, 1870-01-29
TEE POLICE And TIE THIEVES,

TIE TRIBUNE, yesterday, published q list
Of the persons arrested by the police OF the
South Division for yassancy during the
gear 1863. Ths LIT numbers about 2s5.
Df this number uany were arrests of the
samc person About fifty were clear cases
ct vagruncy, being persons of idle, dissi-
pated habits, Who were sent to the Bride
we'll to Keep them out Of the streets. These
persons generally served out their terms Of
imprisonment, There were, however, about
200 arrests Of men who are openly and
avowed1y thieves, pickpocSets, robbers,
Lurglars, and 1ufiaas. These men are
known to tho police, and tharo is no Secret
~ " their profession It is only by ra1e
chance that there is evidence enough to
convict these men Of the crinea ther COM
nit. They are tho men who crowd upon
the ho-se-cars; who gather at the entrances
to theatres and places q nmusenaent; who
follow ladies' On the street, and tear their
witches and jewell5 from their persons;
who strike men down in the street at night;
who steal horso-1obea, rob railways,
ind COMMIT burg,aries. The police ar
rest tbesa men Us vagrants, and they are
fined 800 by The Police Court. There
can be no question that the
police and the Police Court have dono their
lu:s. But IN inspection OF the record
shows that bat in few instances have
these thieves either paid tho fine or served
ont the imprisonment. The rnesns Of es-
cape are threshold. First, the pardon Of Tbs
Mayor is sought, That has been granted
during the last Sear to persons named in
this list Gi hnes. The next course is to
have tie sentence suspended on condition
Of leaving the city. This has been done
les tirzes. TIE ncxt resort Is TO give se-
c.1iss and appeal the case to the Circuit
Cou-t- THIS has been done in So cases.
II 1n.ss be remembered that we have given
crly TIE figures Of the arrests in the South
Division They arc duplicated in each OF
tho ether disibious. Tho pardon of
The Mayor is m absolute discharge, The
Suspensions Of tie senicncs are Bubstan-
tially the same, because the person does
nut leave the city, but rerna1ns to prosecute
his buslzess- The appeal il also m stIectus,
escaps. TIE bail is furnished By psrson
who IL . professional tailor, and who, for .
comparatively small fee, executes the ap.
peal bond The cppea! aotsasa appended.
Of the case, and the city did not, during
The last yesr, bring one Of these appeal
raahs 10 trial.
II will be seen, therefore, that Ill the
Labor .! tho po,ice wss frustrated, and thai
thcso notorious aud professional thieves
piclpoekes, burglars, and robbeu on
ioycd an caiire immunity- OF what use il
]. 10 .r7est item if they arc to be dis
rhareeds It is no uncommon thing 70;
The po.ioe to pick up dozan OF thes'
ikieyos at Eight aad keep shem locked ~
ti;lnozaips-leeplng them for that night
1t lsast, from stealing but, as we hav
shown, prosecutions have beeu utterly de
fealed bJ the false sympathy and utte
negligence Of tho proper authorities.
einca General Stiles has beea in sh
Office Of City Attorney, he has taken u
Iii, appeal docket. and, outof one hundres
and three cases, has obtained condrmsiio
Of judgments il all cases but two. bu
lie prisoners are at large, and tho Falue
Ihh bail has now 10 be tested. It is nc
likely that Mr.. Stiles will permit an escap
pf The bid, i it be worth anything. Th'
1rssioa O. hls PAT, il kept up, viii o7ontr
n1,y brcak up the appeal busine's-
There are certain things which nus. b