Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-03-17
THIEVES IN CLOVER.
Report OF the Washington Citizens Com
mittea
Washington Speciu

The Citizens Committee, organized
| some weeks ago to take concerted action
| Tor the suppression of crime In this city
particularly burglary and robbery, which
| had become so alarmingly frequent, while
the detection and punishment OF thieves
/ Aad become correspOndingly infrequent.
met this afternoon to receive the report of
the Chairman, John w. Thompson, upon
| the work accomplished. The report is
voluminous and discusses the situation
which necessitated the movement, and
| details the steps leading up to the results
accomplished. These. in a general way.
have been pablished from day to day. and
in conclusion are thus summed up:
/. The committee discovered the exist
| ence of organized combinations to rob
the citizens and protect guilty perpetra-
tors of crime.
2. The committee discovered that.while
the thief relies upon the receivers of sto-
len goods to take and dispose of the plum
der, he depends upon the detective officers
and sometimes other members of the no.
lice force, to secure himself from arrest.
trial and conviction.
), The committee discovered who are
the principal receivers of stolen goods.
as well as the names of the officers
charged with the detection of crime
on whom the thieves relied for protection.
4. The committee have been able to sup
ply proof OF the facts and circumstances
which resulted in the suspension of a pOr-
ton of the force, and not only demon
strated that a separate organization of a
lew We'll known persons as detectives
does not tend to either prevent or detect
CRIME, but hnally secured the abolition by
act OF Congress of the entire detective
force.
.. The committee not only discovered
the names of the perpetrators of large
number of crimes before unknown, but
placed such testimony before the grand
jury as resulted in the finding of thirty.
four indictments, principally against de-
tectlye oflcerS and receivers of stolen
goods, which they deem il to Je of the
ploAt vital Importance to have speedily
brought 10 trial. And, finally. they
have secured such full and ADEQUATE
information i'll relation TO the operations
OF criminals, the names and methods of
their confederates in tae police force and
among dealera y nose shops dot more than
one Of our streets, and who alone make
crime easy and detection impossihla and
that Information has been SO fully placed
before the public that, il these investiga-
tlons are not continued and these combi-
nations broken UP, the public officers
whose sworn duty it is to see that the laws
are faithfully executed and the guilty
punished will be justly chargeable for
What the citizens may hereafter suffer
from criminal depredations. The way for
the future is plain and the labor cOmDara-
lively light. Threats Of violence and SLAM
derous accusations will have little terror
hereafter to men who c0nscientiogsly en-.
gage in an organized effort to protect life
and property in our midst, while the en-
tire community cannot but be sensible Of
the dangers from which it has been at
least partially saved, and be ready cOrdi
ally to cooperate in all proper measures
which may be inaugurated feg She sup.
preston of crime and the purging Of the
public service, Ia illustration OF the
above II appears that the detectives were
pot only acquainted and connected with
planned the crime, sent for an expart
thief to execute it, received the
stolen jewels into his own hands
sent to New York for go-between Ia
buy them, haggled about the nrice
to be paid therefor, sold them for s5 OO0
receiving four $500 bile IN payment two
OF winch ne exchanged for smaller money
ana daVleed as followsl s26O 70 the witness
VINO fnrnishes the statement; 5000 to his
loWe'zzaesectiYe; $500 TO. the man who
staie tue property; ana kept $500 for his
own share of the plunder: and analy he
went to the depot and, fnding the way
cIear, ms fellOw-de.eetf tfve actually carted
the jewels to sse depot, where he delivered
them ia dne form, and with all proper cere-
n1ony to the go-between who was thea in
the car and waiting for them. Under the
system above described the hazard
OF crime was reduced TO the
lowest possible rate. Indeed. If
nignt be said there was compara}ively
no hazard at all, because, if the tAief MAS
discovered in the act, and i.leatified. and
a warrant Issued SOr bis arrest, the detec-
tive who saared in the plunder communi-
catea the fact to the receiver, and the re-
eeIVeF informing the thief he was wanted.
lhe latter quietly made an excursion
other point al cQnyenient distance. where
he remained only q short time. when he
returned 70 resume his depredations on
tAe delenseiesa people of this city.