The Arkansaw traveler., 1888-03-03
THE BURGLARS PARADISE.
BY GEORGE PECK.

notice that Chicago is all torn up over burglaries that have recently taken place. The ordinary burglar of commerce has never excited much in- terest in the Chicago mind. It seemed to be generally admitted that bur glary was regular business, or pro- fession, the same as selling dry goods, or speculating in wheat or stocks, and beyond reading accounts of the amount of swag taken, each morning, nobody seemed to give burglary sec ond thought, unless the burglary was committed on their premises, when occasionally victim would report a case to the police, who would yawn, and go to the pawnshop and recover some of the stolen property. If a victim got back half of his property he looked upon the affair as he would at getting fifty cents on a dollar of a debtor who failed, and the balance was charged to profit and loss, as regular business transaction. Nobody ever seemed to think of attempting to arrest a burglar, any more than they would arrest a man who bought an overcoat on time, and was slow about paying for it. If a burglar was ar- rested, by mistake, and found with the tools of his profession concealed about his person, he was treated about the same as schoolboy caught chew ing gum in school. The teacher would take the gum away from him, perhaps chew it herself, and give the boy talking to, and the police would take the burglar tools away from the man, and give him severe reprimand. It is related that one burglar was once sent to jail. After serving his term he returned to the police and said he was going to work to earn an honest living. He was congratulated on his resolve, but waited around the office until the police asked him what he was waiting for. He said he wanted them to give him his tools back, as he couldn't go out into the world to earn an honest living without his tools. It IS said his tools were returned to him by the kind-hearted police, who were touched by his gall. The police of Chicago have been selected more for their political influence than for ther ability as officers. The recent change in politics of the city brought in many new men who had to be introduced to the criminal classes, and strange bur- glars from other cities, whom the po- lice and detectives had never met, came and mixed up with the populace, and burgled right and left, under the noses of the police. Citizens became discouraged, as forty or fifty burglar ies night got to be too much of a good thing, and when they complained, the affair was laughed off by the de- tectives, who said they were working clews, and would eventually ar rest some one. Finally a million aire was killed by burglars in his own house, and the populace arose as one man and demanded the arrest of the murderers. If there is one thing the average Chicago man fears, it is death, and death at midnight, at the hands of burglars, with the prospect that their remains will lay in cold hall till morning, was not cheering. The average Chicago man expects to die, at some time, but he wants to die sur rounded by friends, at home, or be killed in crowd, where there is rush. ing to and fro. However, the police were shaken up by the murder, and they have arrested half of the pobu- lation of Chicago on suspicion, but every body has been released after be- ing pumped by the police, and the discovery made that they were good citizens, though poor. But the police have got so rattled that the chief has resigned, and demoralization is taking place. In the meantime the burglars are the hardest worked men in that city, often being compelled to labor far into the night to get their work done, and catch up with their orders
 An interesting incident, showing the police methods of that city, took place a few days ago. In several families woman took employment as servant girl, and stole articles from the houses. Complaint was made, and the police discovered that the servant was pock- marked. Immediately the police were ordered to arrest every pock-marked woman in Chicago. Well, the police certainly got in their work, for it was necessary to confine the pock- marked prisoners in the Exposition building until they could be examined. It is said they arrested seventeen thousand pock-marked women, but with the usual luck of the Chicago police, they did not get the particular one they wanted. The latest idea in regard to capturing the burglars, is to compel every burglar, by law, to transport his tools on hand cart, with bells on, the same as junk dealers. If that works, the burglars will be captured, unless they resist Peck's Sun.