, 1874-11-20

probably enjoy the distinction Of bringing about
tho best results 1t cau possibly attain.
--.-..-----..-:.-
THE THIEVES AND TIE POLICE.
The police started out to meet THE TnfnuNE's
exposures of tue current ravages BY thieves anu
burglars With tho plea that thoro was no moro
crime OF this character now than s usual at this
timo Of tho year. Tho collateral evidence con-
tributed to sustain our position by the peoplo |
who have boon sutfercr8 aeems to have driven |
the police away from their first position. and |
now Mr. Mark Sheridan comos before the Grand |
Jury to show that the police undor A1r. Rohm |
are recovering alarger proportion OF etolon prop
orty than they did under hlr. Washburu. We
eau conceive Of nothing moro Irrelevant to tho
main question, except that 1t shows the police
under the present management not to DO doing
What thoy arc organized and maintained to do.
We have always iaborod under tho impression
that a police force lie organized for tho double
putpoaa OF protecting tho citzeps against Outrage
and robbery, sud for approhet'ding ofend-
era after the outrages nnd robberios havo been
committed. va ara familiar with no code Of
law Of ethics, however. which warrants trans
formation Of police into an organized body
for receiving stolen goods. Yet 1t ia for this
that Mr.. Sheridan claims special credit Ia due
the po}es under his general direction. We
should think It would occur to the Grand Jury,
whom Mr. Sheridan has undertaken 10 enlishtan
on this point, that Il tho police devoted less
tlmo to tho recovery OF Home Of tho stolen
property, they might have more timo to watch
the property before 1t is stolen and to apprehend
the thieves 80 that they might not stosl again.
Tho police arc not tho only agents through
whom stolen property may be recovered. Tho
thioves OF q large city are generally Or
| gauizod into gangs With Central quarters
! and a common pool Of earnings. This has
| been notably tho case 10 Chicago for
come geara. Whom pickpocket relieves gen.
tleman or lady OF q watch on tho nozse~car, or
burglar makes away with diamond brooch from
residence, the stolen article is acnt to secret
| depository In tho city, or. by syssom OF ex-
change between the thieves Of various citiee,
aant to similar depository In BONO other city.
The thief alwaYB prefoss to sell back the article
to the person from whom It was stolen, rs this
is regarded as final settlement Of the matter,
whereas. Il sold outside, it MAY lead to appre-
| heualou and arrest. There are always persons
raady to negotiate the return Of the stolen
property for consideration. Sometimes this is
done through newspaper adyertiaements some-
times through personal application Of q "mutual
FRIEND" and aometimes through the agency Of
the police Whom accomplished with the aid
Of the police. tho modus operandf doea
not differ from that followed In the other nego-
tiations. Tho owner Of tho stolon property 1n-
dicatea what be is willing to pay to got 1t back
the thief tells what he will take; and after thus
It Is question Of hageltng as to price, witl
cxima on one sids and avarico on the other. It II
this kind Of business In which tho police undel
tho ordata OF tho Doard Of Police, have boon en-
gagged tor aome months past, and which the tax
payees aud plundered citizens are called upon t.
extol sn.l admire. We have an idea that the,
will refuse tho Board the praise Mr. Sheridan
seems to banker after. It, az the President o
the Board le could huyo shown tlat tier
aye fewer robberiaa under the ptesen
administration than under hlr. Washburn
or that there ase fewor policemen now to pre-
vept burglaries, he might iustly have boon con
gratu!ated. But when ho proves simply that
with ono. third moro policemen, the percentages o
stolen property recovered larger he deliberatel
eomonstrates that tho present occupation Of til
police force is not to discourage robbery by &c
curing the thieves, but only to recover sons @
tho property after 1t has been stolen. It wonl
not be out OF placo for the Grand Jury to IN
strt,ct Mr. Sheridan that It is tho function OF
9 police force to protect property from beln
!, stolen, to approhond thioyos, to bring burglar
!, to iustice, and by constantly haraasing aud to'
, turing them, to drive the robbers whom the
oauuot convict out Of the city.