Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1904-11-14
.LONDlOl.N'S CRIMINALS
IL lIl4~gTat FF2'I3s. 4 Z = LE5gF T. Is
A CONSTANT WATCH KEPT ON THEIR
MOVEMENTS BY THE POLICE.


MOVEMENTS BY, THE POLICE.
sit.t a. H.. J. :.i sf!.. 544lE =,
Persons who Are Deemed - Guilty
Until They Prove Themselves to BE
Innocent and Who Can BE Impris-
oned For Committing No Onense.
1t used to, be principle Of British
law that man is innocent until he Is
proved guilty. Though this is still up
held by justice generally, certain per-
sons know to their cost that in their
own cases the principle is reversed.
To one section Of the community the
law says, with no uncertain voice, "You.
are guilty unless you can prove your
self innocent" The victim of this rule
is he who is. known. to the police"
who is suspected Of intent to commit
crime" and of late years quite a
number Of persons have been sent to
prison under an act which is called the
prevention of crimes act' on the mere
suspicion that their conduct is not what
it should be. I.... -, ... e.. g.: ,::,
The act operates against persons who
have already been in prison, and its ex--
istence makes it very hard task for
an ex-convict to enjoy real freedom.
Any person who has served a term
Of Imprisonment may be arrested,
without q warrant, If his conduct does
not favorably impress policeman, and
summarily convicted. ,>~-.,,i I -a.!
For instance, the men charged with
completely in the Conduit street jewel
robbery some years ago were not con-
yicted of their offense, but the evil
dence given was that their mode Of
life was probably dishonest" This
was accepted by the Judge, who, sen
fenced them to q years imprisonment,
not, be it noticed, for any crime, but
because. they were probably" guilty
and could not prove themselves inno-
cent.
Another man only a few weeks ago
was sentenced to eighteen months i'm
lprisonment for lettering. He was dis
covered by: the police waiting about
some quiet: byway of Chelsea and, hay
ing been recognized as an ex-convict,
was promptly taken in charge.
Another case of crimeless criminal
was that of the youth who was SEN
fenced to eighteen months imprison-
ment for merely having In his posses
sion implements made for the purpose
of coming. The man had not coined
anything, but it seemed fairly clear
that he had thoughts of doing So
The blow Of this prophetic system Of
prosecution, however, falls most heav-
lily on the man who has already been
convicted. Such person finds it al
most impossible to shake of the law.
a. During his ticket Of leave period If
he does not report himself regularly
he is liable % be sent back. Not only
this, but If any action Of his strikes
the police as suspicious 1t is only nee
essary, according to the act, to state
that there are reasonable grounds for
believing that he gains his living by
dishonest means"
Not only are ticket of leave men la
BILE to unexpected arrest for no definite
crime, but also any convict whatever.
For seven years after the expiration
of the sentence passed ON him If he re-
fuses to give his name or address or
gives false one, or If he is found in
any place. whether public or; private,
without being able to satisfy the court
why he was there, he is liable to q
Years Imprisonment. .-..
A social gathering of criminals in
the east end was some years ago sud
denly interrupted by the entrance Of q
well known detective. The company
was only engaged in the, harmless soc
|cupation Of smoking and chatting
though, doubtless, only between
lcrimes. Said the detective:
IA watch was stolen yesterday from
la gentleman In Fife street. Now, one
of you knows where it is. Unless you
1deliyer it up in twenty-four hours the
whole lot Of you will be run in tomor
row for being alive" 49, .-s @,g..@
Being interpreted, this meant tina
the detective had a special reason To-
recovering the watch for his client, ant
to save himself the ordinary process o.
jsearching he had adopted this methot
Of intimidation. .....5g., b.. :. !.
/ By this threat he meant that tn,
whole company could be charged I'm
der the prevention Of crimes act'' OF
suspicion Of not earning an honest liv
Ing or for lettering with felonious in
tent. "...
Quite recently in a well known civi
lawsuit the plaintiffs position was dis
credited by detective witness VIII
came into court and testified that h
was ION the market" s,ls.s..,
This, being interpreted, meant tina
the plaintiffs habits had not met Will
the approval of the legion of plail
clothes detectives who are known t.
haunt London's streets. The method
of these gentlemen are not confined Il
the actual detection of crimes SO muc]
rs to the general watching of person
passing to and fro in certain streets.
/ One Of these detectives says that b
spends the greater part Of his tim
daily in walking up and down a crowd
ed thoroughfare and fixing his eyes OF
any person whose progress along tn
street does not suggest urgent bust
ness. &s ~ 4 .sg5 ts. 49,.
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