The New York herald., 1872-11-10
Ehe Alarming Increase Of Pocket Picking on
tho Line Of the City Railroads.
HOW THETHING rs DONE
The Railroad Companies Have With
drawn the Detectives.
Tho Public Demand for
Protection.

-Pocket-picking on the street cars has recently
become one OF those habitual nulsances In this
metropolis which 80 frequently prove to be sources
Df alarm to peaceable and well-meaning citizens.
This serious annoyance demands prompt and en-
cient attention from those In whose hands the
power OF authority and action rests
In almost all the cars, but especially in those Of
the Third avenue, the well-known game OF shuniing
On the front and back platforms may be seen al |
most daily. Il only needs that the newspapers
Bhould be read 70 understand the naod,ss OpeTand
of the thieves To have been robbed on the cars
leaves the recollection OF crush on the front
rear platform. Watches pOcketb0oks or diamond
breastpins vanish imperceptibly, and 1t is only
when they are missed afterwards that |
ehe victim begins to suspect that some
of his neighbors on the cars were pick
pockets. The thieves usually work in gangs OF
sthree and four, and the point they first seek to
gain is to draw the attention Of the victim to
Imaginary occurrence Of startling moment. While
thus engaged all the crowd press around and the
thief then plies his vocation with that skill which
most thieves possess. SO far as the 'art" Ia con-
cerned nothing more than this can be said.
But the matter an evil In the city Is OF some
moment and can be dealt with more explicitly. 1t
will scarcely be denied that the railroad companies
owe some rights to the public, and 1t cannot be for
lie, paid to arrest crime wherever they see it and
neither to conceal their knowledge of criminal acts
nor to gloss the evil doings of any One It is
their business to arrest pocketpckers and this, OF
course, the public expect. But II this be
their duty there is also another duty on the part
OF the public toward them. We hear every day the
cry "Where were the police ?" In this matter of
pocket picking on the cars at all events, they de-
sire to be on the right track, but, unfortunately
zhey cannot be. In word, 1t must be admitted
That the railroad companies are really responsible
for all the rObberies committed on the cars The pub
aic deal leniently enough with the companies They
recognize every advantage the cars afford, and
Ehey grumbie but little at the errors OF the rail-
road people. Not even in this matter OF the rob-
berries do they speak half so loudly or so often as
they ought to. Now, the question arises, will the
railroad companies continue to refuse to allow the
detectives to ride the This question means,
OF course, will they give the detectives "passes"
dor the cars. Some time ago the Police Department
started system OF car detectives, putting on
special men to do the work. 1t was a failure. The
newy-fedged detectives proved to be thieves on
the public. and were nuisance. Since then the
railroad companies have been left in comfortable
quietude, though secretly, thousands of people
nave been demanding reform. The question now
looms up again. "What Is to be done ~ This time
1t comes from the people, and the HERALD is con-
stantly in receipt OF communications asking for its
aid to redress the grievance complained of. Among
hundreds Of communications on the subject We
seAEt some OF the latest received to inform the
police and the railroad companies what the people
fhink:-
TO THE EDrroR OF THE HERALD:
se e o e se
tude and s snormty Of serious social evil to which we
sef n your issue Of today !aturdsEy ;peGia Aten
Sroachsd before in journal and Be hoped that
Ia ADJ
omcwhat Is satisfied that visits BY detectyes pro
5sy @
writer
direction at least Since that article appeared certain
Which writer has been riding
q the day have not been for
6e which the writer the habit Of passing
ritsr has seen other ocaites
pGs snS
his eye upon them and understood their II this
would BE- Ss @ %
n eassy se
THIS % and the money sqSrsa for
s@ount 5sSle But i appears mat tss
say ne %sy om s ss s f
Se 70 es
might allowed to Iids free, but the companies have
G.: :sss 5
aunoTzsS ri to arrest al parties who @ had rS6bsd
Companies Obliged employ none others but those
4 reach s such sns
to Sn occur s IN the OF such
small evil, Tho greater evil must bs crushed in some
ans the 'nf
TO EDITOR HERALp:
me- xss s0fs
one oceSsion In Third avenae car about Sspast ten
o'clock at night four or nys strong n.d aienc a
Ss aosS S
ss Within nss
sa: Ss sS Ak ssa +
s so BE- % 10 ss 8u a
lie was sviaentiy marked out by the whole gang as
% s.S Ss s s s .n dss q s
pockets took his position At his side while the other
j ne s q f. s he the
n% xan sssa'dy sssga
an observer, and e9uld mot mot but Be also cosni
as nothing, I 81 .ssSs: sfss:'. SSsSs SS
N snf
sSsf Helpless ca.
s g :as Si
y Ss snas
tended victim.
The conductor Of Seventh avenue and Broadway
says the custom of having the platforms Of the car
over by thieves whenever there is crowd Is Of
occurrence and Il persons OF respectable dress
ccd thereon an effort is generally made to them OF
whatever they before they have idea OF
position they arc placed in. N r. II.
Either OF two things must be DONE The railroad
companies must give passes to the police or the
police must at the expense Of the Department
travel on the cars. That the police should travel
at their own expense is not TO be thought Of such
an arrangement would be worse than useless, as is
obvious. The old arrangement which Kennedy
was the father Of like most Of his hobbies, cannot
be revived. The railroad companies, however re-
fllse to give passes to the Police Department for
this purpose. Yet, strange to say, the moment q
new captain has been appointed the companies
hasten TO give him pass.n They do not know