National Republican., 1882-12-14
DETECTIVE DEVICES.
Members Of the Capital Force Plead Innocent
to the Charges Preferred,
And Profess to Court the Fullest Posi-.
Bile Investigation.
Under the Circumstances it May be as WG' L
Accommodate Them.
The Citizens Committee Retain Counsel
and Prepare for Business.


and Prepare for Business.
The result of the investigation by the COM
mittee of citizens of the charges made against
the members of the detective force has caused
no little excitement in the city, and the state
ments of O'Lchry aud Murphy have been the
subject OF general Gomment REPUBLICAN
reporter visited police headquarters and asked
MstI-Brbclt if he BAD determined to take any
actoh in the mattet! He said he had not yet
resolved what to do; that the allegations
were made by two men who were convicted
thieves and whose object il was to save them
selves from going to the penitentiary;
that the statements were astound-
ing, and that some way should
be discovered to get at the truth; that if the
detectives had been guilty of the corrupt
practices alleged, they should at once be, not
only removed from the force, but subjected
TO the stcrncst punishment of the law. lie
said that he had come on the force asa rounds
man in 1861; had risen to his present position
by what he believed to be a conscientious
performance of his duty, and he had never
known or dreamed of such charges as were
now made. He had known most of these de-
tectives in various capacities on the force and
ulu nOU DellcNe UncV COulu DC guilty. WnllS
the conversation with Maj. Brock was going
on
LIEUT.. ECKLoFF CAME IN.
and in reply to questions of the reporter said
that he had been in charge of the detective
force for three years that before that he had
been stationed at the police court; and that
if these detectives, who were his subordinates,
had been guilty of what was charged against
them then he was also corrupt or else II fool,
nd Il 30, 1,o 1,t ln
he knew he had always acted squarely.
why" said he, 81 was born in this city
and have lived here all my life. l have
grandchildren, and do you think | would
commit any act which would reflect
or cast discredit upon my family?" He said
he was surprised that a committee Of respect
able citizens would allow things to be printed
which would cast suspicion on men simply
upon the testimony of two convicted thieves.
He said that one reason why the monte men
carried on their business SO long was because
the officers who arrested them could get no
conviction in the police court. Time after
time were arrests made of monte and bunkO
sharps, and they were released in the pO-
lice court. When these sharps began
to ply their business at Arlington of
course but little assistance could be counted
on by the officers here from the two coored
constables that did duty there. The officers
here drove them from the arsenal to the Long
bridge, then to the boat-houses, and then to
Arlington. The first conviction of a monte
man was that of Hambleton, who was caught
after having victimized man at Arlington.
District Attorney Burke, of Alexandria, was
sent for, the man taken to that city, and he
is now in prison. Lieut.. Ecklotf said that he
WOULD WELCOME AN INVESTIGATION,
and when it should come it would vindicate
his force, but might make some other unpleas-
ant disclosures. He said that William p
Wood, who made the written charges against
the detectives before the citizens committee,
had been bail for every monte man who had
been arrested; that he went bail for Long,
O'Leary, and Murphy, and had aided in the
escape Of criminals.
ALL THE DETECTIVES DENY THE CHARGES
made against them, and say they are anxious
for an investigation, that they may place
themselves right. They don't care whether
the investigation is before n board or before
the courts "Why," said one of them, 81
was for four years on duty at the white
house, and when l came to this position / had
the Endorsement of the president of the United
States and every cabinet officer except
the secretary of the interior, under
whom the force was at that time; and
SO far from having made the money
1 am charged with having received, had to
sell my house little while ago to get me out
of debt, and l amt out yet" 1t is said that
" LeafyS description or llttle Horace Is de-
cidedly at variance with the actual appear
ances of that expert thief and leads those who
know him to believe that O'Leary never saw
him.
DETECTIVE cooMEs SAYS
that he has known O'Leary all his life and
used to work for his father, and might have
been seen with him at the National hotel, as
one of his duties was to look after that hotel,
and O'Leary used to hang round there good
l 1no1 hn ho1 ,nYlN t,ln in,
the billiard room; but he never had any i'm
proper association with him or with any one
else.
WHAT IS SAID OF o'LEARY.
| OLeary mentioned, among those who would
corrObOrate his statements as to the intimacy
of the detectives and thieves Mr.. Frank Col
lngsworth, keeper of the billiard-roOm at the
National hotel, where he said Miller and the
other detectives played with thieves. Mr..
Collingsworth says that years ago O'Leary,
when boy, was employed in the billiard
room, and while there was quiet and well-be-
haved; that he has seen Miller play with
O'Leary, but never with any one else that
was crooked" that he knew Of
Beresford, n printer, by whom O'Leary was
employed says he was truthful and honest
while in his employ, and corroborates
O'Leary's own statement us to the cause OF
his discharge.
George Holmes, at whose saloon, next to the
| Howard house, certain crooked transactions
are alleged to have taken place, denies that
he ever saw money paid to a detective in his
place; that thieves ever frequented his sa-
loon, or that cards were ever played there for
any considerable amount. He denies en-
ph0tically O'Lcary's statement that he played
cards all night in his place.
WHAT THE COMMITTEE HAS DONE.
The committee of citizens held meeting
| yesterday afternoon, and several letters which
had been received by the chairman from per-
sons who had been the victims of thieves and
burglars were read. The committee have
employed Judge III. II. Wells to take the
matter in charge, and all the information that
has been received has been handed over to
! him, with instructions to take such measures
as will bring ont the truth of the whole mat,
ter Judge Wells will Mt once enter on this
work, and it is expected that some startling
developments will be made within day OF
| two.
Lecture on "TraditlOns!" II , '-
Mr. William Richards, theable and eloquent
second vice president of the Carroll institute
] I,tsil .,,tI hnfnra tl,a