New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-12-20

Thanks 10 Or rarl,hur,t. W. are In a fair
way not only 10 have much needed light thrown
upon police methods and police administration.
hut 10 have also Il clearer understanding. and
perhaps a definite sediment. ~ some qucs
lions concerning The relations ~ the police To
criminals and crime about which there has
always been more ar less mystihcation. Few
persons are ignorant 81 the fact that whcncvc.
an individual of social or political prominence
or any one who has intimate relations with The
heads ~ The Police Department or The District
Attorneys Office. j. victim Of the pckpocket
confidence man. buncn Sfccrcr. gambling sharp
or burglar h. has only 10 make It known at
headquarters 10 have his losses made good or
his stolen property returned In short order
Whenever IA" occasion l. ~ enough iupor-
lance. or The victim j. of sufficient consequence.
or on intimate terms with the high officials,
means are speedily and easily found 10 Rescue
and restore stolen property. In these cases
there j. usually more or less mystery. no pub
licty. and seldom any arrest Of The offender or
punishment Of the crime There Is ~ course.
but one explanation AMI lha, Is that the police
authorities ana prosecuting officers are 80 thor
oughly posted ~ 10 the machinery AZ crime. the
names and hauntS and habits Of criminals the
pawnbrOkcrs with whom they deal AMI the
fences where they dispose Of their plumber.
that they hav" only 10 send ont word that III"
wrong man has been robbed 10 bring down the
thieves and rccapure the goods.
II may be- said that This state Of affairs i'm
plies collision with criminals and something
very Ike completely in crime. II does seem
open to that objection. II looks 10 The simple
minded citizen. pondcrlng over The mystery Of
IT, NJ though there must be- some tact under
standing by which the thieves AMI swindlcrs
were permitted 10 ply their vocation without
cncountcring any very determined effort on the
part of police or prosecutors To bring them 10
Justice 50 long as they keep within certain lin
itations and recognize the exemptions fixed by
the guardians OF the law and the constituted
authorities. That these things are OF not in
frequent occurrence Is we'll known. The class
Of people known as "mcn about town " are
familiar with scores Of them. IT Is not strange
that they are seldom given publicity for the
interest Of the victim who has been fortunate
enough 10 have his property restored forblds
his publishing the fact that he has been guilty
Of compromising Il felony. And Of course the
police authorities do not give themselves
away1 When pressed for an explanation Of II,
however. they say with some show Of plausi
bility that It IL necessity Of the system; that
The police must have such relations with Grim
lnals and such knowledge Of their haunis and
habits AZ these things imply, in order 10 keep
the whip hand OF them and have some check
upon them. The theory IL that 1t being impos-
siblc 10 suppress crime entirely the only prac-
ticabc method Of dealing with ii " to restrain
1t within certain limits where when the ncccs-
sity is urgent, ii can be found and effectively
treated. 1t Is an old theory and. granted that
II Is the correct one, so liable Ia monslrous
abuses that the lawabiding citizen cannot but
shuddcr nj II. But is II correct? Are there any
conceivable in which the author
tiles 10 whom the people have committed the
responsibility and power 10 ferret out all crime
and punish AL offenders, can BE- Justified In
winking az lawbrcaking emitting any mems
10 bring criminals 10 Justice?
The theory concerning the impossiblllty Of
crimes against property is set up
much more openly and pressed more forcibly
In relation 10 the social vices with The SUD
preston Of which DR.. Parkhursts name has
been most prominently connected. In al the
dcfcnccs which have been put forward for the
inactivity Of the police in this direction the
greatest stress has been laid upon this the I'm
possibility Of suppression and the consequent
need of Il sort Of discreet liberation. whereby
1t will be kept within bounds and restrained
10 certain fixed limits. The argument has been ;
that these vicious resorts were less dangerous
when confined within certain localities, known
10 the police and kept under police sur
than IL scattered all over the city or