The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-10-27
CROOKS IN THE CITY.
A Detective interviewed on
Thieves and Thieying.e
A NOTED SAFE BLOWER ABROAD.
the City of CroOks-A Rogues'
Gallery.

Ou u 7I1Oh W OIcd
the City of Crooks-A ROgues'
Gallery.
Yesterday afternoon while HERALI
reporter was walking down Main street h
noticed a addressed man hurry by, and
few rods behind came another man at tn
same gait. There was nothing peculiar il
this circumstance of itself, but severa
times in the afternoon the same couple
were seen either on opposite sides of thu
street from each other or one following the
other. Determined to investigate the
cause of this peculiar proceeding, the re
porter stepped up to the man who appeared
to be watching his companion, and accosted
him with comment on the weather. After
few remarks had passed, the reporter
said: "You appear to.be keeping your eyes
on the movements of the gentleman across
| the streetsn
'Yes, he is man who needs watching
''Well, he is probably not the only man
in the city who is in the same predica-
ment."
"Well, no, l am sorry to say that the
city is full of them at present" ....
What has this particular individual done
that you should be watching him!"
''lt is against my rule to give away a
case that l am working up, but ] don't
mind giving you few points in this one.
You see am detective and that man over
there is one of the most noted safe blowers
in the country and has had hand in
nearly all the safe crackings that have
recently occurred in the territory and
number in the east"
as that what he is looking after now?n
During the afternoon he has been taking
observations in the different business
houses, probably with view of selecting a
convenient and profitable safe for a nights
work" ..
'You think, then, that he means business
to night" ...n
81 can't say whether it will be tonight
or not, but he is certainly contemplating a
job of some kird, which will no doubt be
carried out shortly"
"How did you happen to know that the
man is safe cracker!"
HE has been tried in other cities for the
offense, and then have other means of in
formation"
Have you been in the city long?''
mo, sir; l arrived about four weeks
ago"
What is your opinion of Salt Lake,"
"Well, there are more crooks to the
square inch in this city than any place 1
know Of" ..-..-.-
What causes you to draw sach conclu-
sions"
"Well, to be brief. when got off the
train preferred to walk up town. l went
across the street and the first man | saw
was crook who had served a term in
the east. l then went up Main street and
stopped at place which / presumed to be
crooks resort and sure enough | met q
man whom had trailed in other cities He
recognized me and / got out as quietly as |
could. Since my stay here [ have met
number whom know to be crooks and
then it is easy to find them out after you
have spotted few. Another evidence l
have is the amount of petty work going on
continuously, scarcely a day or night pass
ing without some one being worked. l
never have been in town with such mad
equate police protection"
What is the trouble with our police!"
sob, there is nothing the matter with
the policemen. The difficulty lies in the
small number of them, which makes it i'm
possible for practical system to be carried
out In fact it makes a man who is ac-
quainted with the police regulation, system
and number employed in other cities, shud-
der when he learns of the limited number
in this city. The entire outskirts of the
city are necessarily entirely without pro
lection, as fOotpads, burglars or any other
kind of crooks could carry off the town be
fore a policeman could arrive from the
center of town"
''What remedy would you recommend"
Put on stronger police force, well or
gained, or learn all the citizens to stay in
their houses after dark, and even then
there is great risk OF being stolen blind
by sneak thieves"
How would you have the police force
II would have the police force regulated
about as follows, and as | notice that a new
city hall is under contemplation it may
serve as suggestion: There should be at
least seventy-five policemen to cover the
city. There should be department for
the chief and detective force, two captains,
one for each shift, two sergeants, whose
1uties it would be to see that the police !
men were on their beats, two turnkevs. |
The prosecuting attorney and judge should |
each have separate Office, in order that |
persons may come in and make their COM
plants privately. The clerk who has |
charge of the property received or taken |
from prisoners should also be separate |
from the court room.n
"How would you get rid of the crooks in |
testing the townrn
''There should be provision made to |
run in every fellow seen loafing around |
without visible means of support and make |
him show how he is making a living, and if |
ne cannot give proper explanation, he |
should be given ten days to find work or |
cave town. This would rid the town of |
many thieves. Another regulation should |
De made requiring pawnbrokers to take an |
accurate description of the articles brought |
o them for sale and men who sold them,
his record to be open to the inspection of |
ulcers. Then again, | would have |
'ogue's gallery, in which was kept photo
,raph of every man convicted of any i'm
,ortant offense. In one of these galleries
which l have in mind, the prisoner was ex-
Lmined over his entire body for scars or
marks b. which he could be identified, his |
,xact height taken and all recorded"
"You spoke of there being so many
rooks in the city. What kind are they!' !
s'There are safe-blowers, garroters,
neak and petty thieves, sand-baggers,
lin fans, bunco steerers, burglars, shop
filters, pick pockets, and confidence men in
he city"
"You don't mean to say.they are all oper-
ting in the city now!"
"Well they are all here and many are at |
work."
''Do you know any Of them?"
ayes, L know number, and among
thers am acquainted with the parties |
Who had hand in the breaking in |
ogden, Beaver and American Fork, and 1 |
will say that they are old hands at the |
BUSINESS. Well there goes my man, I will |