Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-07-11
DEFECTIVE STORIES.
A VETERAN TELLS OF SOME THINGS
 THAT ARE NOT REPORTED.

Thieves Are Frequently Hun Down. While the Public Thinks They Get Away-steaI-
 ing From Ones Own House-yaiuabie
 Tips From Pawnshops.
 It will perhaps interest good many people to know why so little confidence is placed in police detectives by the majority of the residents of Brooklyn who don't know how thy work and why so much confidence is placed in them by a few whD do. Having been n detective for tho past 20 years, the writer will cndcavor to let Citizen readers into some of tho secrets of the profession. Many people in this city believe that we arc slouches; that we never find out anything unless we fall across it and that wo arc no better at detecting crime than the policemen who patrol the streets. This condition of affairs is due no doubt to the way in which we have to work.
 As soon as q man reports that his house has been robbed we are placed on the case. The report goes to police hcadquar- ters containing an account of the missing articles, which is duly printed in the news papers. People who read the papers from day to day rot1cc the report and keep their eyes open to sec whether we capture the culprit or not. Not seeing the report of the capture, in few days they give up al! hope and say that we arc of no earthly use But there arc always two sides to a story.
 For instance, while I was stationed in the Thirteenth precinct, at tho cornCr of Willoughby and Vernon avenues, Il few years ago, a man who was rcputCd to he wealthy doing business in New York, came into the station house and reported that his house had been robbed of n gold watch valued at $500. He gave mo tho number of tho watch, with Il full dcscrip- ton of it, and answered several questions which l asked him.
 After getting tho information that l wanted visited several pawnshops in the vicinity, but couldn't find any trace of the missing watch. The next day went to -'s pawnshOp on the Bowcry, in New York, to sec about another matter. l have always made it u point to get into one of the stalls while in this store, Gs to hear what is going on around me l had u long talk with the clerk who was in charge about some jcwclry and then went into a stall to mako out u rrpOrt, which in tended to turn over to my captain when I reached the station house. had been in the stall about three minutes when u fe- male entered tho ono adjoining mine and pledged something for which she received S75. Then she left. I rccogniZcd the wom- an voice and was astUundCd to find her in n pawnshop. Who the woman was never shall tell; suffice to say she was one of BrOoklyn's sOCiCsy ladies, and l asked tho clerk to let me sec what she had pawncd, and he did so. IL was gold badge, studded with diamonds and worth S2OO. With the clerk $ permission made diagram of the badge in my notebook for further rcfUrCncc
 But am getting away from the gold watch. The same day l visited n pawn shop near tho entrance tO the Brooklyn bridge and recovered the missing watch, l asked the proprietor to give nc n dCScrip tion of the man who pledged it. He did so, and much to my surprise the dcscrip tion tallicd with that of the one who had made tho complaint. l said nothing, but went to the mans home and acquainted his wife with tho fact that the watch had been rcstorcd. requested her to accom- pany mo to the shop to identify it, which she did. While WIG wcro conversing with tho proprietor asked him to describe the plcdgcr. Tho answer he gave took away the woman's brath, as shc recognized tho plcdgcr us her own husband. She calico at once on her husband and told him about the recovery and told him also something he didn't relish.
 At any rate, I received n visit from hin that night. He came into the station house wltn a largo Sillllt OH Ills lsltt slllt laughingly thanked me for recovering hi watch.
 Do you know" he said to me, II hat visit from my wife today, and she tol, me that the pawn>hup man said plcdgct my own watch. Why, that's nonsCnsic;u Who ever heard of such a thing l quietly informed him that the less ht said about tho matter the better of h' would be. He took the tip, thanked m and departed.
 A couple of nights latcr-I believe i was about II o'clock, for hnd just rctircC | -a man entered tho station house. H was out of breath and was almost crying Hc told tho sergeant at tho desk that hi house had been robbed of some jcwelry "I wouldn't care" hc added, ''only tn thieves have carried of badge which value very highly. It was made n prcscn to mo couple of weeks ago by tho mcm bcrs of my shooting society, and now her | it has been stolen"
 Well, was called down from my be- and made acquainted with tho facts.
 promised I would do tho best could t recover 1t, and he then left the station house, saying that if did Inc would novc forget mo. Tho next day went to tn pawnshop on tho Bowcry, took out tn badge which had been pledged by tn | Brooklyn woman and brought it over { the owner. lIc rccognizcd it immcdiatcl as his property and asked mo almost , questions about how recovered it. II paid the $75, tho amount it was pledge for. and took the badge. He demanded [ know how I got it, but told him not [ go into the matter further, ns 1t would nc bc for his good. That wouldn't do fu him. He must know who tho thief was so I consented to inform him. took hiI to his home and requested his wife to jui us in the parlor. which she did. As sh entered and stood in the middle of th room pointed my finger at her and sait There is the thief" The woman in
 very dramatic way denied all knowlcdg of the affair and ordered me to leave tE
 house. I asked her in q very quiet Wa II she wanted nC To go into the matter an further. l had just cuncludCu spoakin when shc made a spring at little writin desk which stood in a corner and which
 suppose contained n pistol. told her
 she made another step I would arrest Inc
 as thief. This quictcd her down n littlt
 and finally she throw herself at her hu
 bands feet and asked his forgiveness
 which was granted. Then loft tho hous,
 That is one story the newspapers ncvI
 printed, and there Gra many others.
 Brooklyn Citizen.
 No Keeping Him Out.
 What" demanded the captain of u