Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-11-02
RECORDER AND poLicn.
Significance of His Comment on a
Suspended Sentence.

New York, Nov. l--Reoorder Smyth
said something this week which gave
encouragement 10 a sensitive but neg
lected branch Of the police department.
The Judge had been asked to explain
why The sentence Of George Houghton,
who was convicted OF burglary In 1891,
was Suspended. In reply he said among
other things: There are many such
cases. There is always a good reason
for the action. 1t may be that In this
case the convicted man gave valuable
information 10 the police by which
they were able to entrap whole gang
OF burglars. II may be that he made
restitution Of the stolen property"
This statement gave an inkling to
another secret mode Of doing business
In the detective bureau. 1t disclosed
part the criminal court plays with
the police in dealing with criminals.
The detectives and their chiefs past
and present are loath to speak of
their methods, prafe-rlng 10 have the
mystery OF that service maintained.
The reason, they would have inferred
from their nnger-on-the-lips gesture,
Is that general knowledge OF the detec-
tives means Of shadowlng crime
would destroy their usefulness. But
when the recorder spoke so openly Of
MS EuhAE III AllN lAhNAFE u NfNNSAAAiita
criminals, there were indications thar
the detective bureau would take his
words as a text for disqualification.
The bureau didn't, however, say a
word above a whisper though the re-
porters who heard the sibilHnt consul
ta.lons offered an opportunity,
The recorder spoke on Wednesday.
The day before, a report which ad-
mitted another practice Of the bureau
was suppressed, That Is. 1t was written
and handed to superintendent Byrne5
by Detective Sergeant Charles Jacobs,
but was received by the police boord
IN secret session at the special request
OF the superintendent, who went 10
the board room to explain why the
matter should be kept quiet. Now,
Superintendent Byrnes made some per-
sonal sacrifice to have the report saved
from publication. Between him and
Commissioner Sheehan was q bitter
feeling. The commissioner had made
ugly remarks about the detective
bureau and had called for the report.
He wanted II published TO the hurt
of the superintendent. To have the
methods" continue yelled, the founder
Of the bureau had to ask Mr. Sheehan
and the other commissioners TO grant
him his request. 1t was done.
That report confessed to the offer
by the detective Of sun OF money
to STRIKER for Information concern
Ing the leader (Baronde ~ anu me
plans Of the striking clo,h makers. De-
tectlve JACOBS uetehueu ms voiuuSs
on the plea mat II was NY eGl'li mo-,
practice OF the bureau. This Is well
known. but the report would have
been an official admission of the GUS
tom.
Recorder smyths rev Whds 40 OH
ciallv publish another defective hablt
and very important and elective one
In manipulating criminals. II IS that
of trading with the guilty S)r the cap
ture OF other onendera. " George
Houshton ''peached on his pals to
detective, the officer. according to the
recorder, got George or. detective
quoted In this column several weeks
ago explained 10 the writer that one
of the strongest holds the police
have or the criminals is the right, By
word whispered in the pUdges ear"
TO set the convicted man fice, In the
police court the detective does his own
whispering there policeman, an or
binary patrolman' can do no. To the
recorders ear the detective may have
10 S peak through the district attorney.
But II Is the word whisp, red in the
ear iirst or last and 10 n 81 eat power,
as those who re guardii . It from
profanc sc tiny realize. 1t is akin 10
the third degree"
Not til II Is abused. perhaps, can
this practice be challenged on practical
grounds, however dubious It may be
In the best light. But whether It is
always rightfully used as a means of
doing Justice is difficult TO disprov.
because 1t Is all secretly done. Grimm
ais say 1t Is a hideous engine Of injus-
uce' Pr Parkhurst says the prisons
are fun OF men and women who dread
and hate it. But crlminaln are not
good witnesses, and they ara the only
outsiders" who know Its workings.
The police reply that the criminals vi
tuperations are evidence o. lis EN-
cheney.
'But there are on the police force re-
ers that they are Insiders who know
not OF the police. Tanning ieadars
and "heelers" know this method" and
believe In and defend 1t. Their Grim
mai lawyers drive as frequently to po-