The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1896-04-18
SHARP CRIMINALS.
(From the Philadelphia Tclograph.)

NhipAh tuo AHiiuuSiPHia tSlcSiuPH'j
When attended one of the most inn
portant metropolitan police stations,
and sought an interview with the fe-
male searcher, 1 anticipated the pleas
ure of little chat with perfect ogress.
To my surprise l found the searcher
to be a mild-mannered, pleasant-faced
little woman, with quite cherry smile,
and an absolutely motherly air about
her. She dropped an old-fashioned
courtesy when the inspector introduced
her to me, and seemed quite taken
aback when being informed that the
dignity of being interviewed was to be
conferred upon her
I've been here some years now and
the task of searching the prisoners is
so familiar that l hardly notice what
happens" said she. Every female
prisoner brought in is at once searched,
you know. I take them down to their
cells, they have to remove every article
Of clothing. Everything found in their
pockets or not necessary to be worn
is taken from them, and of course, re-
turned if really their property, when
they are discharged. Each garment l
carefully feel over as l take it from
them, and it is now very seldom that
miss anything that may be there. A
woman was brought in yesterday
charged with stealing a watch. Find
| 1t couldn't, though l searched every
| inch of each article of clothing. Just
as l was giving up in despair thought
of feeling in the shoes which she had
carlessly taken off. In the left shoe
| t1,a ,tcci toh 20
man had been walking about with her
foot screwed up and the watch in the
toe Of her shoe.
Needless to say, ! always feel in their
hair. Several times stolen articles
| have been secreted in their hair, and
when it is worn in a bun the feat is
| an easy one. Another prisoner had
rolled her hair around five pound
note. There are two of us here, and If
the prisoner is at all violent both as
sist in the search. But it is very seldom
that women are refractory. They know
| that violence is of no use; and, need
less to say, we make the task of search
ing as pleasant for them as it can be
made Bad language, as you may i'm
agine we are used to and some prisoners
| get in a terrible rage when you light up
on hidden stolen property. When bus
| ties were in fashion many articles We're
secreted in them, one woman having a
dozen pieces of jewelry so packed away.
The weight of the hustle betrayed it.
II also look well in their mouths,
making them lift up their tongue, for
some habitual criminals are very clever
at hiding rings and other small articles
| In fhic a q har
charged with stealing a wedding ring.
l searched her thoroughly, examined
her mouth but could find nothing. The
| prisoner had had a deal too much to
drink, and, as often happens, / was di-
rected to sit with her all night / did.
| AT first she talked, then went to sleep.
Suddenly she started up, seemed as if
about to choke, coughed violently and
the ring fell from her mouth to the floor
of the cell. How she had hidden it, to
this day l cannot imagine
There is no special ratification for
the post of searcher at a police station.
If you know an inspector and he speaks
for you when there is vacancy, you
may be taken on If you have a good
character. Plenty of applicants there
are always. Most prisoners take things
quietly, and five out of six go calmly off
to sleep. The drunken ones are a great
nuisance; but some who come here
often grow to regard me quite as a
personal friend. and begin to tell me
of their doings directly / take them in
hand. Sometimes they glare at me and
say, Don't lay finger on me, but with
a bit of coaxing 1 usually manage to
pacify them, and the search proceeds
peacefully