, 1880-08-15

During the last lew 1loNl4!S Cllc'ts7o haS
been enduring some of the painful penalties
OF all large cities, one Of which IS the congre~
cation here of numerous criminals. The pro-
fession Of crime has primarily the end of rob-
bery,-the possession of money, or other
property convertible into money, without
honest labor. Ordinarily, the burglar,
if not disturbed at his work and. al
lowed to take what lie can find with
out objection, will not add personal
violence to his other misdceds. His object
Is plunder, and he rarely adds violence to the
crime unless to cover his own retreat, as
by killing his victim he destroys Il witness by
whom he might be identified. The circum-
stances governing the action Of professional
burglars are: the greater number Of places
containing property to be robbed, the greater
opportunities for escaping detection BY the
police, and the greater opportunities for
converting the property taken into cash. In
Chicago these three circumstances exist just
now more completely than perhaps in any
other large city, though they all exist in
every large city to some extent.
In the first place, movable property, such
as in the hands Of burglar or gang of burg
lars can find ready conversion, is to be
found in liberal profusion in Chicago. Here
are found stores having large stocks of all
those descriptions OF wares which command
the highest price proportionate to their bulk,
-iewelry, diamonds, watches, plate,sl'Ss, vel
vets, laces, fine cloths, etc., etc. There are
not only such stores and warehouses heavily
stocked, but there is large number Of them.
Clicago has also its full stock Of banks, pub
tic and private, brokers' offices, and other
repositories of money and valuablcs. Hence
it is that a city Of this magnitude offers q
field for burglars which, il successfully
worked, will always yield g good harvest.
Hence, also, the great attraction which draws
to this place tile large number Of profession
ais who are just now making their head
quarters in Chicago.
+ The second circumstance controlling the
! movements of professional burglars is the
| possibility Of escaping police detection. This
| is largely dependent upon the numerical
force of the police, and their skill and effect
| ivcness. While sl1illful force of trained
men must also be large enough numerically
| to be effective, mere numbers alone, without
skill, and without a competent Chief. are of
| little protection to a city, and serve very
| slightly as deterrent to crime.
| Chicago covers a very large area Of terri
tory, and to offer even reasonable protection
| to persons aud property would require a
large force Of men, fully as. large as is au-
thorized by law in this city; but 1t is the
practice, we understand, to keep at least one
fourth Of the patrolmen's places vacant, iii
order to save that mitch Of the annual ap-
preparation and build up reputation fol
economy. Keeping onc-fourth Of the places
on the police force" vacant serves also to ell
able the appointing power to promote its own
political purposes by appointing a good
striker orthe friend OF q ward boss. In this
way the Executive has always OIL hand the
capital Of fifty to eighty much-soughs Offices
and in case there is aconyentton to be elected
OF the right preferences this whole capital
can be proftably employed where it will de
the most good.
In the meantime, the burglars are fully
aware that Chicago Is comparatively unpro
tected by the city police, and that the chance
of being caught in the act OF crime are tot
remote, to be counted as desperate; more
over, as such q surprise would at best be TIL
work OF one officer, simple bullet coult
easily silence him. The second circumstauc,