office is unlocked, and you are
confronted By some one Of the officers who
is perpetually on duty. There is quick in
curing professional review of your person
habit is such curious thing-as il John Jones
had published hand-bill giving your dimen-
sions and the length Of each particular NOUS
tache, and you answered the description to
dot. You don't fairly stop shivering until the
ice of conversation has been broken, and you
are invited to subside into seat, when, your
errand being social one, you soon discover
that these sharp-eyed, watchful men whose
business it is to be ever on the trail Of crime
are possessed of courtesy Of manner and
gentleness of speech well calculated to fasten-
ate any individual whom they may desire to
place under either social or criminal arrest.
Looking around the Office, you see hanging
against the wall the weapons Of the several
members of the force, and in close proximity,
the wristlets or handouts wherewith the prey
is secured. In another part of the room is
picture-gallery, which is being rapidly filed up
with the portraits of the most notorious scoun-
drels with whom the department has dealt, or
who are yet under surveillance. And such facesl
1t would throw nature into night sweat to
see her handiwork. 1t has been moulded into
all shapes, patterns and colors, from the una
dulteratee william who wears black monotony
of rascality to the civilized scoundrel who looks
almost handsome in the magnificent intensity
IL aOPfh hnoQ
specimens of iniquity have been hung others
are now serving out their time in the Peniten-
tiary while, still others are yet adrift with re-
ward and halter in the perspective.
Here, too, are kept the books of the depart
ment, wherein are entered the details Of every
complaint, crime, arrest or reward, connected
with the peculiar business of the Office. Here,
also, every officer is obliged to report daily
what he has done, where be has been, and
whom he has "piped." Open drawer in the
desk and you will find score of unclaimed ar
ticles such as watches, silverware, spoons,
bracelets, jewelry, &c.-each Of which has q
history which is not unfrequently romance
itself. The small dramas OF real life are repre-
resented by these comparatively insignificant
things to degree that is astonishing to any
body but the cool detective who narrates the
circumstances Of the curious chase by which
they were recovered as matter-of-factly as the
printer sets up this paragraph.
Adjoining this Office is larger apartment,
where are arranged hunks for the night accom-
modations of the officers; where they disguise
themselves for special occasions, whenever dis
guise is required; whence they sally forth with
s'bull's eye and baton," to make their midnight
raids on thieves and burglars, and where they
return with the spoils OF the expedition. Here,
also, is the entrance to the cells or dungeons
places black as Erebus-in which the rogue is
left to chew the cud Of solitary meditation,
and sharpen the razor Of his conscience on the
milestone Of the situation. II there be any
thing in the world calculated to open guilty
villains heart to the inquisitorial crowbar Of
detective police officer, it is just such surround
ings as he finds on the inside of one Of these
twelve foot dens Of darkness, where the night
mares revel and purgatory seems actually be-
gun.
A word with reference to- the organization
and results of this department, and We are
done. The importance of detective police
system in Charleston has long been recognized,
but it was not until Captain C. B. Sigwald. the
present efficient Chief Of Police, pressed the
matter in 1866, and by dint of hard labor, car
ried his plans through the City Council, that
they were adopted, and the desired auxiliary
department created. Lieutenant 81. W. Hen
bricks was placed in command of the new o.
ganizaton, under whose direction, subject to
the orders of the Mayor and Captain Sigwald,
are the following officers T. B. Chapman, S.
G. Coates, T. ]. Caldwell, n. Davis, P. Hogan,
J. D. Myer, Moses Levy, and R. Gray. The
clerk is MIR. julius LePrince.
What these nine officers have accomplished
is best shown by the books of the department.
Last year $4,000 worth Of property was recov-
cred; and this year up to the present time
upwards of $4,000 in money has been recov-
cred. From eight o'clock in the morning un-
til twelve o'clock at night, every man is "on
duty" for which he receives the pay of $50,
per month"; sum just one half that which is
paid to New York " Metropolitan"
The institution is requisite to the interests
of the city, and ought to be sustained; and we
trust the financial condition OF our people will
soon be such that all their public servants can
be better remunerated for their arduous labors.
ROBBERY AT THE CrTADEL-THE SAFE AT