The record-union., 1894-09-15
WHAT TIE POLICE FORCE HAS Done.
Quiet Work But Effectual Protection
Aimed At.
Many Crook Sent Out of the City
Before He Had a Chance TO
Get In His Work.

AT no State Fair previous to this year
mas so many idle men or so many of the
criminal class been attracted to this city.
The general stagnation of business
throughout the country has resulted in
throwing an unusual number of men out
of employment. Many of these, being
unable to obtain work, have become
desperate. Many others who work oc-
casionally but are not in love with work,
and who habitually, when they have
earned few dollars, "blow it in' at the
next saloon, have also come here in the
hope that something will turn up by
which they can recruit their finances, and
are not very particular how it is done.
If no better method presents itself they
are ready for anything, from picking up
articles which can be converted into
money alta junk store or fence" to hold
ing up belated pedestrian on his way
home, or rolling" drunk.
There are also a number of professional
footpads, who know every trick of the
trade, and woe TO the unhappy individual
who meets them, for they would sandbag
him without remorse.
The festive burglar is another variety,
prepared with d more or less complete kit
"a IOO4o III LIS DuolD0SS, watching HIS
chance when the inmates of "a house have
gone TO the fair to force an entrance and
capture what he can carry away. The
sneak thief is also on the alert to ransack
rooms in hotels and lodging houses. and
carry of Jewelry and clothing as we'll as
money.
Then there is the confidence man who.
by thousand and one devices, ensnares
the uuwary and transfers their funds to
his own pocket. Fairs are his harvest
time, as he finds gathered into a small
compass hundreds of more or less ver-
dant individuals on whom to ply his arts
Some OF these individuals. are so adroit
IN studying up new devices that they de-
celYe the most suspicious and frequently
make big hauIs from their victims.
These are dangerous fellows to the
community and a special care to the
police. The foOtpad and burglar do their
work in darkness and unless caught in
the act or from suspicious circumstance
or evidence, are hard to identify as hav-
Ing done particular piece of work. The
confidence man, however, works by day.
light as well as night. His description,
therefore, becomes familiar to the police
OF different cities and they notify each
other of his presence. that he may be
watched. Experienced officers generally
know when he has arrived in place and
are on the lookout to head him off.
During the State Fair the police force
has done large amount of excellent
work III dealing with all the above
named classes of criminals. The City
Board OF Trustees wisely decided to COM
ply with Chief Drew's request, and al
lowed him twelve extra policemen for
the beats. This enabled him to put a
special on each beat in addition to the
regular officers, and he was therefore
aoIe to put his experienced men on the
beats where they could do most good.
This arrangement also gave them more
time to look out for criminals.
As a consequence of this wise action
the force has been able to do much effect
i've work. Most of it is done so quietly
that ii attracts little attention, but many
Delated citizen can thank his stars that
the vigilance OF the police has enabled
him TO reach home safely. Many an alb
sent householder has been saved
from finding his house burglariZed
on his return. Many a countryman
has had chance to spend his money in
stead OF being bilked out of it. officers
have watched the arrival of every train
for more than two weeks, and have
stopped many confidence men and
known criminals from getting off the
cars ana forced them stO continue their
journey without stopping here. Beside
this, eighteen confidence men have been
ordered out Of the city without being ar
teSted, tne oIlcerS not waiting until they
had swlndied someone. Twenty-siX
have been arrested and either convicted
or compelled to leave Sacramento, In
all, from September 1st to yesterday
morning, there have been 226 arrests. OF
these siXty-siX were charged with va
grancy, a large number of them being
known or suspected of being crooked"
and several of them are now at work on
the county's granite pile. Five were ar
rested for gaming and thirteen on sus-
picion. This is record of which the
Police Department may be proud and
with which citizens may be well satisfied,
ii the criminal element is not Nor must
Chief Drew and Captain Greene be for
gotten, for they have been tireless in
their efforts to avert crime and dispose of
their men to the best advantage, and the
result shows that they have been sue
cessful.