The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1902-11-01

Once more comes the news. astound-
ing 20 all except such as are familiar
With the corruption which exists
among the police Of that city. that
Paris Is tsrrorized by organized bands
Of fcotpads and burglars who do not
hesitate 70 murder If they dnd the
killing or human beings requisite for
the success OF their operations. Hard
ly night passes but some unonend-
ing citizen is set upon by thugs and
as many as a dozen revolver. knife
and sandbag attacks have been report
ed In one night Recently a new
method OF assault has been introduced.
A citizen walking hurriedly along a
street on his way home from his place
Of business OF entertainment hears
the whlrr Of lariat and before he has
time 20 see whence 1T comes finds
himself lassoed and being dragged
into some dark alley or doorway.
where thieves relieve him Of whatever
Of value he has on his person. When
no escapes-if he is fortunate enough
not to be killed-he hurries 10 the po-
lice la the hope that az effort viii be
made to recover his property and
punish his assailants His complaint
causes no surprise and arouses no
oniclal TO action. Robbery Is such
commonplace affair ia Paris that the
police do not deem it worth while
tracing the offenders In any particular
case unless the eraver oilense OF muir
der occurs also.
SO bold are these Paris thugs that
they band together aud give them
selves names. as secret societies have
habit Of doing The names and rem
devious are. many OF them, well
known to the police and no other rea-
son for the failure 70 rid the French
metropolis Of them can be ascribed
than collusion, with profit 70 the po
lice in the shape OF division OF the
paunder As their names differ. 40
do their purposes and methods. There
are at least thirty Of these guilds OF
crime and some Of them WELD con
siderable political influence.
As their name suggests the mem 4
bers OF the Habits Noirsr gang are
well dressed aud. for the greater part.
they are also B-5d locking The term
Habits Noira" means evening 4
dress They frequent the reading /
and smoking rooms Of hotels as well 4
as picture galleries and similar places
OF entertainment during the day, and
cafe concerts ct night. always dressed /
IN the very height or fashion They 4
do not disdain the acquaintance Of 4
men, especially II they happen 70 be
foreign visitors and are only too
ready 10 pilot them 70 haunts where
they can be robbed II one fashion or
another with impunity Yet. as a gen
eral rule. they look 70 women as their
legitimate prey IN one manner or
another they manAse % scrapc an ac-
qualutance with their victim. and
once they have achiercd this the rest
s. easy. For woe beude the woman
who allows even a scrap Of writing. a
glove. a handkerchief or a card 10
fall into The hands Of one Of these
Adventures. II Is used At once for
purposes Of terrorism and OF black
mail and unless lhc woman has the
good sense 20 Immediately appeal for
protection to some male relative there
is no limit 10 the depth OF the degra
dation to which she Niii be dragged.
In the end She may be murdered
Another notorious band operates ia
me Hois de- Boulorne The poiice sn.
peryision Of that famous park Is Of
ne most Inadequate character. aud
ne result Is that each clump OF
lushos. each copse 81 trees has be-
'ome the hiding place OF bandits of
ne most audaclous description. To ,
Iurh an extent Is this the case that q
Ias become positively dangerous Tor ,
oiitary pronenader 10 turn on iato Z
ny of the less freqaaufed side paths, !
nd scarcely a day passes without one a
r more robberies being reported 90 +
he police d
The ccarscr thugs beyond mostly 10 \
he Handc De Ncnllly q lcague whose !
iemhers make night attacks upon BE-
lted citizens returning home through
be streets that are badly lighted and
tile freqnenfcd Their audarity re a
lains almost Incredible. They think II
oihins of attacking q policeman on r.
Is beat Ia Neuilly and IN e.hcr sim. ID
arly Infested quarters Of Paris lhe [,
is Zone by me police So e.
,upiesl or even in rade- OF three