Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-02-16
BOY THIEF CATCHERS
Young YidOcqs Successfully En-.
plOyed by Inspector Byrnes.
10 SUPERIOR FOR SHADOWIHG.
How Youth Of Eighteen Solved the Kys-
terry Of a Silk Robbery.
STEAMSHIP ROGUEs NEATLY CAUGHT

IcoRREsPoNDENCE OF THE DIsPATcH.1
NEW YORK, February ia few weeks
ago an item appeared in the papers telling
of thief named Larkin who shot at one Of
Inspector Byrnes' "stOol pigeons" named
mickey" Bennett as he was coming down
the steps Of police headquarters. The bold
ness Of the thief did not surprise some peo-
pie as much as to learn that the stool pigeon
was boy of II, and had been in the employ
Of the great detective for several years.
Boy detectives are supposed to exist only
in the vivid imaginations of dime novel
writers, but as a matter Of fact there are
more than half dozen youths who are regu-
larly attached to the Central Office staff.
They are rarely seen about headquarters,
and every effort is made to conceal their
identities. When he wants one of them the
Chief knows where to find him, and when
his work is done, or he has any information
to give, the tyro communicates with the In
spector through third person. The boys
are used mainly as stool pigeons, and as
such they are almost invaluable to their en-
ployer. They can get information and Sc
cure evidence where the most expert detect
i've would fail, and for shadowers they have
no superiors. Experienced thieves know how
expert detectives work and can tell from the
appearance of stranger three times out of
five whether he is an officer or not, but they
have little or no suspicion of boys, and have
not as yet got to think Of them seriously.
HOW THE BOYS OPERATE.
The corps Of boys that Inspector Byrnes
has, were carefully picked. They are in
telligent young fellows, quick to adapt
themselves to circumstances and have q
good knowledge of crooks and their resorts.
Some of them are policemen's sons. Of late
the young stool pigeon has been used a good
deal in locating robberies in big stores.
Generally he goes in as Office boy or clerk.
A case occurred short time since where
large amounts of silks had been disappear
ing from big drygoods house uptown, and
every effort of the prOprietors TO catch the
purloIner had failed. The merchants re-
ported the matter to Inspector Byrnes and
were surprised when a smooth-faced young
fellow, scarcely 10 years old, came to them
with note from the Inspector requesting
that he be gwen position in their estaD-
lishment. He was given charge of the cash
boys. Two weeks later the merchants were
informed by the Inspector that a nephew
Of one of the firm was the eulprit and in
curing if they desired him arrested. The
uncle Of the accused clerk refused to believe
his nephew was guilty and the Inspector
was asked for his proof. He reported that
his youthful assistant had shadowed three
of the clerks and had finally discovered that
the nephew of the senior member of the firm
was the man he was after.
A WOMAN IN THE CASE.
He found that they ali three drank good
deal and frequented questionable resorts,
but that the nephew of the proprietor was a
gambler and was entangled in q woman's
! meshes, When he saw the woman visit the
store and purchase quantity OF silk he felt
sure he was on the right track The sales
man was the nephew and the check which
the woman got from him called for less than
one quarter of the actual value of the fabric.
From one of the cash boys be learned that
the woman was q frequent visitor. These
facts satisfied the junior partners but the
uncle of the suspected young man, while he
admitted that the evidence was strong was
still loath to accept it as final. 1t was then
suggested that the stool pigeon re-
main in the store until the woman
came again. She arrived two days
later. No outward sign of recog.
milton passed between her and the salesman.
When the woman entered the store the stool
pigeon notified the members OF the firm and
they arranged to intercept the woman as she
departed. Her package was opened and the
silk measured, and the check which had
been given her by the salesman was exam
ined. When this was finished the nephew
was sent for. The minute he entered he
knew what had occurred, and begged for
forgiveness. The chief of the cash boys re-
signed few days later.
THIEVES ON THE STEAMERS.
Another young stool pigeon was assigned
to break up gang of thieves on the Ward
line of steamers. Passengers were robbed
on every trip and large quantities of cigars
were stolen. The young fellow who was
sent on this case, whose name is Thomas
Cameron, got work on one OF the boats as a
dishwasher, and BY keeping his eyes and
ears open, succeeded in ascerta1ning who
the thieves were the first trip. When
nearly home Cameron purposely quarreled
with the pantry man and succeeded in get
ting transferred to another boat. There he
was also fortunate, and on reaching New
York six of the thieves were arrested, three
OF whom are now serving terms in Sing
Sing.
The fault with boy detectives is, however,
that they are not as safe as men. They are
likely to become impressed with their own
Importance and let their heads become
svelled. After doing a meritorious piece Of
work they are liable to talk about it and in
lure their usefulness in their angling for
hattery. Some of them are level-headed
enough to steer clear of these snags and in
time blossom out as full-hedged detectives
when the training and knowledge they re-
ceived in their early work serves them well.
Several of the Inspectors best men gradu-
ated from the stool-pigeon corps, which il
practically training school for detectives.
r. s.