Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-10-10
OUR LONDON LETTER.
TIE BURGLARS AND POLICE AT THE
GREAT METROPOLIS.
An Army that Want to be Hangm en-
o'Donnelrs Prospects - Simply Did
He Shoot With Intent to Kill?
LONDON, September 20. 1883.


But she does enjoy this distinction, and
just now is passing through her periodical
epidemic in this line of things. The autumn
fogs seem to have developed the suicidal
mania. Hardly a day passes that some
poor unfortunate does not put an end to
her earthly miseries, and some days bring
forth several such cases. There were two
yesterday. Another characteristic of the
prevailing epidemic of crime is in the large
increase of highway robberies. The great
est dexterity is shown in relieving unwary
pedestrians of their money and valuables,
and the thieves do not scruple to resort
to violence and even murder. Closely
akin to this form of robbery is that to
which a New York cattle dealer fell
victim.
| A FEMALE ENTICED HIM HOME,
And at convenient moment a man en-.
tered, and having doused the visitor with
water, rifed his pockets of something over
$780, This is only one case out of a num-
Der that have been reported in the last few
| weeks, and those which come to light are
| 1t Is feared, but a small per cent. of the
| crimes of this sort which actually occur
| The victims in such cases are not usually
| so reckless of their regulations as was
| our New York friend. Not only did he in
form, but he had the grit to prosecute, and
| 1t ID gratifying to know that in the result
OF the trial America once more came out
ahead. Ii severe sentences can have any
effect, robberies from the person, accom-
panied with violence, will not remain in
fashion here very long, for the fraternity
are finding out that violence is trump
card with which the other side can play.
In a word, the cato -nine-tails is being
brought into requisition, four prisoners
last week getting from
TWENTY TO TWENTY FIVE LAsHEs EACH,
In addition to long terms of penal servi
tude. But the great craze Just now is in
the line of burglary. The lengthening
nights, and the absence from town of SO
many of the wealthiest people, make the
season peculiarly favorable for house. break. |
ing exploits, and there is no lack of per. !
sons who are willing to take advantage of |
these favorable conditions. Five hundred |
burglsries year is a moderate average for |
this metropolis, but the present year bids |
fair to 60 far ahead of that number. The |
police authorities declare that for tae last |
five weeks crimes of this kid have been |
reported at the rate of six to eight night. |
Scotland Yard is in CONSERVATION, and |
there is
GREAT FEAR Ann TRFMRTTNC
Among householders. Patrolmen are being
very roughly handled. The lot of Lon.
don "bobbie" is anything but happy
one just now, except to those who can find
felicity amid whizzing bullets, or in hand
to hand encounters with desperate men.
They are in danger from many sources.
Occasionally those even whose property
they are set to guard menace their lives.
A policeman the other night found the
ground floor front windows of house
raised at a late hour, and thinking the
place had been burglarized, he rang the
door-bell violently, whereupon the head of
the family stepped out upon balcony
above and
BLAZED AWAY WITH HIS GUN,
The bullet passing in close proximity to
the policemans head. But walking targets
as they are for the firearms of Others the
patrolmen have not been allowed hitherto
to carry revolver of their own, and it is
still matter of debate whether they
should be intrusted with one in the present !
The Inspectors and Sergesnts
Of the force are mostly opposed to armiug ]
their men with such weapons, but the
question is to be settled by direct vote of q.
The rank and file. And strange as it may g.
seem to American readers, the probability ..
s that this vote will be adverse. The DO. j
icemen do not want revolvers. Tne pos.
session of such things, they declare, far
rom being a protection, would expose
hem to additional risks. In the first place
knowing the police to be thus
lrmed, would be freer and quicker in |
THE USE OF THyIR OWN GUNS. c
The policemen know, too, that their use of t
irearms in making arrests would be :
watched with suspicious eyes by the pub 9
ic, and that the least exhibition of reck- /
essness would be promptly punished. Q
Policemen have to be very careful here, =
wen in the use Of their clubs, for when an q
ffender is pummeled without cause, or in +,
xcess of what his case may seem to need, !.
he British public has a habit of becoming !.
-ery indignant. and the first thing the u
officer knows he is in limbo. a
Two were remsnded for trial on a charge >
# manslaughter only yesterday. But =
What are the pstrolmen to do in the pres. =
mt crisis? Some say they should have !.
larm whistles with which to summon as n
istance. 0Ghers say, let them wear pumps, =
ike the burglars do, and y
CRAWL UPON THEIR PREY BY STEALTH. h
most outrageous suggestion, certainly; "
OF what attractions would there be in a n
oliceman's life were he no longer allowed 4
o cultivate that upright carriage and firm, /;
martial step which has so long been the G
error of the street urchins and the ad- D
liration of all the servant maids ! The 81
ne thing that has been done, pending ?
Their measures, has been to double the n
orce in the suburban districts, where most
the burglaries occur, and to send the 81
len out in twos instead of singly This, P
owever, singular to relate, does not meet q
nth favor among the police themselves, io
ne objection urged against it being that Oh
then two are together there ia strong p
emptation to converse, and that conversa- 1
on might interfere with duty Did any 4
ne ever hear Of such conscientiousness W
ut most people will accept these scruples sW
18th many grains of allowance, their for II
Ter acquaintance with the nature and q
abits of this class of public servants in &c
lining them to believe that the real OBJ al
,ction of the members of the force to this al
1o-by two method lies less in their dis nj
Ike for friendly chat with one of their 81
wn sex and order, than in their well al
nown preference for Pr
A NOCTURNAL TETE A TETE y,
18th members of the opposite sex, not to cl
,eak of the aversion the thrifty officer al
ould naturally feel to sharing with pal b