Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1904-11-23
L0ND0N'S CRIMINALS
A CONSTANT WATCH KEPT ON THEIR
MOVEMENTS BY THE POLICE.
Persons who Are Deemed Guilty
Untii They Prove Themsefv~. 60 Ne
Innocent and who Can Ne rrspri.-
oned For Committiax No onen.e.

Untii They Prove Themsefv~- 60 Ne
Innocent and who Can Ne rrsprf.-
oned For Committinx No onense.
Ii used TO be principle OF British
law that a 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
owd 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
n 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
1t should be.
The act operates against persons who
have already been In prison. and Its ex-
istence makes il q very hard task for
an ex-convict TO enjoy real freedom.
Any person who has served n term
Of Imprisonment may be arrested.
without a warrant. II his conduct does
not favorably impress a policeman. and
summary convicted.
For instance. the men charged with
completely in the Conduit street jewel
robbery some years ago were not con-
victed 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 a years Imprisonment,
not. be ii noticed. for any crime. but
because they were probably" guilty
and could not prove themselves limo
cent.
Another man only a few weeks ago
was sentenced 70 eighteen months I'm
prisOnment for lettering. He was dis
covered by the police waiting about
some quiet byway Of Chelsea and, hav-
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 IL 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 n person finds II al
most impossible 10 shake OF the law.
During his ticket OF leave period II
he does not report himself regularly
he is liable 10 be sent back. Not only
this, but II any action OF his strikes
the police as suspicious II 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 liza
bic TO unexpected arrest for no definite
crime. but also any convict whatever.
For seven years after the expiration
OF the sentence passed on him II he re
fuses 10 agive his name or address or
gives n false one. or II he IS found in
any place, whether public or private.
without being able TO satisfy the court
why he was there. he is liable 10 a
years Imprisonment
y social gathering OF criminals IN
the east end was some years ago sud
denly interrupted by the entrance OF a
well known detective. The company
was only engaged In the harmless oc-
cupation Of smoking and chatting.
though, doubtless, only between
crimes. Said the detective:
a watch was stolen yesterday from
n gentleman in Fife street. Now, one
OF you knows where II is. Unless YOU
deliver it up In twenty-four hours the
whole lot OF you will be run in tomor-
row for being alive"
Being interpreted, this meant that
the detective had a special reason for
recovering the watch for his client, and
10 save himself the ordinary process Of
searching he had adopted this method
OF intimidation.
BY this threat he meant that the
whole company could be charged I'M
der the prevention OF crimes act' on
suspicion OF not earning an honest liv-
ing or for lettering with felonious in
tent
Quite recently IN a well known civil
lawsuit the plaintiffs position was dis
credited by a detective witness who
came into court and testified that he
was ION the market"
This, being interpreted, meant that
the plaintiffs habits had not met with
the approval OF the legion OF plain
clothes detectives who are known TO
haunt London's streets. The methods
OF these gentlemen are not confined TO
the actual detection OF crimes so much
rs TO the general watching OF persons
passing to and fro in certain streets.
One OF these detectives says that he
spends the greater part OF his time
daily in walking up and down a crowd
ed thoroughfare and fixing his eyes on
any person whose progress along the
street does not suggest urgent bust
ness
IF when / catch his eye" said the
detective. this person stares back at
me or turns TO look after have passed
L know that he's a wrong 'un and
watch him carefully"
If the individual subjected to this
treatment should often frequent the
thoroughfare In question and II his
companions should not meet with the
entire approval OF the detective on
watch then he is ION the MARKET
London Globe.
Envy.
Mrs Casey-'Tfe q shame Nra Cos