The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-06-02


ls tatnIaI representation OF "a scene
which actually and nightly occurred IN
the old days-and the old days have not
gone for many years
But that was before the days Of the
metropolitan police. Now a great float
Ing dock at the sim Of Victoria Em-
bankment Is the headquarters of one or
the most perfectly disciplined and thor
oughly competent bodies of police In the
whole world The arches have been re-
placed by this very embankment. and the
others which. like TO- line the Thames
with solid stone walls surmounted by
pleasant driVeways or staid business
streets The docks are as well patroled
by the officers of the law as is the
strand. and the old time desperate water
side characters have. 60 great extent,
PASSED into history That impre' sive wa
terside scene in "Tho Silver King" is no
longer true 10 life. although at the time
the play was produced IL was said
that SCENERY and characters were
copied from existing places and eN
istinc men The man who wrote that
playa melOdrama of the desperate Grim
inality OF London-has now turned ms
attention 90 writing plays which tel OF
the immortality OF another class-those IN
high life And the authors change may
have significance ungGcssed. The
Thames has been reformed as Whitchapel
has been reformed. London has succeed
cd very well in curhns certain Kind OF
crime which is born of poverty, She has
succeeded very much better In fighting
that than she has in fighting certain
other kinds Of crime which are born OF
luxury and wealth.
still the Thames IS not without its
wickedness Civilization has not yet
advanced so far as 20 prevent muir
dcrer from occasionally throwing the
body Of his victim into the black waters
OF the strange stream. and part or
SIS advance seems 10 have been the
Increase of the number Of self-murder-
ers who throw themselves into IL. Thus
the policemen in the little. darling boats
are not without their business. They
often find what they are looking for.
London bridre-that historic structue
which has been falling down in the song
Of childhood ever since Mother Goose be
came popular as pOetess-scems 10 be
the favorte springboard OF the misefables
who wish 10 leap into eternity. scores or
suicides jump from II every year, and II
A. a tradition i'm Scotland Yard that its
suicides are the ones which always give
the greatest trouble 90 the police They
seem 10 generate puzzling mysteries. one
nleht last winter four persons-one wo-
man and three men-jumped from Lon
don bridge between the hours OF mid
night and \ NJ. and each one bothered
me poiice. ordinarily a suicide is not
much bother IL s. simply necessary for
tha uatrolmen in the police boat 20 catch
me body with a boat hook, tow IL ashore
and turn II over 20 the tender mercies OF
fh. coroner. But sometimes IL Is not so
s,mple. one OF these suicides. for IN
stance. WAS the wrcckage which had
hacn lcft I'm the wake of young noble
mans dissipation. and IL IS always
nuisance IN England for young woman
~ that sort 10 XIII herself IL attracts
,nhiic attention TO her and 10 the arts
tocrat's dissipation. That Is certainly
enough 10 bother the police. Another OF
that nights bits OF numan BOtsain Was
a man who had the bad taste 70 write
long letter 10 the papers showing that he
Rad been literally driven 10 his death by
,he laws OF England. which would Lot
Kermit him 70 make living. yet insisted
On scniing him 10 jail II he ala not
ciothc his children well enough 20 permit
,hefn 10 appear AZ school The ihird was
well dressed and Of a tncly-bred appear
erce HIS identity was a great bother.
when n was finally found out that he
90 a member OF a family well known
,nSced but secretly affected with an in
ssns faint which had taken this way OF