Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1895-06-27

Armed with power under the law
to make arbitrary arrests, to lock
men, or women either, in the cells
under the headquarters building, and
to keep them there for twenty four
hours, not even admitting their pres
ence there, or permitting relative or
friend to approach them, he was able
to get almost any information out OF
a criminal caught in his net that he
wanted against an associate or
against themselves.
Byrnes himself is authority for the
manner in which lie forced con-
fession from the man Unger, who
murdered his friend and afterward
cut and sawed up the body.
~ was criticised for what did in
this case" he has said, but / was
prepared to defend my actions. I'M
ger was big, stolid, heavy jawed
fellow-as stubborn and reticent as
any man / ever saw. / could get
nothing out of him, and I did not
seem to be able to make any impress
sion upon him. So | got the blood
stained lounge upon which he had
cut up his friend, the knife, the saw
and the hammer with which he killed
him, and put all OF these things in
the little, narrow cell with him :.
Well, in thirty minutes he was try
ing to break out OF his cell to get
away from these things, He was
well ready to confess"
Byrnes treated the thieves brought
before him with the utmost con-
tempt. He spoke to them as il they
were the dirt of the streets, and Of
them as contagious diseases on the
highways" Il never let them feel
as if they were rs big as q double
ace" he has said. when they come
to me whining about their intention
to lead honorable lives,I say: None
of that here. You are thief and you
know it. Staal all you can and get
away with it If you can, but il you
try it in New York I'll land you
where you belong"
II it happened that thief Of any
note came to town and did not report
to him he would send for him, ask
him how he dared to come, and
what he meant to do, and con-
front him with his record.
I'D make him feel that.he did not
amount to as much as a fly buzzing
at he window" the late chief has
said.
He kept cops of stool pigeons
constantly in the employment of his
department TO make the acquaint-
ance OF and to betray thieves.
1t was to keep track Of all the
different kinds OF professional crimi-
nails that Byrnes organized his force.
One lot of men looked after one class
Of criminals and other lots OF the
other sorts, each lot of detectives
having its speciality in crime and
criminals. Between Byrnes and his
men and the thieves there grew up q
feeling not unlike friendship.
They know what their business
is" said Byrnes. They speak Of
me with q term of endearment which
would not look well in print but they
usually add that am square with
them 'Byrnes wants to send every
body to JAIL, they say, but as long
as we don't steal in New York he
don't bother US, and he don't take
what we've got, except by process Of
law ] don't modest them unless
want them, or somebody else wants
me to get them. Otherwise, IL they
keep out OF the way I've no cause to
trouble them beyond keeping an eye
on them from day to day"
A professional thief had few rights
left in Mr.. Byrnes' eye. twas upon
this principle that he acted upon
each of the occasions OF great gather
ings in New York since the funeral
day OF General Grant. Upon each
occasion ne issued proclamation
warning criminals that II they
we're seen upon the streets on any OF
these days they would be summarily
arrested and locked up until the show
was over. II magistrates discharged
the prisoners after he had kept them
the time allowed by law before ar