The times., 1901-03-31
HUNTING FOR CRIMINALS
Present Methods Far i'm Advance
Of Those Of Former Days.
of Modern Civilization
of Great Advantage to Police Sys-
TENS in Ferreting out Law yiOIat-
ers--Many Escape Their Vigilance.

ers-Many Escape Their Vigilance.
The age of steam, electricity. the tele-
graph. the telephone, and the iron CLAD;
in fact the age of progress in the twen-
tieth century is likewise an era of dread
to the burglar, safe-blower, second-story
worker. and rascals generally. Wherever
the criminal may turn. to the North,
South East and West, he will find APP
proaches guarded, and all avenues of es-
cape closed So it is evident that the
proverb-"The way of the transgressor is
hard lis daily becoming grated in
the minds alike of rascal and policeman.
Many are the resources of the detec-
tive and police, and expert must be the
criminal who slips through the coil laid
for his apprehension The electric bell,
connecting pawnshops with the nearest
police station or headquarters. as the
case may be; the daily police bulletin. re-
citing in cold type the robberies and
lookouts' of the preceding twenty-foUr
hours; the police telegraph ana telephone
systems, including numerous boxes
scattered here and there through streets
of the big cities; compulsory reports from
pawnbrokers and secondhand dealers re-
ceiyed daily, and methods of criminal
Identification not before known or but
invoked by the police to maintain public
order and secure protection against the
rascal of every class and type. To this
list may be added the descriptive cir
cular, sent broadcast by the thousands
from police headquarters of every large
city, addressed to sheriffs. Jail authori-
ties, even pOstmaSters and hoteikeepers
ana containing minute description of any
criininal wanted for any particular crime
A most important adjunct to police
work is the electric bell Every large
city has its system of communication by
this method, chiefly between dealers i'm
cheap goods or pawnbrokers, and the
police department. Several pawnshops in
Washington are fitted up with such de-
vices so that in case suspicion falls on 4
patron of the establishment of the three
balls, or upon the goods he offers for
pawn, word my be sent unknown to him
To Police Headquarters. The first knowI-
euGe such patron of the pawnshop has
OF impending danger is the hasty entranc.
into the establishment of a detective or
policeman Then ne is questioned respact
ing the goods to be pawned. how they
came into his possession, and in many
instances, is "collared'' and led away IN
der arrest to a prisoners cell. Apparent
best to stand in with the police. for
besides reports made daily to headqtiar-
ters, as required by law, they give in
formation which may fall under their no
uce and frequently assist in this manner
IN the capture of criminals Elsewhere
cooperation with the police by pawnbrok-
ers Is not universal, and in several big
cities there is believed to be a wide di
vergence in views on the advisabilitv
Of supporting authorities
Every day in the year a publication is
issued by the local Police Department
giving information about criminals. It is
single sheet affair small size and is
published on hand press at headquar-
ters. 1t contains reports of robberies re-
ceived during twenty-four hours prcced-
ing, with a general description of the
property stolen and any clue if there is
such TO the thief. Moreover. it has the
description of any supposed rascal want
ed by the police for any of thousand
crimes. Whether the fugitive is wanted
IN Washington, New York, Cuba. or the
Philippines, his description. and occasion
ally his photograph, will go into the
makeup of the bulletin. provided the
case has been brought to the attention Of
the local authorities in any of the regular
channels Of obtaining information. 1t is
apparent, therefore, that not alone every
Washington policeman viii be on the
lookout for the criminal, because he car
ries the bulletin in his pocket or in his
hat, but that police and detectives else
where. many Of whom are supplied with
leaflets from this city, will keep close
watch lest an important case slip
through his hands
For a decade or more the Washington
policeman has had the patrol box as an
adjunct 10 his work. He may telephone
10 his station from his beat at any time
of the day or night and always receive |
an answer. He may report an accident |
a murder, OF a tritiing incident, or he may
call for the patrol wagon 10 convey !
prisoner to the station. He may sound |
the alarm of "A fire and may receive in |
struCtiOns from the sergeant or other Of |
fetal OF the department. Before patrol |
was compelled to take his prisoner to the |
station best he could. PatrOmen were |
then widely scattered on distant beats. |
and assistance. when needed, was not al !
ways to be had. Conditions in Washing
ton, however, have improved in every |
year with the advent of the telephone |
and systems of rapid unicatiOn. To !
be sure. there has been communication |
with other cities by telegraph for many |
years, but until a comparatively recent !
period the wires have not been extensively /
used to facilitate the arrest Of fugitive |
criminals.
Occasionally a criminal escapes every |
K
pense which may be brought about to eff |
feet his capture. Modern appliances are |
not infailible, and the shrewd criminal !
may bring to bear wits even more keen |
than the willy detective or astute inspect !
or or Secret Service man. 1t is remem |
bered by some in Washington that the /
elusive Dorsey FOUltz is StiIl missing:
that nothing has yet been heard from the
murderer Of the old shoemaker. Hail, in
his shanty near Ninth and Il Streets
northwest almost ten years ago; that
Tascott. the slayer of millionaire Smell I'm |
Chicago. is yet wanted, and that Topeka
Joe. said to be a burglar. safe-bioWer, and
desperate criminal. together with Pat
large. These notorious and. i'm one case,
unidentified criminals, have eluded the !
strong grasp of the law. They have been
advertised from the Atlantic TO the Pacif-
ic, and from the Dominion of Canada to
the Gulf Of Mexico; have been hunted far |
and wide with price upon their heads
yet the vast machinery OF the law has |
proved Inadequate to effect their capture
While Dorsey FOultZ lives his name will
be thorn in the side Of the local police
force. Often he has been reported cap
tured. and as often has his identity been
mistaken.
country IS linked by the telegraph with
its neighbors. There is a spirit of CO. |
operation. wholesome and generous. |
which results as rule i'm the most cor
dial relations between detectives and po- !
lice visiting from one city to another i'm |
the course of their duty. Such conditions
lead to increased advantages and to con |
sequent success, as rule. when Il Grim !
inal IS to be bagged. The police of New
York for instance. are sometimes ac- |
quainted with a lawbreaker not known
to the LEGAL men. \ Washington |
detective is sent to the metropo-
lis to make an arrest. lie may not !
know the criminal by sight, although |
mo sf,s.f 1,