, 1873-11-21
=. POVERTY AND CRIME. :
El1cct OF the Hard Times Oh Crime
and Criminals.
The Police Report an Increase Of Potty
Thcfts.

INCIl5s
It IL pretty generally received rs nm axfomat1o
trtll tint crmo incrcaHoa when times nro lard.
THO harvest Of tho ecicntttic crAoltanan oomoa
when times arc casy aud vaults boar over night
goodly Rharo Of currency, aud hard tiuaos aro
as fntal to hts enterprises They aro to buslneaH
In general But when poverty begins to pinch
a round, anil tho whit Of bread and fuel bogina
to DO folt goncrnlly, m increaso Of tho smaller
crimes ia invariably found. Chicago IL no cx-
coptlon Ito tho rulo. And In order to fnd out
to what oxtont tho hard times nro affecting
crime and criminals, a.rn1nuNE reporter waa
sent yesterday to mako inquiries ainong tho
police, who may DO reasonably accepted as
authorities on ths subject. Tho reporter called
upon
SUPERINTENDENT WAHHDuRN,
who said ho did not notice any very general In
creaBe OF crime. lie thought tint whnt might
be termed brcad-aud-butter stealing, TINT Is,
potty larcouica which nro impolled by tho alloor
;watit OF those committing them, was on tho in-
crcas0 end would promise to continue pretty
ltvoly during tic winter. Outside Of this ho
thought that critno was not any moro general
now than cvor before. Ho attributed this to tho
worry small number of thieves at prouont in Chi-
cago, thspolicn forco having rendered their stay
hero decidedly unpleasant and by no means luora-
tive.
DETECTIVE ELLIS
thought TINT tho hard titnoa wero having very
decided otfeot in increasing tho number OF sneak
thief robberics. Tho numbero oyorcoats Which
tho sncak-thievoa rompve from halls caroloBBly
loft ungunrdod is always very largc ut this time
Of year, and is particularly so this Roason+ uo
recommended that parties who hang up in thoir
halls overcoats, fur caps, etc., keep their hall
doors locked II they wish 10 rotain thoae useful
articlcn Of clothing, as he thought tho coming
winter was going to bo very sovoro one in tho
way Of robberioB Of al kilIds
SERGEANT HOOD,
Of tho Bridgeport Police Station, had noticed q
largo iucrenso Of crimo within tho past ten days.
robbories on tho street, both Of stores and citi-
zenH, being especially noticeable. Tho robberies
from tho persons Of foot-pasaongors tnke place
In many instances between o'clock and o'clock
in tho evening, fact which shows tho desperate
nature Of tho robborH. Il feature Of these cases.
which ahowa pretty plainly that tho criminals
are new boginnere urged by want to thoir acts,
out any attompt to add bodily injury to tho
theft, which tho highway robbor gencrally docs
not fail to do. Ho thought that parties rendered
desperate by necessity watch round stores until
thoy meet somebody with money. whom they
favorable opportunity to make the customary
demand. Thoro Ia no doubt that cArolcss dis
play Of her money caused tho attack already re.
ported upon the wifo Of police officer WHO wns
had bson out shopping with. sergt. Hood
stated TINT tho number Of applications to
tho Po]ce Station for relief and lodging
over night Ind increased worry greatly Of late.
and was much in oxcesB Of the number at this
lime last year. He told . story OF dcasitution
which shows that oven those who have homes
are often but little better OH than the roo1ess
watfs who wander from police Btntlon to police
station, and from the County Agents to the
Relief society's office. A few days sincoa young
o'clock In tue morning, ut tho station, asking
for assistance, and complaining OF the treatment
Blle had received from her husband, and nsking
for d warrant for his arrsst. She had neither
phoes nor stockings on. and had not oyen
shawl to protect her against tho bitter cold. The
officer WHO arrested tlo man said TINT ho never
eaw Buc!i stato Of uttor deao1ation as that which
reigned III tho house where he found tho man.
n couple OF bundles Of hay shaken into it, and
covered by one thin, thtoadbare blanket.
small homemade table and q thrce-legged stool
completed tho furniture OF the room. Thore
was no fire, but hudtlIod inatinctiyoly near tho
empty Fireplace were several young children
crying FROM hunger and cold. There was nothing
to eat in tho house. Tho caao WAS promptly re-
ferrcd to tho County Agent, who afforded tho
required roliof. In Bridgeport the suffering
during the coming winter pEomiaos to bo very
which residents Of this quartor found work, have
cloBcd. Tho closing OF Col. Hancock'a packing
house alone las thrown out OF employment
some 600 or 800 men, and at this soaBon there is
grocery-storo Keepers arc burdened With heavy
book debts, and are obliged to be extremely
careful in giving credit. Under these circu,n-
stances, the Sergeant did not zee how the COM
ing winter could bo otherwise than marked by
q frequent commission Of crime. As m instance
Of how mean an act poverty will impol mnn to,
the Sergeant told story as narrated to him BY
a docropil old woman. Tho other day sho rot
half a ton Of coal from the County Agent, 1t
came go late that sue had not time to get it into
her room. Waking III The night, she heard somo
one helping himself to her fuel, but was afraid
to stir or enter protest, ns she knew tho
desperate character of her ueighbors. In tho
morning she found the bulk OF her fuel gone, and
than accustomed economy. Fuel stealing is car
ried On by tho poor III all conceivable ways. Tho
trans coming in from Wilmington on tho st.
Louis e. Alton Railroad arc daily visited by bands
Of pilfoross who, notwithstanding the utmost
o1ortions mndo to prevent them, generally auc-
coed in securing considerable booty,
AT THE TWELFTH STREET STATION,
q large lncreaso Of the sneak~thiet bust-
ness sas reported. Hardly a day passes
but ahop-koopors md louseholdors call at
tho station to complain Of dcpredations.
As general rule tho crimoa spring from tho
actual wants of tLoAo committing them, aB Ia
ahown by tho character Of the things stolen,
which are in most cases articles Of clothing or
consumption. The professional snoak-thiof,
however,, shows no discrimination in his larceny,
anything pnwnable or yondiblo IL game Tor
him. At this station tho number Of applications
for lodging and assistance ia ut present largely
above the average. Every night three or four
homoesa creatures apply for lodging, and it Is in
almost all cases granted. Those coming from tho
South invariably mention St. Louis as their homo,
willis those from the East favor Buffalo. It is 3
cruel thing to do to any man, md, when the
victims learn their fate, they often ask to be sent
to Jail instead, but tue County Agent has no
choice in tho matter, aud tho pauper OF st. Louia
Is Hent buck to that city.
sERdT. JOHNaON,
OF the Union Street Police Stntion, indoraed al
the other opiu!ons with regard to the sneak
thioyes, and said that Aouaekoepers had better
look worry c!oae after their hall doors this winter.
At bis station, too tho number OF nightly
applicants for roliof and lodging Ia much
nhnya thR Ayarnra md In fhn1fnltt tha hint