New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-10-31

duging IN his sangunary monomania Not once
did the gendarmes or gardes champetFes succeed IN
getting upon his track and his final arrest was uue
TO pure accident. Public opinion is now thoroughly
aroused. The rural police system has been dis-
cussed in Cabinet council In the presence OF Presi
dent Felix Faure The Parliamentary Committee
on Rural Police OF which n. Georges Graux Is the
permanent chairman. has been instructed TO report
on measures 10 insure tho greater security or HE
in the communes" and the Minister OF Agriculture,
~ Meline-who is also the Prime Minister-intends
10 introduce In the Chamber OF Deputies OH EN-
bodying the conclusions Of this committee
In an interview this morning NJ Georges Graux'
chairman OF the Parliamentary committee, stated
that throughout the rural districts the police Tor
tracing criminals who move from one commune 10
another had practically no existence IN france
The country Is not provided with anything CORE
spending 10 the detective police o. the large cities
The gendarmes and gardes ohampetres do excel
lent work In guarding property but FOR the detec-
ton and capture OF criminals they are absolutely
useless because their duties are strictly confined
to their respective communes ana cantons, OUTSIDE
the limits OF which they have no authority what
ever III crime IL committed In commune.
said NJ Georges Graux the offender has merely
10 yet across the boundary into the next commune
and snap his fingers at the gendarmes and gardes
champe,res g. the commune where the crime took
place. Before the gendarmes can notify the au-
thoritles Of TIE neghbOring commune or canton
the criminal - over the hills and far away. In
France. whcrr many administrations are use
lessly centralized. 1t is strange To find that the
country police which above all others. ought TO
be most vigorously ccntralizcd-rcmains purely
local basis ard Is under the exclusive orders OF the
MAYORS OF the respective communes. Each COM
rnune Is ahso.utc master OF its own police system.
Even the AK, uts OF the general detective force OF
Paris have no power whatever to act In the country
districts without the formal written sanction OF
the local authorities Endless technicalies and
red tape are required before this permission can be
obtained. Valuable time is lost, and In nine times
out OF ten the offender escapes altogether. The
local magnates are terribly jealous Of their pre-
negatives. and quick 10 resent any supposed In
frlngement OF the communal autonomy.
PARIS DETECTIVES HAMPERED.
IT can cite in point which came to my
personal knowledge" continued NJ Georges GrauX.
land which occurred at small town In the south
OF France. ths Mayor OF which happened to be one
OF my colleagues In the Chamber OF Deputies. and
a member OF the Opposition. one fine day the
chief OF the detective force OF Paris discovered
that a noted countcrfeiter had established himself
In the town In question. and Immediately sent
three detectives TO watch his movements and
trace him. 80 that the entire band might ultimately
be captured. The Mayor incidentally happened to
hear that the Partisan detectives had been TO
his town. and forthwith ordered the gendarmes
and gardes chnmpetres to arrest them as soon
they arrived. The three Partisan detectives were
soon discovered playing cards in cafe. When
asked for their pa pers they showed their cards fur
nished by the Surcte Generate de Paris. The
yardes champetres Immediately took them in
charge and they all three locked up in the
town fall for rtyeight hours for exercising their
functions illegally Meanwhile. the notorious
counterfelter had got wind Of the affair and disap
peared This Instance shows the necessity of re-
organizing the rural police upon more central
basis" Upon being asked what progress the Com
rittee on Rural Police had accomplished during
the last year, NJ. Georges Graux replied: The
efforts OF the committee had far been directed
toward arranging efficient sanitary measures in
the communes. and preventing the spread of con-
tagious disease among horses. cattle. sheep and
poultry
NJ Goron, who for a number OF years the
chief Of the Detective Police Service Of Paris. in
the course OF interview confirmed everything
that NJ Georges Graux said and stated that THE
criminal police in the country Throughout: France
was simply lamentable. and has been getting worse
and worse each year The reason for this is evil
dent The gendarmes and gardes champetres have
so many other duties 10 perform In the way OF
watching crops and vineyards. reporting on the
condition OF the roads and carrying out the In
Vulnerable laws TO prevent contagious and in
fectious diseases among animals. that they have no
time for anything else Their reports to the mill
tary authorities IN reference to nscripts and the
enrolment OF horses. mules. transport vehicles and
carrier pigeons nowadays absorb the time formerly
devoted to purely police duties. The gendarmes
and gardes champetres. moreover. are not allowed
to act unless In uniform. This alone prevents