The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-01-20


OF release and non punishment should be iulnlled
would call IN the aid oil tue District Attorney, who
WIN the mistaken idea that ne was really AIDING
IN the detection and suppression OF crime often
consented 70 hold PACK the wheels oil justice. The
nle, oens spragned invariably pleaded guilty a
WIN ana either nominal sentence would be i'm
posed oy the Judge or suspended Altogether:
mus me detectives were placed IN cOnfdenti al
relatlons With the very men who the puplc SUD-
POSED tney were constantly hunting and seHng,
winch VIII De explained IN It's proper place.
THE TEMPTATION OF REWARDS.
rency anu the increased activity In all branches OF
business gave the criminal classes more abundant
opportunities for awless plumber. the result being
rcner and larger than ever. Burglars found that
merchants Kept immense stocks OF valuable and
portable goods in the bonded warehouses In order
to AVOID payment OF dutles un I'll they could realize
by sales to customers. The consequence was that
! whole invoices OF costly veIvets and silks would
be successfully carried on. much TO the cnagrn or
| the owners. When the case came into the hands
OF the headquarters detectives they found the de-
their goods should be recovered tnan that
sne criminals criminals were were to-, to be- arrested
| oil Offering rewards for the recovery of properly
instead VI the conviction OF the thieves. Thus the
energies directed entirely to getting back the
plunder. Ten per cent OF the cost OF the stolen
| owners, and they frequently suggested that II no
other way presented Itself the arrested thief might
inc ms IS do Ss Ssl
can De no question, for sometimes there was no
81 9 M fse
detectives secured the coveted reward In another
way luly as reprehensibe. This can be better ex-
pained oy the narration OF the facts IN single
case that came to the knowledge OF the writer IN
due course OF ume:-
TWO SIDES OF A DETECTIVE STORY.
bonded warehouse, near the Battery was en-
tered on a Saturday night from nelghooring
tenement house, and the gang OF burglars spent
the entire twenty-four hours or the Sabbath in
coolly selecting and packing up the contents OF
several oaies OF valuable silks the properly OF y
leading merchant this city. The goods that
were carried OF were valued at over $40, 900, and
areward OF $1,000 was orered for their recovery
One OF the detectives VINO Is still on the force,
made II his business TO work up the case; but
despite all his cunning and experience, the burg
Of more recent, operasions Al last me
attempt to dispose Of their punder, and
30 approached well known sneak tnlel, asking
him TO her buy the silk or aid them in selling
IT. Unknown to the tnievlng fraternity this man
had for some time driven q profitable trade Dy
acting as stool pigeon Tor certain detectives, and
he 81 once set trap Ior the gang. BE first placed
himself IN communication with the detective al
ready mentioned, and. acting under his lnssruc-
with the thieves. All OF the details were salts
iactoriy arranged, and place and hour oil meet
ing agreed upon. Tnls settled satisfactorily, the
detective took up his line OF conduct suddenly
appearing before the superintendent the of1cer
announced, In a mysterious manner, that
his efforts had proved successful, aud tnat
ne believed that At last be was on the
track Of the warehouse burglars The assistance
asked for was immediately granted by the inno-
cent superintendent and the detective soon found
himself near the house where ne knew the burg
lars TO be concealed. coroon OF police was set
aud the detective and his partner-tne New York
detectives invariably hunt in couples-made a
dash into the apartment occupied by the thieves.
the descent was made only lew minutes before
the hour set down Tor the pretended purchaser to
appear, consequently the officers found the entire
gang IN the room, together with the stolen silk.
What was the resultY No DOUBT the reader I'M
! AGNES that after desperate struggle all Of the
( thieves were arrested and their pluuder secured.
Not at all What transpired In that room only the
thieves and detectives knew. No arrests were
made, at all events. Alter an absence OF two
/ three hours The detectives returned TO the Gen.
trail once with an air OF triumph, ana exhibited
as their trophy nearly ali OF the stolen silk, ex-
planning that Tue thieves had made good their es-
cape Just IN time. The story told Dy the detective
I who planned the AFFAIR was an ingenious one He
stated tnat finding that the men he suspected
were sun hiding IN the city he came to the conciu
sion that they would in all probability endeavor to
send their piunder away oy express. He accord
ingiy visited al OF the express Offices, and re.
quested the clerks and managers TO notify
,nelr care ior trAnsmisslon. His story
went on TO the effect that at last one
OF the express companies mad informed MIN that
they mad been requested to send to certain
house Tor Jour or i've trunks, giving also des-
tectlve claimed that this information gave him
the necessary cle~ and led to the recovery of the
goods This narrative Was duly published by the
! much credit for his sagacity he meanwhile get
ting the reward and sharing it with his inrorIner
and decoy The burglars. though wei known to
the oiicer were not arrested Tor taeir crime,
there being no incentive; besides there was every
portunity for enricning himself. To this day
tlat officer thinks that his secret is safe Yet he
is trusted by his superiors and the puoc ana car.
ries his badge OF Onice. such instances are com.
mon In the history OF our detectives.
BLAcKnAILIsG THE THIEVES.
The greed OF money on the part OF detectives led
TO worse abuses; for, not c0dtent with securing
large rewards Tor the recovery o. stoica. property,
backmall 10 doing this the detectives we're CON.
testimony ,hs VINO las SeeH oo one sud
reputable citizen OF sworn oricer OF the law.
However, II Is earnestly believed by those having
have been men on the force who compelled pro.
6esslona thieves 10 pay them tribute for the i'm
not expiated. IL ls also true tnaG the men
VINO were suspected Of these practices are
no longer in once, though there are some nQly
stores anoat about some VINO still on du ".
II IS quite certain that there have been detectives
on the force who were conspicuous for the absence
went on the record as securing CONVICTION, and
he seldom even made an arrest on his own respon
slolnty, usually acting a. the second OF some
enterprisng officer. Yet ne retired with com
potency and owning considerable real estate.
EXPENSIVE TASTES.
The most surprising thing about detectives
that Is. the class who make the greatest shows
that they manage to get rich on smah salaries A
detective Is supposed, oficlally' to receive only
$1,000 per annum, or less than s25 per week.
Yet many OF the detectives are ao,e
their personal adornment and incidental
expenses. Handsome watches repose IN their
vest pockets and costly diamonds Hash In their
/ snlrt fronts, whe they nabitually dine Ia the
most expensive manner and are invarably wei
supplied with money. Occasionally IL leaks out
that some OF this expensive Jeweiry ls received
from notorious thieves In return for some lancied
favor extended oy the officer. Trials by the Com
mlssoners have Teen had such charges, and
there the matter has ended, though 1t seems
! strange that men who are sworn into the public
I service 10 protect the community against thieves
should De permitted 10 accept gi.ts rom men
who either have been or ought to be IN prison for
tner crimes. II d merchant who pays ms
clerk salary OF Sl,2Jo per annum should
notce that his empioye constantly dresses
/ 10 an elaborate and expensive manner
OF ostentatousy carries a god watcn ana ula
mona studs or irequents fashionable restaurants
and Jilliard rooms, he would at once jump 10 the
| CONCLUSION that the clerk was dishonest. This
! would be very natural surmise, and our columns
sometimes record such Instances with this differ
ence that the empoye Is watched by a detective
VINO is himself addicted TO tue same SUSPICIOUS
practices. In the one case the detected eInp.oye
Is prosecuted and sent TO prison, while the puoiic