The sun., 1873-10-22
our Detective system.


Tho charges Of dishonesty brought
against the detectives of the Central Police
Once will surprise nobody who Is famil ar
with the principles upon which the detcc-
tive police service, not only in New York
but III nearly all American cities, is con-
ductod Whether in this particular in
stance the accusations brought against the
implicated parties are well founded or not
is comparatively of little consequence; ;
the whole system is corrupt and should
bc reformed without delay
The popular idea Of the detective j. that
Of wonderfully shrcwd. collected, and
determined individual, gifted with pcrccp-
tive and reasoning faculties Of such extra
ordinary acutenc,s that upon tho slightest
possible clue being given hun he is enabled
to evolve from his inner consciousness all
the details of the most mysterious crime,
and 10 find and follow the trail of its
pcrp,'rator, no matter how eushroudcd in
mystery an the circumstances Of the case
may aipcar TO ordinary ewes. lie IS also
supposed 10 possess the faculty OF assun-
iuE an infinite diversity OF disgui,cs as oc-
clsIon may require, with such skill rs to
battle the recognition OF his most intimate
associates. surprising III his representations
Of assumed characters the most noted
dramatic artists of the dny. I'm reality the
detect SO. as a 2 neral thing. Is simply an
associate Of th.cve,, thriving in his pro-
fcs-iou propoitiouptriv with his success in
uEaudting himself into tho confidence of
the criminal olH~.cs.
The detective system wliph is generally
In vogue IN the Cu.tcd states may justly
lain for It's father the coiohlatcd tLicf-
tuker. Mr. JuNATuAS WILD, who iluurishcd
IA London about Il century aud half ago,
and whose memory was emhalmed by
FIELDING in one Of his most famous pro-
ductious. WuD'scxploitsh have been chroni-
lied in later days 10y Mr. W. IARRIsoN
AiNswoRTH in his famous story Of "Juck
sheppard, work which placed in dra-
matte form upon the stage enjoyed uu-
bounded popularity many years ago aud
contributed greatly to populate the prisons
Of Great Britain and America.
Mr.. JONATHAN WILD, who was born in
lGs2, began active life as Il conner of false
money, and afterward established II pub
lie house in II dlsrcputable quarter of Lon
don, which soon becar0 afavorite resort
astute mind Of Mr.. WILD that this business
connection might be made profitable, and
he thcrcuPon assumed the profession of Il
detective, aud ultimately became very
successful in il. As ms fame as n thief
takrr extended, his patronage increased
people Of al stations hurryiug TO engage
ms services whenever they suffered hy
robbery IN order TO augment his profits
he made all the thieves pay him black
MALL kindly assisted them in planning
robhcrics, in order that he might share iu
the plundcr; and whenever he found il
more profitable he would apprchond them
and deliver them 10 the courts, which in
those days was the same thing as sending
them 10 the gallows.
That the methods of Mr.. JONATHAN
WILD have been very extensively en-
ploy"1 in this country under shal is tech
uically. known as the stool-pigeon system
of police operations, il n matter of noto-
riety. u is well understood by persons
versed in these patters that notorious
thieves have been suffered in this city TO
run at large and commit crime with inn
punity in rethrn for theiT services a, i'll
formers against other and frequently les
ser rogues. There is scarcely city in the
United States in which practices of this
description do not prevail, while pick
pockets almost as "a rule divide more or
Jess Of their spoi,s with men who are paid
{" watch and apprehend them. II could
scarcely be otherwise under system which
encourages Intercourse on terms OF init
macy and familiarity between thieves and
the officers Of the police. such associations
must ines itably demoralize any force, and
there Is no Justification whatever for per
milting them.
Mr., JONATHAN WILD was the hryt man
10 comhm" with the profession Of detcc-
tive that of general thieves hrohrr. A
large portion Of his profits came from tins
lucrative branch of his business, which he
carried TO the extent of advertising freely
IN the newspapers OF his day, calling
loudly for all sorts of stInyed yaluablcs to
b" sent to his house IN the old Bailey upon
promise Of great rewards land no uucs-
lions asked Indeed, Mr.. WILD appears
TO nave been the inventor of this style of
advertising, which is as popular now as
"hen II was first introduced nearly two
h"hared years ago, Probably very few of