Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-12-12
Turn On fise Light.

Turn On the Light!
Unquestionably the most serious obstacle to be
mt In undertaking to get at the truth OF any
charges OF corruption and cOnniyance with crmi-
nas which may be made against members o! any
branch OF the police force viii Dc found In endeavor-
Ing to procure what can be received legal and
inpeachabie evidence establishing sucn practses.
From the very nature Of these transactions the
only other parties having personal knowledge OF
them must be the criminals themselves with whom
such alleged Illicit relations were had. Naturally,
too, only those who have been convicted are likely
to be prepared or willing 10 make exposures of
this character; and as their evidence Is not re-
ceiYable in court 1t amounts to little nothing In
legal point Ct yiaw, however convincing IL may
Dc 20 the public mind. And just here lies the
curity OF policemen and others who are or have
been the allies OF thieves. Charges thus made
az INST them become at once Il mere question of
y-rdcity between them and their accuSerS: and In
such a contest the accused naturally and proper
enough has the advantage over his accuSer. After
That II becomes question of eorroboratye~ evil
d'nce, either positive or circumstanttal. 1t Is
Clear therefore that the only means the public has
for reaching just conclusion In the premises IS
TO patiently hear both sdss, and then carefully
collect all the facts and examine all the collateral
testimony ana circumstances tending to establish
the truth or fals.ty of the charges in any given
case, ana decide according TO the weight OF reli-
b. proof and reason lble probabilities.
How can this additional am much-needed light
on the subject be obtained? The difficulties
In the way are many and great; but they are
neither so numerous formidable that they
Cannot BE- put aside. It has been suggested that
IN IS meeting Of all citz rs who have been robbed
Shall D. heldat SOM suitable place when and where
each victim shOull give his or her experience In
fuil,--nOt alone the known facts and circumstances
Attending the robbery Itself, but also full account
OF all subsfGu mt experiences and negotiations on
III" subject, both at police headquarters and with
III tv.duals members OF the force, whether patrol
I@1 or detectives. Or, If That method be deemed
hi1racticabe or objectionable, then it Is sug-
gestci that each victim shall write out his or her
experiences in detail, and send them TO news
pa)e or general circulation for publication. These
revolutions would make most interesting Ii not
ye'y pleasant reading; and either plan proposed
c1uld not fail 10 go far toward enabling the public
TO reach correct conclusion in any stated case
where corrupt practices or connvance with crimi-
Is might be charged. And not this alone Such
exposures would aso thro. So full flood OF light
OF the general subject of the OF crime and
1t immunity from proper punishment In the Dis
tict OF Columbia would at arouse the
whole community 20 the necessity OF demanding
AL securing both more stringent and effective laws
a inst crime AMI their quicker and better enforce
m"nt at the hands OF the police force AMI the
courts
But whether either OF these plans be considered
lS Die or not, there IS another phase OF the qucS-
ton that needs more attention than 1t has re-
eeved, and where change OF practice is urgently
required in the interest OF the public. We refer to
tie injunction OF secrecy almost invariably i'm
posed upon victims both by the police authorities
AMI the detectives when a robbery Is reported to
Them. However well meant this advice on their
part may be, there can hardly be a doubt that in
ne cases In ten the adoption of that course works
10 the advantage Of the thief and the disadvantage
vie
citizen and ignorance the part OF the public as
- the operations OF criminal are exactly what
the latter wants The pretnnce that the nOtOriety
given to case by the publication OF all the facts
In the columns or the newspapers tends TO inter-
te-e With the proper efforts OF the police and &c
eit the ends OF justice is little better than idiotic
diVel The criminal has far swiiter and more
srtatn means OF Information as to what the a,l-
thOrties are about tEan any newspaper Can posi-
y be, even under the most favorable circuul-
3 nceS- He has his spies and agents actively and
III c lively at work, If not actually among MEM
oers OF the force, at least very near them. The
o1ser, therefore, the public can be kept in fgnor-
aIce Of his crime, the better for him Instea Of
The victim saying nothing about a given ease, dl-
ractly the opposite course should be pursued. In
stad0I keeping quiet about his or her loss until
the thief has had time aud opportunity to hide or
dispose OF his plumber and get himself out OF the
Way, every scrap OF information and every fact
matter ought TO be written out in detail
AL published as quickly and widely as possible
This course would nOu only make every member OF
TIE community a detective and a member OF the
loce force, In certain sense and TO a certain ex-
tAt, out II wouli have the inevitable effect Of
putting the whole police force detectives and all,
upon their pest meitle in the detection and pun
1shinent OF crime With the eyes Of the whole city
eaoa them they could not afford TO FISK the dam
gers, even were they 50 disposed OF sinking their
cuty on the one hand, or standing Ia with thieves
gamblers AMI conf teLce operators ON the other
IL Is natural that persons who are robbed should
prefer that little or no publicity should be given to
taeir losses This desire is based largely on the
1lea that they might be regarded rs lacking in
vigilance or kecnnesS, else they would not have
been Vctmk d That Is, however, a mist AIKEN
notion, ana nothing could we'll be more absurd I'm
iS'iI tlan 10 entertain IL, nor more mischieyous
1u It's effects than TO act upon IT, No such infer
enc could be drawn In one case in ten nor in
twenty: but even where grounds for It might exist
tie victim ought TO be willing TO DISREGARD his
eva preferences in the matter for his own benefit
ana the protection OF his friends and neighbors
Again We say u IN on the light, Nothing is so
much dreaded by thieves and their aiders and
aoetters, and nothing serves the interests OF the
Psbic more certainly or more effectively.