The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1878-08-14
THE OLD LONDON THEE.
TAKERS.

LII W bliVlO "OlO
thief-takers of the Jonathan Wild class,
solely desirous Of earning the f40 given by
the Home Office upon the conviction of q
felon. These men were far more anxious
to obtain "blood money" than to hinder
crime; it was to their interest, indeed, that
crime should thrive; the reward was only
due upon the completion of o felony.
They were accustomed, as they said, to
'let the matter ripen," Until their fees were
Secure, and the conviction of the offender
q matter of certainty. Intimate relations
were thus established between the constab-
ulary and the criminal classes. In the
| Life of Munden, the actor, it is related that,
in consequence of burglary having been
committed in his house in Kentish Town,
he applied for advice to his friends, Sir
William Parsons and Mr.. Bond, the sitting
magistrate at Bow street. They inquired
the extent of his loss. He admitted it was
but trifing-the thieves had been disturbed
by the early rising of one of the servants.
"Munden," said one of the magistrates,
"ypu must not tell any one we gave you
this advice; but you had better put up
with your loss, for to prosecute will cause
you great deal of trouble" He then in
qured of one of the officers in attendance,
"Who was on the North Road last night?"
Little Jenny with party, your wor-
ship" "Have you ascertained, Munden,"
asked Sir William Parsons, chow the
robbers gained admission to your house?"
'By forcing up the parlor window" "Was
there the impression of a very small foot
on the mold or the gravel outside"
"There was" "Would you like to see the
leader of the gang that robbed your
house ?" 81 should" said t. comedian
with rather a bewildered air. Every well,
go over to The Brown Bear opposite, at
/ o'clock tomorrow afternoon Enter the
room on the right. You will see Townsend,
the officer, seated at the head of table,
with large company round. You may
be assured that, Townsend excepted, they
are all thieves. II he asks you to sit down,
do so. The man who sits upon your right
hand will be the leader of the robbers
who entered your house" The actor
entered The Brown Bear at the appointed
hour. He duly found Mr.. Townsend at
the head of large table, diligently carving
round of beef for a gang of thieves 81
wanted to speak to you, Mr.. Townsend"
said Munden, looking uneasily about him,
'but see your are engaged" Il shall be
OF your service in a minute, Mr.. Munden;
perhaps you will take snack with US.
Jenny" said Townsend, to a little man
sitting upon his right hand, ''make room
for MIR. Munden." Jenny, with an
uneasy look, did as he was bid Munden
sat down, turning toward his uncomfort-
able neghbor, and examining his features
curiously; the company the while laughing
immoderately, for they supposed that Jem-
my for legal purposes, was undergoing the
process of identification. Now, when the
| burglars had entered Munden's house, they
| had attacked a remnant of cold round of
! beef they had discovered in the larder,
helping themselves very freely to it, leav-
ing little pinches of salt upon the table
six in all-denoting the number of ths
burglars. Apparently, the thieves in the
| D.. b. I
with the attack upon the beef in Kentish
Town They addressed themselves ac-
cordingly with rough jocoseness to their
disconnected comrade. "Jemmy, your
appetite is failing. Pray, have some more.
You were always fond of boiled beef"
Greatly to the relief of Jenny, however,
the actor presently withdrew after making
low bow to the burglar, who was not
| long afterward called upon to undergo the
last penalty of the law, on account of some
more serious ofiense. "IheSe," writes
Munden's biographer, ''were the customs
that prevailed half century ago. The
officer had the thieves under his immediate
eye, and seldom gave them much trouble
until they were worth G40-that is candi-
dates for the gibbet and the halter. If
much stir was made after a lost gold watch
and a handsome reward offered, hint
from the man in Office recovered it; and
when the final period of retributive justice
arrived this functionary fearlessly entered
a room crowded with malefactors, and,
beckoning with his finger, was followed by
The Brown Bear was as safe a place of
retreat for the thief as any other.-AU the
Year Bound.