The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-10-19

Management OF tho Dctectiyc Force
Which Has Been Made Famous by
Writer. Of Sensational Fheticn-Limited
Extent Of Their superrision-The Force.
Tho London detective force j., as at pres
ent constituted, tho outcome Of a scandal and
a reform. In 1871 three members Of the
force vcre proved 10 have been IN league
with a gang Of swindieTs, and there was an
investigation by commission. which re
vealed sn-h state Of affairs that the report
was never made public. The recommends
tons Of the committee led 70 a complete re
organization OF the fierce. which formerly
had Consisted Of several detectives IN each
district under The absolute direction Of the
superintendent or captain Of tho district, and
Of thirty men ut Scotland Yard, which vas
the central Office There wore. therefore,
nearly twenty different and almost entirely
jndcpendsnt cetachmeuts q the detective
force. and tho work was without harmony or
unity
The reform which went into effect on
April s. 1873. aimed 70 consolidate the force
and ccutr-hze the authority. and succeeded
10 a certain extent, but more in theory than
drifted back toward the Old customs. until
now il is sad that 50 far as unity and har-
snony Of action is concerned. tho force IS
nearly as badly or cs oyer Tho control Of
tho detective foTee under the reformed re-
gime was placed ID row department, that
OF criminal investigation. over which pre-
sided the director az Scotland Yard lncach
division Of the city there is a local inspector
in charge OF the detectives. and theoretically
tho personal representative Of the director,
although actually subordinate TO toe super
intendent or captain.
TIE THEORY or 1T.
The inspector is supposed 70 take bis IN
structions direct from Scotland Yard, and to
report directly there. Practically tbs theory
does not work, and detective work is carried
on pretty much on the Old divisional basis.
The fiction of Scotland Yard being the cen
Ter Of all detective work is still kept up TO
thetxtent that tie inspectors are required
70 meet there from time q timo with the as
sistant commissioner which is tho present
title Of the director ana presumably 10 con-
suit together over their work. Tho local
supefnteldcnts arc also rcqu.red 10 send each
morning TO liz, central Office reports II the
crimes that have como under their notice IN
their divisions during the preceding twenty
-Four hours. and the ASSISTANT commissioner Is
supposed to issue Instructions as to what shall
be done about them. In fact, thcwhoio matter
Is simply renanded 70 the local authorities,
except IN case Of some notorious affair ike
that at Whitechapcl. where regard for the
looks Of the thing compeis the assistant com
missioner and ether chiefs Of the force to
maze a state visit 90 the locality, sOlemnly
gather points look duly mysterious, and then
20 away aud leave tho matter just where 1t
had been all along
There ara now 400 Of these detectives dis
tributed about among the different divisions.
as the needs Of each seem 10 require There
IRE 100 others put on duty during the winter
season, ana known as the "wnter patrol
Detectives are appointed from the ordinary
uniformed policemen, fist Oh tho winter
patrol aud then Oh the permanent force, re-
gard being had, rominally az any rate, FOR
the shrewdness and ability shown by the men
in the lower grades Of work.
FAMOUS IN FICTION
The regular Scotland Yard detectives,
famed in fiction If nowhere else make up
now a body Of eighty men, nearly all OF them
by themselves under the direct command of
the assistant commissioner IL Is their busi-
ness to investigate notable crimes OF all sorts
anywhere in the city, but forgeries. cmhezzie-
ments and similar affairs of a financial nature
arc mcst directly in their line. Besides this
they have an immense amount Of business 10
90 for tho government and for foreign gov
ernmcnts and police departments, and they
must investigate all applications for natural
ization and must attend great popular
gatherings 10 keep general lookout for
criminals, and 10 be on hand in case
OF necessity. Tho work which thcy 10
for their own and foreign govern
ments entails a great amount Of core
spondcncc in great many different Ian
guages, aud it is now done entirely al Scot
land Yard, every letter being answered ia
tho language in which IL IS written For
mer a special force OF civil service clerks
was kept busy v..h this core pondcnco.
Once week a scotland Yard detective goes
about to all the city prisons and takes a look
at tho prisoners awaiting trial or cxamin-
alton, TO gec If there are any known Grim
ina.s among them
Very rarely a detective from Scotland
Yard is sent 10 investigate some unusually
notable crime committed outside the city,
but MS a general thing the London detectives
connnc their WORK entirely 70 crimes COM
mittel within their own district The favor
itc standby OF the novelist and the play
wright, who comes anywhere straight from
Scotland Yard at the Summons OF telc-
gram. discovers everything at glance aud
sets matters IN order for the last chapter or
the blue fire, rs entirely 4 creature OF tho
Imagination Any one who should telegraph
to Scotland Yard from anywhere outside OF
London asking FOR a detective would merely
get laughed at for his pains.-Ncw York
Sun.
Man, Horse and Ring.
The fixed dimensions of the arena comply