Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-04-11
THE WORK OF THE WASHINGTON
CITIZENS, COMMITTEES.
It's Extent and ImpOrfance-ExpOsu
OF an Astounding Combination Of
TAieves and Observation-Disclosures
OF the Detectives With the Star Route
Thieves.

hgent and crafty a. they are corrupt. It is not
often that tho attempts of honest men to de-
lend their property against the very persons
who have been employed and paid to protect it,
and to drive out Of Office detectives who have
| become the allies of thieves, attract much at
| tentl0n outside of the communities where the
| work is done; but for many reasons the labors
OF the Citizens committee In Washington
ought to excite the interest and receive the
announcement of good men in every
state of the Union. The detectives have
been dismissed, or legislated out of Office
by Congress, and thirty-fOur indictments
against them have been found, but no one OF
the accused men has yet been brought to trial
The Attorney General Of the United States re-
CARDS these cases of sufficient Importance to de-
| mand his personal supervision. He has resolved
to prosecute them with the utmost vigor and
he has instructed the district attorney to devote
| all his energy to the work of securing the con.
vlctlOn OF the guilty men, ''who." he says ''have
been terror to this community, and whose very
freedom from punishment thus far has been o
reprOach TO the administration Of the criminal
law by the authorities fthis District" The dis
trict attorney. Col. George B. Corkhi has re-
piled that the conviction Of these men, ''il
guilty" is matter of the gravest moment, and
has reminded the Attorney General that they
will be strongly defended and that they are
familiar with all means OF detecting and con-
cealing crime.
and laid before grand juries showing that these
official detectives have been for years in league
with thieves of a low grade; that they protected
local thieves and shared the proceeds of their
robberies, and that they even planned burgaries,
brought expert criminals to the city to do
the work, and then sold the stolen property.
Burglary, larceny. and kindred crimes were
SO frequently committed that they caused
no surprise. Very rarely was thief caught
and punished. The thief stole the goods
and received small sum for them from a
receiver or middleman who was in the con-
spiracy. The detectives negotiated with the
owners for the return Of the property, and re-
stored It If the ransom were sufficient for a
profitable division II it were not they sold the
property and divided the proceeds. 1--WE held
our wearing apparel, our household effects ouI
bonds money. jewels and ornaments subject to
the will OF the thieves and burglars" said the
chairman of the Citizens committee in public
report, with only the privilege of buying them
back as often as stolen at a reasonably moderate
price" II the detectives had been known only
In connection with this very successful conspi-
racy to exact tribute from citizens, their ex-
posure and prosecution would excite but lit
tie interest outside Of the city where they
Piled their Infamous trade; but some of them
were politicians and the friends or favorites OF
public men, and their influence was exerted to
obstruct the administration of justice in the
courts OF the capital Relying upon band OF
subserv1ent or frightened thieves for large
part OF their annual incomes. they formed, by
their power over these scoundrels and by their
affiliation with other criminals combination
which extended it's influence into the courts and
served to aid and protect great criminals as
well as small ones. Every successful crime and
every discovery Of hidden iniouity threatened
these men and increased the number of per-
sons whom they could control. Many honest
men came to the conclusion that criminals
could not be successfully prosecuted In Wash
lngton II the influence OF these men and their
allies were exerted against the government
They shielded great public robbers. They in
tested the court house, and the people lost faith
In trial by jury. They became SO bold that one
of them defantly declared upon the witness
stand that while employed and paid by the gov
eminent he had continually labored for the star
route defendants. Their influence and work
was seen in the attempt to smirch the Depart
ment OF Justice after the first star route trial
thieves OF high degree could boast of "a corner
on the grand jury" or could, like HOwgate,
escape from custody with mysterious ease The
courts were undermined, citizens were deceived
and plundered, and Justice was disarmed
The Citizens committee began its work with
out knowing the extent of the villainy which
would be uncovered. 1t was for the purpose of
protecting their property that these prominent
residents OF Washington went into the fight.
The investigation not only revealed the extent
and power Of the combination as affecting purely
local interests but also showed how useful it had
been to persons prosecuted for crimes in which
the whole nation takes an interest. No infiu-
ence should be allowed to prevent or delay the
completion Of the committees good work.