The Portland daily press., 1893-03-27
SHORT s4RiFr FOR CRIMINALS.
Plans For Circumventing Their Opera
lions on the Worlds Fair Grounds.

lions on the Worlds Fair Grounds.
Especial Correspondence
CHICAGO, March 23.--"I believe that
the criminal classes will be best consult
ing their own interests it. they remain
away from the neighborhood of jackson
park next summer. It may be merely
overconfdence on my part, but l feel
comparatively easy concerning our abil-
ity to make short shrift of these gentry
if they attempt any of their nefarious
practices within the territory over which
the exposition authorities. have jurisdic-
ton
That is what John Bonfeld remarked
last Sunday afternoon as we sat in the
handsomely appointed drawing room
one might almost term it 'salon"--of his
Wabash avenue residence. There is no
need of telling who Captain John Bon
field is, or of going into the details con-
corning his personality. The fame of
that Vidocq of Vidocques is interna-
tional. His name is just as much of
household word in Scotland Yard as it is,
in the now slumbering hotbeds OF an.
archy up in the northeast quarter of Chi
cago. Lawbreakers, whether of high or
low degree, fear and dread him; law en-
forcers honor him as man and admire
his ability and genius.
When therefore the management of
the Columbian exposition decided that
in addition to providing show for its
guests and making provision for their
health, comfort and convenience while
here it was equally incumbent upon
them to make provision for their protec-
ton against the criminal element, they
naturally looked in the direction OF the e1-
inspector of the Chicago police force, and
so it came about that he was gazetted as
chief of the secret service bureau of the
Worlds fair. For over six months he
has been engagedin preparing his plans
and perfecting his organization, receiv-
ing throughout the hearty support OF. Di-
rector of Works Burnham. The pre-
paratory work is now completed, and
the opening day of the Worlds fair will
also witness the inauguration of such a
perfect system of criminal espionage as
has never before been attempted at any
previous enterprise of this character.
The secret service bureau will be COM
posed of some 400 detectives Of expert
ence, two-thirds of whom have already
been or will be delegated by the police
departments of $50 American cities. This
force will be strengthened by representa-
tives of the pick and flower of the de-
tective services of England, Germany,
France, Italy, Spain and Austro-Hun.
gary. The Worlds fair grounds are to
be divided into six districts, and each
district into two sections. Each district
will be Differed by captain reporting
direct to Chief Bonfeld, and in addition
by two lieutenants reporting to the cap
tain aforesaid. The force will be appor-
toned out between these divisions, but
every week one-half the force in each
division will be transferred to the next,
and so on around the circle.
Thus one week detective from New
York will be travelling with a colleague
from San Francisco, the next with a
man from i London, the, next with one
from New, Orleans. In this way they
can exchange experiences and informa-
ton. IF the New Yorker spotsa crook
of whom the Londoner has hitherto been
in ignorance, the latter will have the
man photographed on his brain in the
twinkling of an eye, and the next week
he can point him out to his brother from
Berlin or Cincinnati or Montreal. By
this system of rotation, however, every
member of the force will be afforded al
opportunity during the six months Of
doing service in every section of the fair
so that recreation and business will be
happily blended.
But the most remarkable feature o.
the scheme is the plan by which the sci
ence of electricity will be brought int
play in order to corral rogue the me
ment his feet are planted inside of til
gates. Each section is to be provide
with two telephones, or "a in all Their
will also be a telephone manned by al
experienced sleuth at each and ever,
one of the numerous entrances and exits
These instruments will have instantant
GUS communication one with the othe
and will also come into switchboard i.
LILO llGtuJ udl tC1o "a SAl1OA 0oAAAOAu WV
private line. Suppose, then, that LigI
Fingered Dick passes into the ground
through the Fifty seventh street Ell
trance. The detective on duty spots hii
instanter, and in 30 seconds the fact tha
he is preying about is known in ever,
division and to the chief as well. Like
wise it is known at the exits. Shout
there happen to be any of the force tn;
are not acquainted with his personal a
pearance, a description can be te}
phoned in a few seconds more. AS az
suit Mr.. Dick is trapped. He can't 81
out the way he came in, and the ext
are closed on him.
In case he is wanted on general primo
pies or in case he commits any overt az
and escapes his victim for the momen
he is locked in just as securely as thou
he were on the inside of the bolts an
bars of the county jail He may wa
until every man and woman of the d&
have turned their face homeward, but l.
is there somewhere over the broad acre
and there to stay until he feels heavsi
|, L.,a ~, bic cbo,,11a, ~. tho iinU1a n