The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-01-28
Bad for Gcorge-A Moral for the Police.

Dau 1OI UCOISC.A U2OI6A xOx tho EO1lCcs
George Dermemon, Of Paris has gone to
prison for five years, and when the five years
have dragged themselves YEARLY away, and
George comes out, he will be subject for ten
police, who will pass on from one to another
and from city to city knowledge of his
person and succinct statement of his
history, and who viii interfere persist
emily and inevitably with all his little
games, even the most trivial and if by
brought into court no matter on what ac-
cusation or at whose complaint, the doubt
will be against him, and others will not have
to prove him guilty, but he will have t. prove
himself innocent.
None Of these things aro pleasant, but they
are the consequences Of Georges imprudence;
Of his deeply mistaken violation Of that silver
plated rule, ne qoid minis. He did it too much.
As general rule it is not wise for detective
to claim as his own more than half Of what
has been stolen in any particular operation by
the thieves whom it is his duty to catch. It
LtS Docu dIpucQ CuuJ IL 10 uDC WlSc lOI illlll W
claim any, but people who are generous as
well as just, and especially those who do not
restrict themselves to lemonade, will scout
fancies of that ascetic quality. We must allow
for the wind, as the sailors say; we must
remember that though our detective is virtu-
Gus he is still human, even at his best, and
therefore covetous, fallible, subject to tempta-
ton, troubled about his bank account, and
eager to be in when there is any good
stealing on hand. He should not want
more than haA. as we have said, and
axiom of equal Importance should be
impassive before the money is taken. He
may consent to the iurtive operation; he may
let the thieves go it Alone but he should
never assist, fer by this means he changes the
nature of the transaction and surrounds
with peril.what was altogether safe.
George disregarded these first principles
and several otb.srs. His specially in the
Paris police service flowed from his knowl-
edge of the English language. He could
speak "a few Ingleese," therefore the pick
pockets fell to his share, tor there are no
French pickpockets, or none but such as q
holman could catch. This noble science is the
attribute OF a free people. 1t is not specially
provided for in the British constitution, but it
is a part Of the noble heritage of the Anglo
Saxon race. As soon as a man plants his foot
on English soil he is free. At the same mo-
ment it becomes possible for him to develop
into pickpocket unless both his hands and
one foot have been previously shot away in
battle. George, having the pickpockets for his
share, saw that it was better than farm.
He studied them necessarily He made
their acquaint lance that he might pursue
the study to better advantage. From acquaint-
ance came intimacy and from intimacy they
came to understand one another. Georges in
come increased and chosen class of pick
pockets ceased to be caught Paris police
circles heard more OF "clews" than of cap
tunes. Some obstinate fellows, who thought
that Britannia needed no bulwarks, refused to
come to terms and there were enough of
these to keep our inspector active and in
good repute on the force, and also to make
exemplary examples for others who might
fancy Georges terms hard.
Dermemon having an interest in the sue
cess OF the pickpockcts, it was but natural he
should put turn Ill their way from timo to
time. lie kept himself in constant commu-
nication with them by telegraph, and not
only warned them away from dangerous
points, but indicated the occasions likely to
prove at once the safest and the most fruitful.
On one occasion whole corps gathered
ten plethoric pocketbooks in sta
ton, and these, for safety, were oil