The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1880-11-11
SETTING 4 THIEF To CATCH A
THIEF.

Several decisions, reported within the
present year, illustrate the progress q
thought 10 the courts upon the E.oral4
of detective methods An instructive
one comes from M!chigah The stery
of the use was that a lawyer named
Saunders, who seems TO have been hs-
bituslly a rascal, was planning 10 steal
some papers from a courtroom. 1aey
bore against him IN the cause, much a.
the famous vouchers did agains, the
ring, aud be thought that 10 steal
them was the short and efficient Way.
He negotiated with the policeman Al
charge Of the building that the later
should leave the door unlocked. The
policeman. after consulting his seperi-
or officer, agreed 10 do this. The police
then lay ia wait; AID late one night
they caught the Thief in the act OF re-
moving the papers from desk. de
was tried; bat the court expressed
strong disspproval of'he police promo
ting the commission Of an offence for
the sake Of Furnishing it. One Judge
pronounced this practice 'scaudaloas
aud reprehensible.' Another said.
Courts will never encourage officers
who may assist persons to commit CRIME
in order TO arrest them. The fact that
a person contemplating a crime Is sup
posed to DO an old offender can be no
excuse for such course. Human natu-e
is frail enough at best. aud requires no
encouragement in wrong doing; II We
cannot proven. another from violating
the law. we at least should abstain
from any active efforts in leading him
into temptation.
A pair Of burglary cares are instruc-
tive as showing the tendency OF the
courts TO unite upon u very closely
drawn rule. One occurred In Kansas.
A policeman informed the proprietor OF
q saloon that some persons we're. as he
believed. planning to enter at night and
steal the contents Of the money drawer;
he thought, however. they would not
20 80 far as to break the outer door. lie
proposed that the door should be only
latched. This YVES done; and at night
the proprietor. with policemen. con.
cealed themsel yes IN coal shed IN the
rear OF tho saloon. The suspected men
cine, opened the latched door, entered
the saloon and began upon tho safe;
aud the party In ambush then came
forth and srrested them. The Kansas
judges said that this device was lawful,
and the burglars could be convicted. A
shopkeeper Is not bound 10 keep his
door locked at night, and leaving it I'm.
locked. merely, - not Offering any
temptation. or even giving any consent
to marauder's coming, uulatching the
door, and overhauling the money draw.
or. But in California case, the detec
tive went somewhat further. aud the
court said he went too far. He inform.
81 the sheriff that Collins had invited
him to join in Burglary. aud the
sheriff and district attorney advised
him to accept and bring the crime 10
discovery. The plan agreed upon was
that, when the money should DO takep,
the detective should mark il with acid
to identify it. aud that when Collins
fairly had it in his possession. the de-
tective should give signal aud the
sheriff should make the arrest. All was
done according to programme; but the
detective, being more enthusiastic than
ssilful, and Wishing TO mark the money
without Coliins's knowledge. pressed
forward first into the building. took the
money out Of the drawer, marked it
with the acid. gave il to Collins. and
then whistled Tor the police. The judi
ges said that he.e was no burglary.
The sheriff and the detective were no,
guilty. because they had leave to do
what they did. aud had no criminal in
tent, and Collins had only assisted
them. II they were not guilty, he could
not be-.
In Texas instance a nan who had
already committed burglary by which
he had obtained parcel of jeweIry and
silverware, found that he needed some
friend to assist him in disposing Of il
He applied to one Bonner for this pur
pose, and Bonner talked tho burglar,
over with him, ELECTED all the particu-
lars, went with him and inspected tn,
stolen property where 1t WAS hidden
and afterward. by himself, removed 1
portion of II 10 another place, where i
was touGd by the police. There seem
to have been some dispute whethe
Bonner had done these things in goot
faith as detective, or had inta.. led Il
share the ptotitsif all went safely Blu
the judges said his testimony was liabl
to suspicion; that no stood 10 the ligh
of participation in the offence; aud tia
the accused ought to have every oppor
tunity to contradict and disprove hi
testimony. They set aside the convie
ton Of the thief because they consider
ell that ON the trial he was not faifl,
treated in this respect.