Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-10-13
DETECTIVES AT WORK.
SloW.Witted European Officers Gem
pared with Americans.
WHY THE BRITISH DETECTIVE n A PAuURI-How
Nh pAvrTT BEPooLs HB rRAcKEKs-rHI DENSE
GERMAN AND THEATRICAL FRENCH oTFIcKRs-ns-
sPKcroR BYRNRs' xHN

SfhCIoh bfkNkS MIN.
Special Correspondence of THE EVENING star
Inc astounding career Of crime Of the myster.
ious Whitechapel murderer OF London has called
attention TO- In some respects, the most remark
doie pooy OF men In the world. Anything to equal
.ue stupioity, density and general opaqueness Of
the average British detective 1t Is impossible to
imagine. When went to London took letters
W tne most famous OF the London policemen
ohiei inspector Littlechild, OF Scotland Yard. I
iouho MIN a remarkably afYable and pleasant
man, and he seemed to have a fair grasp
Oh tne criminal question in London; but
Tue men beneath him looked though
.ney mad been especially built and designed by ma
lure 10 serve as butts to the playful wit and fancy
VI Tno lever criminals That large, copious, and
nnoSag word, 'chump." describes the average
LVnuon sleuthhound. Travelling in Ireland Is
naere man gets fair idea OF the sagacity OF the
piIsn detective service. have never seen any
checked saxons VINO inTest ireland, and who pre-
.enu 10 shadow the local leaders and suspicious
nsIaangerS Undoubtedly, the man who gives the
ponce Cne most trouble is Michael Davitt. The
irisn leader has the most thOroughgoing contempt
.or sne entire force OF British policemen, and
.nousht, when knew him first, that this con-
Tempt was more or less theatrical and that he ex
10 the conclusion since that he understated It by
mighty big percentage.
BEFooLING BRITISH DETECTIVES.
IL was Davitts special delight to befool the
ol1cers OF the law when he was travelling. This
was the easiest thing in the world, for they have
.he gullibllity OF back-county yokels. A familiar
can loudly for tickets for q certain place, buy
tnein, glance nervously around and retire into a
corher: moment later the detectives would
steai up, purchase tickets for the same destina-
ton ana board the train Then Mr.. Davitt would
sena MS tickets back by the guard, have them
nan the distance from the one which he origin
any selected, and alight there. The detectives OF
course, would go on 10 the farther station, and
De put In motion Tor the next four or i've hours
until they discovered Mr.. Davitt again, recall
an experience we had while travelling TO Galway.
AS had been seen about a good deal with the
Irlsh leaders In Dublin 1 was honored by the
i brltlsn government ~ the companionship Of
iarge ana shame-faced detective, who logged my
steps with answering fidelity. Mr.. DaviLJ made
plepaIatons Tor our trip TO Galway with great APP
parent secresy, and we ST irted out at breakneck
Speed on our Car for the railroad station There
were Two detectives with Dav1tt, and they Joined
iorces Win the man who was logging me.
SWALLOWING THE BAIT.
unfortunately, when We arrived at the station
we found 1t would be necessary to wait an hour
lor the train, as the timetable had been changed.
inns gave the detectives time to rush OF to their
houses ana collect remarkable assortment OF
uraps' oandboxes, hatboxes, valises, and SO on,
VIII, Win wnich 10 make a journey OF six or eight
hours They had everything conceivable, except
plrd cages, with them. On this occasion Mr. Davitt
where the train stopped, Which was 10 miles
from Inc nearest police station. 1t rained cats and
dogs. Inc detectives were booked for the same
while. NoAe
''Tney are now," said Mr.. Dav,tt to me
''telegraphing to the police station ahead Tor
mounted men to meet US at the station
ana the poor devils there will have to ride II
IL turned out that this was so; Tor when we re-
turned there were the police, bedraggled and COW
er '9 with mud. They rushed forward and con-
suited eagerly with the detectives, who tumbIed
all OF their luggage out OF the age, and made
every preparation to follow US along the lonely
roads 10 some supposedly mysterious destination.
In point OF fact we sat Comfortably in our COM
partnent and, when the train began TO move off
Tue Tue ponce sudoenly discovered that they mad been
FOOLED. Inc detectives were bundled back into the
tram, thelr luggage thrown on after them and
thus we proceeded on our way.
IN LONDON,
the vigilance Of the police Is simply a byword
One night, while coming from the house OF CON-
mons, saw MI. Barour stroll on tosard the bird
cage walk, at midnight, attended by single de-
tective, and this detective walked behind the
secretary at distance or FULLY block IL was
foggy night and the called protection OF Mr. Bal
tours escort was merely complimentary phrase,
Tor the offcer was in condition OF sORgy drunk
enness the detectives In New York. particularly
the crack members OF the body KNOWN as central
Office men, wear diamond rings, fashionable attire
know all sorts and conditions OF men. and are
quick, clever and courageous Every day Inspector
byrneS' assistants perform featS Of shrewdness
and sagacity that would startle the muddled IN
JelectS OF the II 900 boobies OF London. The Eng
iish metropolis is big place and a dingy place,
but 1t could never hide a man wuO committed 1--WE
murders in lesurely and tranquil fashion, one
after the other In the same locality, from the po-
lice, II the detective force had the commonest
standard OF efficiency. Such career OF brutal and
fendish crime would be an utter impOsslbllity in
New York, or indeed in any OF the other big cilies
OF the world, except London.
AN INCENTIVE TO CRIME.
There is something about the British detective
that acts as an incentive to crime. do not mean
this In the sense OF joke precisely. Nobody ever
found any particular delight In larking with Amer
lean, Russian or French detectives; but all Tor
eigners who have any Intercourse at all with the
English detective force feel this temptation guy
them.
made tour Of the slums of London on one &C.
casion, which extended over several nights STEADY
work. AT another time made 1t point to ''dO'
the slumS at least once week, and this practice
extended, more or less, through an entire winter
/ always mad a detective win me on these Occa-
sons and usually tipped him to the extent OF ten
shillings for his trouble. A New Yorr man would
expect SO or refuse everything. l made IL point
TO have different officer on every trip, as much
for noveltys Ike as anyLhing else, and was much
ity and lack OF Intelligence displayed by the ON
GERS OF Her Majesty 5 government VINO have charge
OF this important branch OF the service.
THE DETECTIVES OF BERLIN
are the nearest approach In stolidity to those OF
London. There is really very little crime in the
German empire on account OF the extraordinary
sentences that are imposed and the strict
military discipline that prevails throughout the
empire, and which has It's highest development In
Berlin on this account the most experienced and
capable detectives are taken out OF the criminal
service as rapidly as possible and promoted to the
official department..
Their duties consist solely in watching socialism
and guarding eminent Germans from bombs and
dynamite. Bismarck for instance never travels
without the protection Of at least OF the crack
Officers OF the detective corps, and when he takes
ride In the park, or even ventures short on
cal visit TO one or the departments man precedes
and follows him. The vigilance is severe and
thorough. The emperor, l may remark In
passing, Is never guarded by detectives but his
personal stan hover about him in a fashion that
renders any Interference from nihillstS or social
lists well nigh impossible. As to the skill of the
German detectives, IL cannot, l think, be COM
pared for moment with that OF the police Of
Paris or New York. During an Investigation OF
some socialist troubles in Berlin l was thrown
among the police constantly, and on many occa-
sons was impressed with the clumSineSs or their
work. They do not seem TO have fairly Rrasped
the methods OF having spies In the ranks which
are SO familiar with the great detective forces OF
the world.
AMERICAN DETECTIVES.
For instance, all or the recent DEVELOPMENTS in
Chicago socialism have been brought about nv
spies in the service of the Chicago police. who
mingled with and were con.dants and personal
friends OF all the socialists. In the case of the
go" strike Two OF PinkertOn'S men Joined the
Brotherhood OF Engineers and became personal
friends OF Broderick and all the other dynamiters
They were taken into the counsels OF the DIOt1ers
and every possible bit OF evidence which tne
strikers possessed was freely impaired TO the no.
that which Inspector Bonneld, OF CHICAGO is con-
StaQtly receiving another ~ ,,,r