The Savannah morning news., 1902-02-08
DETECTIVES FELT SORE.
Officers Have Something TO Say
About Hand-Me-DOwn stores.

About Hand-Me-DOwn stores.
The city detectives we're at first an
noyed and then amused at the COM
plants made yesterday by one or two
merchants on Savannah's Baxter
street. The detectives say that the
hand -me-down'' stores are watched
closely, and that as far as possible
nothing goes on within without the
knowledge of the officers.
the report that we pay no atten-
ton to complaints of alleged theft
lodged by these people is unfounded,"
said one of the detectives at police
headquarters last night. 1T annoys us
somewhat, for the reason that there
are probably some people who do not
understand the situation in the dis
trict almost entirely populated by pro-
pr1etors of 'hand-me- down stores.
Ihose who have passed through the
street and seen the manner of wares
displayed, or who have been pulled in
only have faint idea of the true con-
cltlon of affairs, but if every citizen
was even posted so much we would let
the alleged complaint go by unnoticed.
AS a matter of fact, we watch these
people as a hawk watches a chicken.
rms is not because we think that they
| are marks for thieves, because the man
VINO wants to do that sort of steal
ing has much better opportunity in
other localities, where large quanti-
ties of goods of some market value are
exposed to view for advertising pur-
poses Then, too, in the places where
tthe articles of worth are displayed
there is not one stationed for the pur-
pose of watching-not for thieves, but
for anxious purchasers, who are apt to
become bewildered by the dazzling dis
play made by the proprietors of these
large Baxter street business houses.
We watch these places closely for the
purpose of detecting crime, and find 1t
extremely difficult to keep up with af-
fairs then. We have been successful,
however, and encouraged by this are
still keeping our eyes on these places
where second handed articles are
stolen.
THE brother-in-law of Mr.. Lasky,
who had something to say on the sub
pect of our alleged inattention, is now
under indictment for having purchased
stolen goods. We would never have
been able to have made out this charge
in Police. Court if it were not for the
fact that we are contantly watching
the places of some of these people.
The party now under Indictment
came into the possession of
two buckets of candy that were stolen
by two negro urchins, whom we ar
rested and the readers of the Morn
ing News who keep up with police af-
fairs will recall the case readily. Some
of these people employ as 'pullers-in'
negroes who are always more or less
under suspicion. Frequently when bus
mess is dull these negroes are sent
with articles to the pawn shops and
secure loans on articles, afterwards
disposing of the tickets. I have ar
rested more than one of these men on
suspicion, but have been forced to re-
lease them, for the reason that inva-
riably the merchant would come forth
and claim the articles, and assume the
responsibility for having offered them
for pawn. To us the charges are ridic-
ulous, but there are some who may
nave been misled by the statements
alleged to have been made.''
Mr.. A. J. Cohen, senior member of
the firm of j. T. Cohen's Sons, called
at police headquarters last night to set
himself and his firm straight with the
officers. "I was amazed when learned
that had been credited with jumping
on the detectives" said Mr.. Cohen
THE fact of the matter is that have
no complaint of any sort to lodge. and,
on the contrary, am very we'll pleased
with my experience with the officers.
has been robbed seven times, and in
six cases the officers arrested the
thieves, and recovered most of the prop
erty taken. Certainly l have no COM
plant to make in the face of these
facts. AS for increasing my force for
the purpose of watching my stock there
is not a scintilla of truth in the state
ment. The fact is that have only re-
Gently reduced my working force. 1t is
not true, either, that I no longer dis
play my goods on the sidewalk. / have
in fact added to my display"
The detectives say that they know
full well that they are open to criticism,
and they are perfectly willing to have
the public criticise when there is cause,
but they do object to having matters
| exaggerated. The theft at No. 519 Mar
garet street some time yesterday morn
| ing resulted in the loss of $4, a gold
filled watch and a filled chain, all the
property of William Neve, Western
Union messenger boy. Neve did not
discover his loss until some time after
| the theft was committed.
-S-o-s----