, 1874-02-08
TIE POLICE AND THE BURGLARS.

in time, whether the effect Of the order is merely
to secure to the Superintendent the earliest
knowledge OF robbe1ies, OF to suppress informa-
ton to the public altogether.
It is q wel1-known fact TINT q vast amount Of
money is raised by thieves through sort Of
blackman operation. Valuable property is
stolen and withheld for time. The owner is
then confdentially informed that, upon the pay
ment Of a certain sum and promise to ask no
questions, he can recover his property. We can
being satisfied with the recovery Of their stolen
goods at q comparatively small cost, when their
refusal to settle would prevent them from ever
recovering. It is too much to expect Of the
average citizen that he ril suffer pecuniary
loss to maintain principle, and it
is this imperfoction OF human nsture
upon which thieves depend for their profits.
The worst feature OF the case is that the me-
ments is the police authority Of the city. The
Lizzie Moore case ia notorious instance. Jew
elry WAS stolen from woman of this name, and
all efforts Of the police we're apparently fruitleBs
to recover it or to apprehend the robbers. At
the expiration of eome weeks Capt Hickey re-
ported that Lizzie Moore could recover her prop
erty on payment OF q SUN Of money, about ono
fifth Of itB true value. Miss Moore paid the
money to Capt. Hickey, and received the jewels
in return, and w2a pledged to secrecy by the Of
fear.
It is needless to point out the demoralizing
effect OF such system upon the police force.
Whether Or not tae virtue Of the officer in
trusted with the d.licato duty of acting as 60
between is sufficiently firm to prevent his accept
ance Of 'sgratuity' from either or both parties,
is an open question Assuming that it is, how
ever, ths city has no right to expose it's en-
ployeB to any such temptation. At the same time,
the police authority Of tile city is guilty of
the crime Of compounding felony in every such
instance, and is degraded by acting the part Of
agent for the enemioB Of society. It is useless
to urge the advantages accruins to the party
robbed, for the successful result OF one such
bargain encourages it's repetition, and every
such compromise effected is the parent Of q
dozen others. There appears to hare been no
effort made to defend tue system openly. Mayor
Colyin set his face against it squarely. His OBJ
lection to Hlckey's reappointmont to Captaincy
was based upon his aversion to the principle in
volved, not upon any belief in TINT officers cor
zuption, and he feared to nominate q man who
la - 1..A -,
action should be construed as favorirg the sys-
ten.
Great care has lately been manifested to with
hold from the press any important nets OF rob-
berry, the excuse generally offered being that
tho guilty parties woald be apprised OF
the vigilance Of the police, and make
good their escape. This implies that
the thieves who ,nfest Chicago have forgotten
the existence Of the police, and so far is pauRi-
BILE enough. The excuse, however, reflects So
verely upon the efficiency OF the Department.
The true reason is that, by the publication of
the facts connected with robbery, public inter-
est is Immediately aroused, and the case is ear
nestly watched until the thieves are appre-
hended and sentenced, or, IS more ne-
quently happens, till some new act Of
violence diyerts attention from it. To at
much for the modesty OF the Department, ind to
wait until public interest has 6ubsded taxes the
patience OF both thieves and victims. Viewed from
the standpoint Of the thieves the publication Of
IL 1nr f$.u1r x.r1{d
householders on their guard, doubles the diff
culties in the way Of obtaining plunder, and I'M
perils the operations Of all parties. Mr. Rehm
claims that during one month Of his administra-
ton more stolen property has been recovered
than Mr.. WaHbburn had restored 10 six months.
Tho natural conclusion would be that more prop
erty had been stolen under Hr. Rehm's nose in
one month than under Mr.. Washburn's in six,
and the long list OF butglaries and robberes pub
[ished in TEE Tribune recently. not one Of which
Has furnished by the police, confirms the sus-
picion. II the newspapers, By reporting |
can scare away thieves, by |
Ill means let the fullest publicity be |
II paragraph can protect thecity |
from the depredations Of one burglar eyen,-by
sending him back to his own stamping ground, -
t is surely of more service to tho community at
arge than police force which exhibits it's ef-
icicncy rather By buying back stolen property
han By capturing criminals. We shall expect
Iayor Colgin to see to it that the new order OF
be Superintendent be not perverted to tbs pur-
oso Of suppressing information in which the
ubic are vitality interested