Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-03-13

Snce uio suat thiet attenipt 10 conceal the prop
DETECTIVES AND RECEIVERS RoBBrNa TIE ROBBERS
The place OF business OF the receiver with whom
ne principally dealt was in a deEsely populated
portion OF the city, and within a stones throw OF
pennsylvania avenue, public resort where some
OF the detective officers could be found almost
every day and night OF the year.
HIS business seems to have been conducted there
On the thes entering the receyer wesd fe ieo way
MS plunder, ask how much he wanted on It. and
commonly complied with his demand, upon the
chase did not prove remunerative to the receiver.
the matter would be made right on the next trans
1t is astonishing how small an amount. com.
pared with the value OF the property, was ad.
vanced Stealing was indeed to the thief an
given for the smallness OF the advance was that
tney must oner to return the goods at a price
so moderate that the owner would commonly be
willing to pay; out OF that sum the detectives
must have their share and the receiver his, which
was always large
Under such system the hazard of crime was
reduced to the lowest possible rate: indeed. it
might be said that there was comparatively no
hazard at ALL because II the thief was discovered
IN lne act, and Identified, and q warrant issued
for his arrest, the detective who shared in the
plunder communicated the fact to the receiver
wanted, the latter quietly made an excursion
down the river or to Baltimore, or to some other
point at conyenieYt distance. where he remained
only short time, when he returned to resume
city.
REFORMS RECOMMENDED.
Knowing as we now do the workings OF this
organized band OF robbers we can see plainly that
thieving can be measurably stopped only by de-
stroying and blotting out OF existence the shops
Of the receivers OF stolen goods and by preventing
the protection OF the thief by the oficers OF jus
t1ce; and we therefore recommend To the COM
mittee and the citizens that their efforts should
be directed to reforms In these particulars.
one would naturally suppose that it would
officers q
police force from becoming themselves tina
a,ders and abettors OF crime and the protectors OF
criminals and perhaps it would not be 80 but for
the fact that the whole force OF about two hun
dred onicers was In this respect put'practically
WITHIN the contrel OF the six detective officers for
the practice has been, as we understand to assign
the more important cases OF reported crimes TO
one on or the other Of the detective officers, with
whom the other members OF the police force did
not undertake to interfere, and thus it came that
the whole business drIfted into their hands; and
they not only had thus the control OF the police
force, but they also were In combination with the
receivers OF stolen goods, protecting them to the
same extent and by the same means with which
they protected thieves.
SUMMARY OF THE RESULTS OF THE INVESTIGATION
Although the work In which We are engaged, as
has before been said, has only been begun and
ought not to cease until the organic alton to rob
and plunder has been broken up and those en-
gagged therein have found a home inside the doors
OF penltent1ary. congratulate you that we
have already accomplished the following results:
First: The committee have discovered the
citizen and protect the guilty perpetrators OF the
crimes.
Second: The committee have discovered that
while the thief relies upon receivers OF stolen
goods to take and dispose OF bis plunder he de-
pends upon the detective officers and sometimes
himself from arrest, trial and conviction
Third The committee have discovered who are
me principal receivers OF stolen goods. as wen
ton OF crime on whom the thieves have relied for
H,ho
the proof, facts and circumstances which resulted
IN the suspension OF portion OF the force anc not
only demonstrated that a separate organization OF
rev wel known persons as detectives does not
tend 10 either prevent or detect crime but finally
secured the abolition by an act OF Congress or the
Fifth The committee have not only discovered
tne names OF the perpetrators OF large number OF
crimes before unknown but have placed such tes-
nnding OF thirty-four Indictments, principaIIy
against detective Off1cers and receivers of stolen
goG1s which they deem II to be Of the most vital
And nnally, they have secured such full and ad-
equate information In relation to the operations OF
criminals, the names and methods of their confed-
crates In the police force and among the dealers
whose shops dot more than one OF our streets, and
VINO alone make crime easy and detection impossi-
Die. and that Information has been SO fully placed
before the public that these Investigations are
not continued and these combinations broken up,
that the laws are faithfully executed and the
guilty punished will be justly chargeable for what
dne citizens may hereafter sufrer from criminal
The way for the future is plain. and the labor
comparatively light Threats OF violence and
slanderous accusations will have little terror here
after to men who conscientiously engage in an
organized effort to protect life and property in our
midst, while the entire community cannot but be
least partially saved, and be ready cordially to CO
opera.e IN an proper measures which may be in
81 tSs s OF crime
Your committee have received valuable service
from many quarters that they may not prO, ,erly
They have also been ably sustained by the news
paper piS Press, some Of the gentlemen connected
under lasting obligation.
We deem It our duty especially to mention the |
every possible aid. Whatever success has been
achieved, We owe in great measure to his CO |
operation, and that Of Mr. Brewster Cameron, the |
able assistance. so cheerfully rendered, we make
our grateful Acknowledgements
Respectfully submitted,
j. W. THOMPSON, Chairman
RECEIVED WITH APPLAUSE.
The reading OF the report was greeted with |
applause. and the chairman received the thanks |
OF the committee. He also submitted q number
Of details which were not incorporated in the re-
lars OF the robbery OF the Metropolitan bank in |
The letter stated that the robbery was done by
Horace Horan, Frank Buck, Geo Corson and Ruth |
Miner the same parties that committed the Print
Ing Omce robbery. The letter further states that
the reward paid for the return of the bonds was |
divided with three OF the ex-detectives, whose /
names are given.
WHAT BERRY sAYs ABOUT 4 B. wILLIANa
Edward Berry, whose statement concerning the |
robberies In which he was concerned, and the re-
lations OF Mantz with detectives and Others was
published In last Saturdays STAR, has made a |
In reply to denial published by Mr.. A.
B. Williams yesterday. Berry says:
"While was in the second precinct station |
house ten days after was arrested, Oflcer John
West came to me ana said: Berry, you are all /
right, Just seen the seal skin coat, and It will be
sent 70 Finckles today and II It is all right you
viii be released I asked him where he seen It:
be said In A. B. Williams oface. Before that |
Henry Lacy came to me and said that A. b VIII
liams said he would defend me for nothing II 1
would not consent to give the coat back. also
wish to state that Mr. G. Pelham was down to the
Jail on Sunday to see me- He said that every word
OF my statement as far as he is concerned is true
he said George Parker was not his client; that he
defended him at the solicitation OF A. B. Williams
and George Aantz II Mr. Williams memory has
failed him, 50 that he has forgot his Connection
with Ge2rge Mantz, win jog his memory py men
toning the Ellis robbery. He defended the thief
Ihad. Hall, ana the receiver OF the plumber Geo
Mantx. and had the plunder In his possession to
return TO Miss Ellis II she failed to recognize Ham