New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-09-28

of the Individual members Partisan criminals
have become far more scientific in their methods
than was the case in the days when their ex-
PLOTS were recounted by Eugene Sue or Victor
Hugo, and the statistics supplied by the Pre-
lecture of Police show that they have taken
leaf from the great industrial syndicates,
trusts, and that cooperation, condensation and
specialization nowadays the methods of
their operation.
Fortunately, the number of criminals in Paris
is not increasing But a perusal of the columns
of the average daily Partisan paper during the
present dull season gives the erroneous impress
sion that the streets of Paris are more danger
Gus than those of any city in the world and
that it would be safe to walk unarmed from
N0tre Dame to the Opera after nightfal In
the course Of a recent conversation with
prominent functionary of the municipal police
Of Paris the writer was assured that nearly all
the criminals in Paris are known and registered,
and this is largely due to the system of nightly
rallies" or hunts. The newspapers" said the
official make great ado about the fights which
take place in deserted quarters between the
criminals of the rival bands known as the
'Apaches,' the 'CUurs dAcier' CHearts of
SteeD, the Occurs Unis Omitted Hearts,
and the Grains De Beautt' (Beauty Spots, but
We pay little attention to them, and seldom
interfere. unless some innocent wayfarer is in
jeopardy 1t Is customary tor these paidS 10
meet once a week in deserted places near the
Notifications and settle their differences in
pitched battle which is fought with knives and
revolvers 1t is significant that over 90 per
cent of the persons found killed wounded
after nightfau in Paris during the summer
months belong to the criminal classes, and as
their fights result in diminishing the number
of criminals there seems to be no practical rea-
son for Interference. 1t is case Of u few
thieves and rufIians the less"
The police authorities find that the custom,
amounting almost to a passion, Of young Grim
iua,s to have themselves tattoocd with the en-
bleu adopted by the band to which they belong
is # great us in identification. There are half
q dozen men in Paris who earn living by tat
tooing young criminals of both sexes. The most
prominent of these is Medtric Chanut. keen
eyed wiry old man. with horn spectacles, a clean
shaver face and close cropped, bristly, p PIPER
and salt hair. who is usually to be found IN
smoky little bar behind the Saint Antoine HOS
pital Pere Chanut confesses to have tatto0ed
115 members of the Apache band with the tribal
emblem Of a heart pierced with an arrow He
learned his art while in the H6pital de Ia Pitie
from fellow patient who had been sailor and
had acquired his proficiency In Japan.
Pere Chanut. whose antecedents are most de-
porabe, is intimately familiar with Partisan
criminals, and doubt the ponce nave COM
doned many of his offences because he is able
to be a useful pointer" for them IN elhelseAoy'
Pere Chanut who has been interviewed by the
reporter of Partisan paper. declares that the
DAYS of the formidable middle aged men who
some years ago used to be foremost IN the ooio-
est operations are now past. Why exclaimed
Pere Chanut lit was only a few weeks ago that
l tattooed the Grand Tondu' chief OF the
Apaches and he is merely sleek. agile youth
of twenty! There no men in these inoderh,
effeminate times, and all the great EXPLOITS Oh
the asphalt are accomplished by mere strlpllhss
not out Of their teens
Another veteran authority on crime Is LIE I ere
Humbert who is a frequent visitor to the Ia