Daily Republican., 1883-11-16
WORK FOR THE POLICE.
WHO THEY NAY ARREDT a
CHANCE TO Rid THE CITY
OF THlRVES.

IL u Wcli kuOwu IACt luAL III C6IL8l0
localities of Jhis city there exists q gang
OF suspicious characters, who have no
visible means of support, unless 1t Ia
gambling and thieving, and whose
numbers are almost dali y augmented by
fresh arrivals from Philadelphia and
and to the eyes of a casual
observer their actions, to say the least,
are very suspicious, and If the police
would only takeit upon themselves and
up courage to perform some de-
tective work, In conjunction with their
regular duties as patrolmen, the cause
of NJ many robberies would soon be A.
and the guilty parties brought
to justice.
Certainly the suspicious charac ters
above alluded to cannot exc out an ex-
istence without work, and If they do
not work they must either steal or gam.
bic, both of which are on par, for they
always appear to have money and wear
good clothes, while several ofthe gang
make daily trips to and from Philadel.
phia. 1t Ii also learned that Slim Jim IL
again In town, together with his broth
81, who has recently been released
from a Philadelphia prison, and they
will no doubt join their old pals, and
the police should keep their eyes peeled
and watch their actions.
At the last session of the Legislature
the citizens of Wilmington were in.
strumental In having a law passed
which would have tendency to pro
tect community against professional
burglars and pickpockets, but
which has, thus far, been dead letter
on the statute books.
In view of the many robberies lately
the police would do untold
service to the citizens OF Wilmington
If they would familiarize themselves
with the law and rid the city Of all sus'
picious characters, and in order that
they can do 40, the law Ia given below
SECTION Lit shall be the duty Of all po.
lice officers in the city Of Wilmington to ar
rest and take before the City Judge. provi
city. all persons whom they shall find In any
passenger railway car, or iu any railway de-
pot, steamboat landing church, banking In.
brokers Otfice, auction room, store
crowded thoroug hiare, place OF public amuse
ment, or In any street OF said city, whom
they shall know or have good reason to be
liove are common thieves, burgl trs, or pick
pockets /; and said City Judge shall commit
Or bail such persons for trial before the Court
of General Sessions Of the Peace and Jail De-
livery in and for the County OF New, Castle
and n any person in the city Of Wilmington
shall be charged, on oath, before tho said
CITY Judge Tor the city, OF before the Asso
cIate. Judge Of the Court ofaeneral Sessions
0 fthe Peace and jail Delivery resident In
the County of New Castle, with being com
mon thief, burglar, or picGpocket, such Oity
J udge, or Associate Judge of the said Csur'
Of General session ms, shall issue warrant fol-
the arrest Of such person and him commit, OF
bail tor trial and any person convicted IL
the said Court Of General Sessions OF the
Peace and jail Delivery of being q common
or professional thief, common or professional
burglar, or common or Ofeesionalpckp0ck
shall be imprisoned In jail not more than two
years nor less than six months, and be fined
not more than one hundred dollars; but Il
any person be arrested or indicted second
time, or more, for such 0iiense, he shall be
convicted only on proof that he has continued
to be common thief. burglar or pickpocket
for at least one month since his last c0nvic
ton or acquitt u; and II shall be necessary to
charge In the indictment only that the per.
son is q com mon thief or common burglar, or
com mon pickpocket and any evidence, eth,
er Of facts or reputation, proving that such
person 10 habtuaily and by practice thief
burglar, or pickp0cket, shall be sufficient fol
his conviction. II satisfactorily establishing
the fact to the court or Jury by whom he Ii
tried, ,:and there shall be no discretion In any
police officer or magistrate to discharge or re
lease any person who Is, by such proof before
them, or knowle lge on their part, shown to
be thief, burglar, or pickpocket ~ afore'
said but such person shall be bailed or com
mitted for trial; and no conviction, or charge
Of or for being common thief, burglar 0l
pick pocket, shall prevent any such person
from being tried and convicted for any par
t!cular act Of larceny or burglary he may
have committed.
SECTION 2--If any person shall be arrested
at any place within the limits OF this State
on the line Of any railroad or In any OF the
cars or depots, or at any OF the stations OF
said roads, or any steamboat employed IL
carrying passengers over or upon the navi
CAB 10 waters Of the State, charged with be
Ing common thief, burglar or pickpocket
such person may be taken before any Jus
tice Of the Peace Of the county In which sale
place OF arrest, depot or station, may be stu
ated, unless within the city of Wilmington
and il within said city. then before the City
Judge for said city. II the arrest be mad'
on the cars or on any steamboat en-r0ute ant
outside Of the city OF Wilmington. such per
son may be taken before any Justice OF the
tho City Judge for the city Of Wilmington
who shall, on proof as provided In the pre-
ceding section, commit or bail such person
for trial before the Court OF General Ses
sions of the Peace and Jail Delivery Of the
county, and all police officers OF the city o.
Wilmington, special or general. all conduc
tors of trains and police employed by any
the said railway or steamboat companies ant
openly i ist ,nguished as such, and all con
stables and bailitfs Of any county, town
city on the lines of any said road, shall ar
rest all such persons AZ any of the place
aforesaid, on the same knowledge and proc
of their being common thieves, burglars o
pickpo kets as provided in the preceding
section, md the magistrate shall commit
ba II such person on the same knowledge o
proof, and any person convicted In any cOun
ty ON the line OF said road, with being com
mon thief burglar or plckpocket, snail D
punished by o fine and Imprisonment III tn
iail of the county for the same time and l.
the same amount as provided In the preced
ing seotion ond all the provisions Of the ptt
cediag section shall apply to all cases unde
this section except 50 far as modlhed mere
II by.
SECTION Sin any prosecution or sui
against any person for any complaint, ares
prosecution or proceeding under this act tha
| the proceeding complained Of was under i
and In good faith may be given IN ev
dence under the plea OF " not 8uiity I'LL
the burden Of proof Of malicious MOTIVE :. {
want OF probable cause shall rest upon tn
plaintiff in said prosecution or suit
SECTION A.-N0 person upon whose con
plaint q search warrant for stolen goods sha
be regularly issued, or participating IN al
Of the officer executing the same by his "a
thority sh II be answerable therefor IN dan
ages II for such proceeding there be proo'
BILE cause, supported by oath or attirmatioI
/ uv,A has a fF m
party aggrisved In the service Of such pr'
cess than naturally aud unavoidably aros
out of the nature Of tho case and the fa
that in the execution Of suoh search theK0ot
described therein and alleged to have bee
stolen be not found upon the premises, sha
not Of itself be deemed t0 raise . prcsuml
tion of want Of probable cause or other m
liciOus motive.
Notice.
In addition to the many convenience