Morning journal and courier., 1885-11-13
WHAT Is HIS oBJEcT 2

A CoIored Man Named Roston Who
 Says He Is Private Detective
 Makes Other People's Business His
 own without Authority.
 For some time past the public have heard
 considerable about the work done in spotting
 policy shops and arresting noted New York
 criminals by colored man named Roston,
 who styles himself private detective and
 says that he is backed by the Society for the
 Prevention of Crime This so called detec-
 tive has rooms on the top floor of the build
 ing SIS Chapel street, and has in circulation
 cards on which is written: 'sR. F." detective
 agency; wire connections for the United
 States and Canada s'All business strictly
 private"
 Whether the letters tsR. F." mean "Rob-
 ert Pinkerton's' or tRostons Private" still
 remains 8 mystery. However, the fact re-
 mains that Boston has made himself very of
 ficious by prying into everybody's business
 without any authority and making himself
 generally disliked. following lady and gen.
 entered we'll known hotel the self-styled
 detective called in Officer Cook to arrest
 them.
 A we'll known police officer said last even
 ing when asked about Roston, who claims to
 have arrested "Dutch" Charley, a noted
 thief in Fair Haven, few
 days ago: I don't believe the man
 ever arrested such party. Roston told me
 one day that stDutch'' Charley was in town,
 and when I asked him who 'tDutch" Charley
 was he told me he was a New York thief
 whom one of Pinkerton's detectives had hir-
 ed him to spot and arrest. A few days af- ter this he told me that he had arrested this "Dutch' Charley in an East street sa- loon where he knew he was ill the habit of hanging out At another time Roston told me that he and Brown, the Pinkerton man, arrested this s'Dutch" Charley in Fair Hav- en, at the corner of Grand and Exchange streets asked Boston how he happened to catch the man, and he replied that he heard "Dutch" Charley had gone over to Fair Ha- ven by the way of Grand street and that he and Brown went over Chapel street way and headed off their man, story which told Boston at the time did not be- lieve but he said it was true. Roston also claimed that he and Brown took their pris- oner to the train and that Brown was going to take his prisoner back to New York, but instead took him to New London on the 3:15 train, having heard that "Dutch" Charleys pal, the Artist" as he was so styled, was in the lat ter place and that he wanted to catch him too and 50 took his prisoner with him. Officer Kennedy told me that the only man who left with what the officer thought was prisoner that day was a man who appeared to be officer and took his prisoner, if he was one on the 1 o'clock train for New York. The officer in conclusion said that he
 did not think Boston had any authority for his actions and that far as the police de- partment was concerned he had only been used by the chief once "stool pigeon" to spot a policy shop. Boston, in my opinion,
 continued the officer, imagines that he is 2
 great detective and so does this spotting
 business, but he will never make detective,
 as have told him, if he gives away all he
 knows to everybody, es have heard he did. George Sonner, who assists Secretary Williams at the Y. M. c. A. rooms, makes an emphatic denial of the report in an even ing paper to the effect that Detective @ Ros- ton is employed by the Young Mems Chris .or policy shops: "This is not" says Mr. ,e,hat Boston told me that he was backed by
 the Society for the Prevention of Crime, and
 that I was acquainted with Roston and that he had gratuitously volunteered, as per sonal favor to me, to help in detecting the sneak thieves who have at times walked off with coats and umbrellas from our rooms, as I am personally responsible for their safe keeping, but Boston is not employed by our association for any purpose whatsoever" City Attorney Daley was asked yesterday if Roston was paid by the city, and he said he didn't know, but thet colored man, whom he has since made up his mind was Roston, came to him about month ago and wanted to know if MT. Daley would pay anything for evidence in connection with violations of the liquor law. Mir. Daley told him that he
 had no money to pay for such business. Lieutenant Wrinn has been informed that Boston went to the Union House few nights ago with acompanion and demanded a room there. Being refused, he said that Lieuten- ant Wrinn had sent him there, and that he would get even with the proprietors. Lieu tenant Wrinn says he has sent word to MT. Boston that he would like to make his ac- quaintance and learn by what authority the detective uses his name