National Republican., 1883-07-10
Our Alleged Detectives.

Duhebiuo hgo bho pcoplo VI tlfs uiblliCV
awoko to the conviction that the detective
force was thoroughly corrupt; that instead
of apprehending thieves and other offenders
they were in collusion with thom-instead Of
protecting property they wero a menace to its
safety. A committee of citizens took the
matter in hand, and at considerable expense,
in time and money, they so far strengthened
this conviction as to procure tho removal of
the suspected parties from office, and their in
dictment by the grand jury.
1t is not entirely clear that the city and
district has greatly prohted by the result.
Nobody has as yet charged the successors Of
tho removed officials with corruption but it
is at least doubtful whether they could be
successfully defended against charge of
stupidity or incompetency. 1t is probably
true that they have encountered some diff
culties which never opposed their predeccs-
sors, and which have been thrown in their
way by their predecessors and their accom-
plices, but these are not of character which
men fitted for detective work ought not easily
to overcome. They have not overcome them.
They have not accomplished the results ex-
pectcd, or which the public have
right to demand should be accom-
plished. Stolen property is not more
frequently recovered, nor are offenders moro
frequently arrested and punished than pre-
viously. Nearly a month ago the house of
Mr.. Prud'homme, in West Washington, was
robbed of considerable quantity of valuable
property. The robbery was promptly re-
ported at police headquarters, and detectives
were assigned to work the case up" but so
far they have produced neither property nor
plunderers. If we had been without de-
tective force the sum total of results could not
have been less satisfactory. This is not the
only case to be complained Of Other people
have been robbed since the present police ro-
gime came in, and their property is still miss
ing, while the so.called detectives have not
been able to find even a Glow to the per-
petrators
Whether robberies are more or less fire.
quent under the present police administra-
tion than under the former one. or whether
the value Of property stolen is greater or less,
it is not possible to state with accuracy, since
the police authorities in their wisdom, keep
all information of this kind secret so far as
possible. This is on the theory, of course,
that thieves will find out that they have done
wrong If their crimes are made public. Tho
not affect the general conclusion in regard to
the efficiency of the present detective force.
Be they few or many the detectives have
produced no results in any of them.
There is no mystery about the detective
business The famed shrewdness of the
detective exists in its perfection only
in novels. A detective can see just as
far into q milestone as any other man
of equally acute faculties and no further
Any man of fair perception, with the mental
power to compare facts and draw conclusions
and the enterprise and nerve to follow them
out can, in short time, become a detective
There are plenty of such men to be found, and
there are no doubt enough of them at present
on the force. There are certainly men in the
district who are competent to manage dc
tective force and make a success of it,
few of them might be tried. The experiment
would not be dangerous. 1t would be impos
sible for them to do worse than has been don,
of late, and with such an excellent chance fol
comparison the dullest aud stupidest might
hope to do better.