The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-04-04
A BURGLARS PICNIC.
Daring Criminals Work Without
MOlestatiOn.
San Franchises Citizens victimized by Crooks
Of AL Sorts, Who Eluds the Police.
Justice Burlesqued.

The city of late has been overrun with
sneak thieves, pickpockets, burglars and
robbers, and their daring acts are becoming
more alarming from day TO day.
More than half the cases reported to the
police are never heard of by the public.
Thus it is that citizens have no idea of the
extent OF these crimes, nor of how careful
they should be in guarding against them.
a great part of the present state of affairs
is said to be due, mainly, to the influx of
idle men and many reckless characters
from all points of the compass this winter,
who, through dull times and restitution,
turn TO plundering as a means of livelihood
but the police know there are numerous
crooks and eX-conYicts here, who so adroit-
~ and cunningly carry on their work that
1t is hard to keep track of them.
The Western Addition is their most fruit
| full field of operations, and no one knows,
except those interested, the daily extent of
the burglaries among the houses of wealthy
people. Once in while the burglars are
caught and punished. Hardly day passes
without seeing several boarding and
rOoming-houses entered by thieves or burg
lars and much valuable property carried
away. Detectives Bee and Harper, who
have special supervision of the thieves find
considerable of the SPOTS in pawn-shops
and fences" but they cannot possibly at
tend successfully TO all the business re-
quired in their department. II they or a
police officer arrests a thief the encourage
ment given by the coults is so poor that, as
one officer puts it, ''it is like setting pre-
MUM on crime"
What is the use of us going to a lot of
trouble to catch these crooks if we cannot
secure cOnviction?" said he.
A MIDNIGHT BURGLARY.
There is good deal in the officers state
ment for 1t is common to see policemen re-
peatedly about the old City Hall waiting
for their men TO be tried; and On these
occasions the officers are supposed to be off
duty or sleeping. Then again. so many
| cases are dismissed that they lose heart.
One of The regular midnight crimes was
! attempted when two burglars entered the
| residence of f. 5. Chadbourne, on the
northwest corner of Bush and Leavenworth
Streets at . O'Clock yesterday morning, by
prying open parlor window. They
| passed through three rooms and carried
! their spells downstairs to the basement,
where a big Newfoundland dog received
| them so unexpectedly that they made good
| their escape without waiting for the appro-
| pTiated property.
That the men were old hands in the bust
ness was easily seen by their systematic
methods Of working. They made no noise
| in opening the window, and, once inside,
did not omit single room in the lower part
| hall were locked, they had to 20 outside
| upon barn and climb to a window on the
| second floor They cleaned out wardrobes
as they passed through rooms where men,
| bers of the family were asleep; but before
leaving the watchdog awoke Mr.. Chad
| bourne, who drove the burglars away.
! Nothing was missed, but evidence of their
/ presence was LETT in piles Of clothes and
valuable articles and candle-grease and
matches over the floors.
SOME SAMPLE CASES.
Frank Kelly was sent back TO the House
! OF Correction yesterday by Judge Lawler
| for nine months, for picking a woman's
| pocket and carrying burglars tools He is
| an ex-convict and could be imprisoned in
! San Quentin upon these charges, but as the
woman did not appear he was allowed 10
| plead guilty to charge of petty larceny 1t
was his second offense, and for that men
are usually sent across the bay. In nine
| months from now Kelly will be again turned
| loose on the community TO resume his de-
| predations, to rob and steal and plumber at
every opportunity.
Had he not been caught by the merest
chance picking pocket, he would in all
| probability have victimized many citizens
| later by committing burgaries. One of his
former offenses was stealing from store.
! George Lewis, another inveterate and
| well-knoWn sneak-thief, who has been in
the House Of Correction several times for
| his larcenies, was let off yesterday in Police
| Court / with a sentence of four months i'm
! prisOnment in the House for stealing tools
| from store on Howard street, near Fifth.
John Shields, James Carroll and Michael
Sullivan, charged with petty larceny, were
| dismissed by Judge LAWYER. Quite num-
| Der OF such cases were continued in all the
| courts and many Of them will likely go the
same way Tor reasons caused by the delay.