The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-06-16
NEW YORK'S FINEST
SAID TO BE THE MOST EFFICIENT
FORCE IN THE WORLD.

Crofrut Writes Concerning Their Vigil
lance and Observation-Disclosures Lib
erty of Action-A Liberal Interprcta-
tlon of Law.
Perhaps it has never occurred to the
reader that New York is tue best policed
city OF its size in the world. Yes, our po-
lice are larger and finer looking men, better
dressed and better hammered, better paid
and more vigilant than the protectors of
any other of the capitals Of civilization 1t
may not be generally known that our police
have unusual liberty of action; much more
liberty than the London police-more, even,
than the gems d'armes of Paris In the ef-
fete despotsm OF H. n. Queen Victoria, the
police do not dare to lay hand on man
unless he is violating the law. In New York
men are frequently nabbed and marched OF
to the station house when guilty of no Of
ferss, merely because they have been known
to have been law-breakers and persons of
bad character.
Well.known thieves and burglars march
defantly past the guardians of the law in
London, conscious that their persons are
sacred" unless they are caught in the very
act Of plying their vicious calling A hun
dred pickpockcts may rush through tho
crowds Of Hyde park Or jostle the throngs
at the Derby races and the police are help
less unlSss they catch them in the very act
OF picking pockets A bowling mob Of 50.-
0J0 may gather with riotous and destructive
purposes-in fact just such mob did
gather last fall in Trafalgar square and
threaten to sack Birmingham palace, and
the police merely stood around and waited
for the overt act-wnited for them to upset
the monument tear down fen.e or attack
Lha palace windows
The New York policeman is not forbear-
ing. He feels that his business is to keep
the peace, and that he is cross between
patrolman and n supreme judge Ho can,
and does, arrest on suspicion and at pleasure.
In the tim. OF tuI bulence he keeps people
moving; if three men are talking together
lie orders them to separate and go about
their business; if one Is lettering un-
necessarily he makes him hurry up or 60 to
the station.house. II men or women who
are too notorious enter places Of amusement,
policeman is very likely to order them to
get out or be locked up, coupon or no
coupon.
AN "ABUSE OF AUTHORITY"
When George W. Wallins was superin-
tehdent-and our police never had more
efficient head -he sometimes made broad his
phylacteries in the maintenance Of justice.
On every holiday, anu in the presence OF
all professions, he would issue blanket or
der: ARREST all known pickpockets on the
street to-day and take them in" There was
good deal Of grumbling; and lawyers wera
hired to prevent such an "abuse OF author
ty," but thu courts interpreted the law lib
orally, and the order was supported, and it
is enforced to this day.
This accounts in great part for the or
derry character Of our election nights and
our great public gatherings. When Mathew
Arnold was here, he was taken out to see
the crowds on election night. With some
trepidation he took the ladies of the party,
though, bless you! such thing wouldn't
Le heard of in London" His guide, Henry
Bergh, took the party down to Chatham
square, on the elevated road. There they
got or, not knowing where they were, and
looked around
"Uh, yes" broke out DR.. Arnold, "this is
all very well in this aristocratic part Of the
city, but it would lie different if We were to
60 to scme OF the noisy centers of your pop
ulation, where tho tatterdemalians and
roughs hold carnival"
The prince of Wales and Duke of New
castle expressed their astonishment at the
case with which New York police con-
tro!ed the disorderly; while at the recep-
tion OF the prince and princess in London,
the mob overpowercd the police, seven per-
sons were killed and hundreds wounded.
At the exhibition of tho Great Eastern in
England, pickpockets swarmed all over the
ship, and thousands Of pounds were stolen.
AT The exhibition Of the Same vessel here,
she was visited by 100000 people, only six
police were OH duty, and not dime is
known to have been stolen The New York
policeman believes in the great value of an
ounce OF prevention. Letter III
Kansas City Journal