New Orleans Republican., 1873-02-23

tFrom the Boston Globei
In view of the attention which has been
lately excited in our police system and that
of other American cities, IL ls worth whlIe
| to study that Of Paris, which is ackuowi-
edged to be the best in the world.
'On the kim, "set q thief to catch
thief" Vidocq. a notorious convict, was
taken from tho ga:!eys into the service of
the French government. Ii was he who
established. il 1917, the detective corps still
existing and known a. La Surete. His eX
Ctpticnal ability enabled bin to effect some
notable captures, bu, the system which. un-
der him and Coco LaCour, his successor
anothe: pr0fsFsiOu thief-was fairly tried.
developed such evils thlt IL had to be aban-
G0ned. In 1892 the ccrps was dissolved.
and reconstructed On Il different basis. In
vie" ut the temptations ~ their position.
Of which bribery wa. the most dan
gerOu-, it was all important to secure
llrn on the force who should be both able
and !nc0rruptibl.. The q jfticult task was
finally accomplished, End the moral Charac
tex o: the Individuals composing La Surete.
who are nearly all married men and fathers
OF families. has been, and is, the best as
saranco of their efficiency. Tni. corps,
which keeps in check the whole criminal
population "t Paris, consists of about l50
persons. whose skill IN the detection of
ciI'ne alnOuntS almost 20 intuition. Their
observation, memory and lu" gment are so
sharptn"d by experience that they are en-
dbl|G 20 determine from i few tr!f1ing lndi-
cations The circumstances Of u case and the
offender concerned iii it. Cauler is said to
have dEcnVered the clue TO Il murder from
,oUr "Crus written on - piece OF paper. in
whIci s"lne butte, was wrapped up. and
Numerous instances are on record i'll which
the most Insignificant signs have been made
the bass III successful dot ctive operations.
Som" time ago - Wet escaped from
Cayenne was asc.TUalned 70 BE- working as
4 c&rp.nter in a shop in the FaubourS
s.. Aut"!ne. On the preteuse Of an urgent
JOB he was induced 10 ~ out. aDd was
speedily taken 10 the prefecture in a cab.
HIS pru'"statIOnS were Silcnced by the eX-
&C n"s4 with which the ch!t. Of police de.
sc!ihcd his past experiences: ''fUur name
/. So .tGd 20: you have been condemned 10
TN NcarS of penal scTvItude: you ipd
th'"rEh the Dutch possessions: You resided
IN Lordon N such . place: you came to
France through Calai.. you aie tattoOed On
tb, l-f: arm: you have small poS mark
under the right no&tril There it is. D.
Dlai Is useless. and y1u had better admit
al" The particularly and precision Of
th.ae statements ast0nishCd the convict,
Who AZ once confessed his identity. II is
curious TO learn how all this information was
obtained. and it is hardly necessary tn say
lht IA" pCltto bk Nlfl o,tdHlODS, 'N al
themselves Of the assistance of c0nfcler-
ar-s These are chosen among released
c"nv.ct-. who. in exchange for tn. intcrma
:ipu th'y :mpart. are allowed certain imUu-
mites aU: remuneration. 1ut receive no :tg
ui.r pa. II TACT. the condition of :Eeir i.
.idIa. ~ Paris depends. IN many eases,
np"n IN u actin. as sple. rpnn criminals
Ih"Y gu; toe Inspector. on the track, AID
;l-.r reward is graduated to tho nature OF
Iy,r lo;,
r9bhe:,, twenty ttv" Cor "v'rF burglary and
:0"bery "ith violence ant titty .'or evc;y
:nu".it" which they haNe EelPrd 20 ferret
cTt. In thus av.iiiuc themselves OF tke
tnoWl"nG" OF criminals. ia regard TO the
O9rTa: ::uas Of thalr fellows. without. how-
"ve:, 'iGUl"ying them except IN a .ut0ra.
ras- capacity, th. Paris officials are enabled
:. .""l - elective check ~ n. dangegou.
cII-@G-. Even cupdtmhcd criminals are
tc::.! gc9.y - ..arirs. tt. n"ts of oillrrs
for ne 'aEe ~ s9ma sigh. Improvement III
-" a.-' ."r the n,iylieg" OF remaining IN q
ia,'> l"'is:rtiary lrsfc.sa o! being Irans
icG.c': 80 ti,o c"untrv.
The ;,,even..un OF crime il also s.fec ted
by ';.a '-eGts OF Ia Sur"tr nv keeping such
:s ''.rN lance over suspicious characters
'-.; u If rnghte>: movements are kn"wn. .
tn.!. II r"cessarv. guarded against. The !
:y"a "i 'ha detectives are every where. and
sue" /, ;h'ir kEowicdg. Of physiognonty !
II. = CHANGE lo"'l. y casual switching of !
The mouth. are sufficient indications of the !
manner Ia which the criminal may be in |
.''C,t lc reveal his secrets. Sympathy and |
XII 'l"=, are the means bv which many of !
t.!d..s are made useful inStru,ncuts of JUS !
ice. The ordinary police force oi sergeants |
lie !.tr k"op such :. close inspection of all !
t." intnstes Of the lpdging huuses OF Paris !
th;.' Gh@ 'r.nors of the detactives are g!edtIy |
s.rt ,.iitir... Register. Of everything and |