The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-02-27
WASHINGTON THEIR MECCA
Crooks From All Parts of the COun-
try Headed This Way.
The QuadrenRiGI Influx of Pick pceI1-
cts and Confidence Men About to
ReGiD-PreparaGian of the Police
Department for Their Reception.

OF me romeo
| Department for Their Reception.
| The quadrenuiaI advance of the crooks
on Washington has begun from the
! North, the South. the East. and the West
All eyes are tu. aed toward the National
! Capital, always a harvest Teld during
/ inauguration timas. Lighting red crimi-
| nails are on the move. and are fiocking
! into the city by train, steamboat, and wa
gon.
| Warnings Of their approach are daily
I given at Police Hea2luarters, and prep
! arations have been made TO give them all
! the attention they need when they arrive.
/ Yet the professional thief, whether he be
a pickpOcket, Il burglar, or n highway
man, knows Of all this preparation for
his reception. and he viii act accordin sly.
Once within the city. he viii mingle with
the crowds, lofter about the depots pick
a pocket or blow safe, according to mis-
particular specially, and make q hasty
exit for more healthy parts, even though
he miss the giant pageant planned for
Monday afternoon
1t is important that the crooks be gath
cred in as they reach the city, and before
they begin to work the crowds To ef-
feet this twenty extra detectives are com
/ ing TO help the local force; $50 special po-
liceInen Will be sworn in, and other pre-
cautions taken. There is a great task be
fore the police, for all manner of profess
s:onal thieves viii come in all manner Of
ways They will com by train, by
steamboat, electric car q nd wagon, while
the hobo is already counting the ties in
the direction OF Washington From out
toward Renning there is a constant
stream of the weary and footsore, all
headed for the Capital City. Some pass
The outpOsts of the police; othars are
rounded up on the outskirts Of the city,
and find their way into the police stations
and the police courts.
Numerous as they are, mysterious are
the means employed by crooks of all
kinds and conditions in coming into the
city The electric cars from Rockville.
from Alexandria and Hyattsville, viii
bring them BY the score; the Long Bridge
will become before Sunday Il busy thor
oughfare, while the Aqueduet bridge, in
Georgetown, the Canal towpath and the
river boats win carry among their pas
sengers many of the gentry The
holder thieves will take q train for Wash
ington, confidently saIight at one Of the
depotS. and trust to ningiing with the
crowds to avoid the SleUJhS in waiting
More cautious crooks coming by train viii
IlILtl II toIlS elllL4lt 10 AllgflJ on The.
skirts Of the city, perhaps at some small
station or while the train slows up in
passing through the streets. Then they
VIII make their way to the crowded see
lions, and ply their trade until arrested
or are successful in a haul of the first
magnitude, always q signal for quitting
the city.
Shrewd confidence men. the card shark,
ana the sWIndier are expected here IN
large numbers To ply their avocatioa 70
the financial distress Of the country folk
and Of the unwary. New York PhiIa-
delDhia, baltimore, even Chicago Boston.
and st Louis, viii turn loose hord Of
rascaIs on the District for the inaug raj
celebration. The burglar and safe blow
er and the Second-stOry WORKERS. 100.
will also be here, to work the residence
sections while families are viewing the
pageant on Monday afternoon Comb
dence men viii seek victims along the
Avenue, on f Street or Seventh ST e Z
VIII steer them to place of comparative
safety, and there rob or swindle them
according 10 the apparent necessities in
each individual case. The card shark
viii produce three cards or four. as the
case may be. will persuade his victim TO
bet. and suddenly disappear with ali the
cash his customer can command while
the Woe-begone victim viii hasten to tel
his woes 10 the police and detectives.