The morning times., 1896-01-05
PIGEONS OF TIE Police
Ex-Conyicts UsefuIl 10 the Off.
GERS of thedaw.
'.THIEF TO OAT0H A THIEF"
Old Criminals Are Generally willing
to Give Information Concerning
Others Of Their Kind, II They Are
Paid for It-Favorite Method Of Ex-
superintendent Byrnes of New ork.

Necessity, and the usages of mankind,
have thrown together to such an extent
those individuals who gain a precarious
livelihood by methods prescribed by law,
and the men whose duty IL is to protect the
public from the depredations of these peo-
pie and secure their punishment. that there
exists nowadays certain affinity between
tue two classes.
THIS may seem rather rough on either the
crook or the copper. according TO the
point or view, but the many notan,e friend
ships that have sprung up between law
breakers and their supposed bette noirs.
demonstrate conclusivciy that il Is a fact.
An officer, experienced In the business,
never regards the moral side Of q criminal.
He looks upon him as his opponent in the
game OF life, learns his game by constant
watchfulDess and practice and then devotes
bis attention to the mode OF chcckmating
him that Will most effectively serve his
own end. The detective does not lament
that the ways OF the crook are wicked in
tile sight Of the cody; it does not enter into
the economy OF things, with him, that an
aci or dishonesty entails suffering some
where.
ADMIRES HIS CLEyERNESS.
If the trick is turned ceverly and shrewd-
ly he admires the evidence of the two
qualities. just as he would a good play on
a baseball field, and he straightway pro-
ceeds to exert his own cIeverncss and
shrewdDcss to circumvent, If possible, his
opponent In the game. And sometimes,
when his own moves are so effective as to
accomplish his endeavor, the admiration
he feels develops into friendship, of the
most lasting nature.
~ haven't the slightest fear OF a de-
tective who has no friends among my
Glass;" said clever professional crook,
who was arrested by two local detectives
during the holiday week.
las long as he relies upon his own ef-
forts to find ont about me am safe. But, II
the man has friends among my class, he
can get me without trouble. His friends Will
keep him posted, and will willingly sacri-
flee me for him."
MUST HAVE FRIENDS.
The knowledge III heir utter helpicssuess.
unless they have not merely pigeons"
but real friends among the crooked ele-
ments, has long ago led the best OF our
fin de steele Sherlock Holmes To cultivate
whenever possible the friendship OF the
better class of crooks, and in that way to
keep en- rapport with the man across the
table.
Real friendships OF this kind differ widely
from the relations between the detective
and his ''stool pigeon" The latter piece
OF human furniture plays what may be
termed distinctly a thinking part in the
game, and is as a rule. only trusted when
paid. He is generally OF a low order OF
Intelligence, aud is often as bad as the
people he is working against.
"Set thief to catch d thief" is an
adage that n great many detectives have
considerable faith in, hence their pigeons
are nearly always OF Il cl;sss whose char
acter could not he Too closely inq uired into.
They are. in many cases, ex-convicts, or
have something hanging over them as a
curb rem. which can be held In the hand
OF the officer. and they are paid for their
fidelity while il lasts.
BYRNES' .sPIGEON."
The pigeon was the special strong
hold of Thomas L. Byrnes, when that really
great police officer was superintendent OF
New York's Metropolitan police, and under
his regime there were more '.touts" than
crooks in that city. With their aid moth
ing could happen without his being i'm
mediateiy informed. He had system OF
making pigeons" too, that was unique.
BY a special arrangement with The au-
thorities at the Albany penitentiary, when
ever n New York crook was TO be released
he would be notified by letter. The missive
would contain the information that John
Smith, convicted some time or having
forged someone's name to fat check, was
about TO be released, after having served a
certain length or time.
two of his men TO Albany. John Smith
| would be met by them and escorted back to
New York and into the presence of the su-
perintendent. and then lie would answer a
| few questions.
..Wllere do you intend TO make your home
| in the fu,ure?" he " ould be asked.
~ shall remain in New York" was the
almost invariable answer if the ex-convict
happened to be New Yorker.
EMPLOYING HIS MAN.
well" the superintendent would say, Il
want YOU 10 report to me in some way, at
| least once a month, so that may keep
| track of you. If you do not do this, exist
| ence in New York may be unpleasant for
you"
| or course the released convict knew that
| he was in the power of the CHIEF, and he
| hesitated not to give the promise. They
| always fulfilled ii. Some Of them, little
more hightoned than Others, reported by
mail, but they always reported. In this
| way ii was almost an absolute iinpossibility
| for q Job of any size to he done in New YORK
| without the police department getting i'm
mediate information.
The .'pigeous' in this way became more
numerous than the genuine crooks, after
| awhile and became IN the minds OF
| some n question as To their relative de-
sirability.
| OUT OF JOB
So, when the reformers took the helm
| In New York and Mr.. Byrnes stepped down
| and out, the ''pigcous" s"-were thrown back
on their own resources and became crooks
again.
Perhaps one of the best Known OF the
local detectives is Ed Horne, aud he num-
bers among those who have sincere re-
| gard for him crooks from all parts or The
| country. Bykecpirg close track ofthem he is
Informed as soon as new crook gets 10
| town, aud knows as much of their move
ments rs they do themselves
1t is the same way with a number or
| Others aud one of the insepa rable features
of police business is friendship with crooks.
Poultney BigelOw In Germany.
/ have heard that Poulmey Bgelow /,
kthe only intimate friend Emperor William
has in the United States. have read let
ters from the "War Lord to Poult. and
am convinced that Poalt.- replied in the
same friendly spirit. 1t is said that wher
they are together in the palacc swapping
| yarns Of their College days they call each
| o&t,or mn and pn,,lf Sfril hpiuy The cl 81