Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-03-13


classes, and the wary ones, when visiting
this city, are won't to move ABOUT WIN
rather more caution than usual. The PEG
pie of Virginia are ia ned for their hospi-
tality. and many crook has been wei
coined at the depot by one Of our officers,
and escorted to a lodging place, without
having to turn on his heel' 10 look
about for himself.
NOT AFTER OLD SLEUTH STYLE.
Detective work here is not done exactly
in accordance with the "Old Sieuth
Series" OF dime novels, the reading OF
which has turned the head OF many boy
and made him long to be one or those
heroes with \ brace of pistols stuck IN his
belt and a broad brimmed hat crowning
MS shaggy locks of 'ron-gray. The Juven-
lie reader of such literature would scarce
ly recognize in "Aleck' Tomlinson, John
Hall, or Charles Gibson any one OF the
Sleuths so familiar to his imaginative
mind. And yet these men daily follow a
hazard Gus occupation, and place the stern
hand of the law on those whose lives nave
been one Of crime, and whose liberty Is
a menace TO the community In winch
they live. 1t may be said, for the benent
of any young readers who may see this,
that the officers mentioned above did not
acquire their skill by reading a little
pamphlet entitled How to Become a De-
tective." Therefore, they may be excused
II they never assume a disguise when
working on "clue'; If they never enter
some dark doorway and emerge there
from in ten seconds in female attire, and
then shadow the fugitive to his hiding
place; IL they never wear a false beard,
and drink at the bar with the suspect (al-
ways throwing the liquid over the left
shoulder OF course), and then at the right
moment reveal their identity, and ex-
claim. "Thow up your hands, you are
the prisoner of Hocksnaw, the detective"
HOW THEY WORK.
Nevertheless, Detectives Tomlnson,
Hall, and Gibson rarely fail to land their
man, and through their efficient work,
justice is melted out to hundreds of crim-
mails annually. There is no fixed rule by
which they work up case. The method
adopted varies according to each particu-
lar case and the tactics used are the
result Of circumstances. Each Of these
officers Is thoroughly familiar with the
criminal element of Richmond. 1t has
been their life study. Whenever q case
Is reported 10 the Chief OF Police, these
police detectives take 1t In charge, and
they often recognize the work OF some
crook or character with whom they have
certain neighborhood on the north side,
for instance. The theft is one of ordi-
nary household articles, and the detec-
lives have no difficulty in placing the
guilty party. She is a woman who lives
N that neighborhood, and who has "been
up several times for similar offences.
Just now she is out Of jail. And SO with
these facts before them, the officers go
TO work, and in few hours the stolen
goods are found in this woman's house,
and the next day Justice John "sends
her down for six months"
A gold watch and chain and several
articles of jewelry are reported to have
oeen stolen This Is generally an easy
,ne.' Tne officers visit the pawnbroker-
shops, and usually find the articles which
nave been described to them. They also
hen gain some idea of the party who
)awned them. AS they know pretty we'll
most of the fraternity of thieves,
through constant dealings with them,
hey easily hit upon the man they want,
md to get him is not a very difficult |
natter.
In many instances, when some petty |
heft Is reported, the officers conclude |
hat one of the domestics in the house |
s the guilty party. The lady of the
rouse generally holds up her hands In |
horror at the very suggestion OF such |
hing. and refuses TO entertain It, Re-
ults, however. prove the correctness OF
he officers assertion, and the articles |
ire found in the possession of some trust
d servant.
HOME OF CRIMINALS.
One of the localities here most fire. /
.uented by thieves is, strange to say, the /
bottom. 1t would seem that /
Z anything was calculated to deter man |
rom devoting his life to crime 1t would
,e a constant sight of the gloomy walls
II the State Prison. Detective Gibson ac-
counts for this unsavory reputation OF
he bottom" from the fact that the col
red prisoners OF the institution. from
heir narrow cell windows, fiirt with the
husky bellies who reside within the sha-
lows of the prison walls. and thus an
AFFAIR springs US. which causes the con-
,ict. when he has gained his freedom. TO
ocate in the penifentiary bottom. No
ooner Is he outside the walls, however,
han he again begins his old tricks. and
ais into his evil habits The result is
hat he Ii kept busy In an attempt 10
wade ths police.
The nsiehborhood of the "scale-house." J