The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-01-04
THIEVES AND THIEvING.
a Little Chat On the Corner With One
of the City's Chief Protectors.
From Tic New York Trdphic.

From the Weir York Graphic.
neat, tty-looking- "ci'-' "''SSed gen
tleman stood in the shadow yai Inside tbs
glare Of the lights on Twenty-slxth street
last night. The wind swept around the
corner with sharpness that made him
! wrap his brown oVercoat closely about nln
aud sent the sparks from his cigar careenine
through the air. He wore low-crowned
derby and had the general air OF man
who knew the good things Of the world and
enjoyed them.
"A stranger might have supposed that he
was a transient guest at the st. James, but
ne was not. He was simply Inspector
BYrnes, and the few who did know him
never asked why be was there and the 9TH
ers pa sed him unconcernedly.
from where he stood every face that
passed under the glare Of the electric lights
on broadway could be plainly seen, anu DC
caslonally big dark featured man with a
! moustache that looked as if backing had
been rubbed into it came noiselessly along
the street and spoke TO him.
mad talked with him before on dark cor
ners, and | tried it again last night.
Hello! Inspector, out in the cold ana
blustry wind tonight"
es, taking an airlng--and trying to in
| terVlew some friends who hardly seem anx-
lous to meet me. But they will come along
gently by-and-by"
'Lawbreakers, | supposer'
Not exactly-amateurs in deviltry per-
haps, and it takes patience. perseverance
and continual care to keep up with them.
Inc old methods of thieving and robbery
are mostly out of use. Hardly a month
passes that new scheme for beating the
honest man is not evolved from the brain
of some talented crook and put into quick
operation. We tramp it out promptly only
to be confronted with another evidence of
the adroltnesS of thieves in the same direc-
ton
DO we know about these plans for rob
bling the publicl Frequently we do, and we
get the cue very often from among the
thieves themselves. All this cry of honor
among thieves is good enough in the
story books, but at bottom there is mighty
little truth in it. Most of them have no re-
gard for anything but their own safety, and
Will sacrifice their dearest friend to secure
it.
How do we know tiothieves9 Why, we
live among them almost would not have
man on my my staff who was not ia
miliar with lawbreakers and their haunts.
To attain such knowledge one must asso-
clate with them good deal, be posted on
their methods, their associates, their pecu-
1arities and their special aptitudes.
1t is strange means perhaps, and yet it
ought to be regarded as a very practical
way of protecting the public for myself and
officers to have acquaintance and even
quasi friends among the burglars and
thieves of the town. No one but myself
can know how many lawleSs acts have been
prevented, how many criminals brought to
justice, how much stolen property traced
and recovered through the information
that has filtered out to us from the lips of
thieves.
"Some people in New York have a sort of
vague idea that detective has a half Won
derful way of securing information, and
that Inspector Byrnes can just stretch out
his hand and bring back stolen property
without much of an effort
Occasionally an incident happens that
gives color to this idea
1.-THE other day two ladies from ono of the
wealthy families up town called at my Of
flee and told me the story of a robbery that
had been done in broad daylight. The
front door of their house had been left open
fora short time, and a sneak thief had run
in and stolen some articles. Among them
was a shawl valuable in itself, but espec-
ally endeared to one Of the ladies by its as
sociations.
Neither of the ladies cared for any of
the other things stolen, but they wanted that
shawl, and they described it to me. told
them how little chance there was for ever
recovering it, and gave them no hope that
would be successful in the search l prom
isad to institute. They laughed confidently
and replied that they were sure | would soon
lay my hands upon it.
while | was talking to them one of my
officers claimed my attention for moment
to look at a man be had arrested in the
Bowery as suspicious character. | went
down stairs and reco gniZed him ASIAN old
timed sneak thief. He had bundle with
him. and when we opened it there was the
very s"awl the ladies in my Office had been
praying me to hunt for.
DO you suppose they were surprised
when ! carried 1t up stairs and handed it to
them! Not bit They thanked me very
graciously, but the world could not make
those two otherwise intelligent ladies believe
but that Inspector Byrnes had some almost
supernatural assistance in his hunt after
thieves. Yet you see how very simple the
true explanation makes TIE story.
"Going. are you! Well, goodnight No
shall staya little longer and enjoy this
bracing cold night air and then go home. ="
A Blessed Little Home
From the omaha World.
Fair Caller-How bright and CHEEKY you
look this morning
Omaha Lady-Yes, I'm very, very hap
by. All the world seems filed with flow
eis, birds and music Even the sunshine
has roseate hue.
BLESS your little heart, my dear. What
is itr'
Its girl"
81 thought so"
yves, she's aperfect treasure and charges
only So a week.
De CANMAcK--C Charmed TO meet you again,
Miss Brcbrac. remember our Mount Desert
summer in 1870 very pleasantly.
Miss RTicbac (coldly you a little mis-
taken in the seasOny As | renember il was IS