Los Angeles herald., 1905-09-25
NOTED DETECTIVE
TALKS OF CRIME
PITTSBURG CHIEF IS VISITING
HERE
Thomas A. McouaId, Although Yet a
Younq Man, Has Chased crimi-
nails Throughout America
and Europe


of the bureau of detectives at Pitts
burg. Pa, was seen by a representative
of The Herald yesterday at the home
of his sister, Mrs. B. F. Atterbury, 2il'
Kenwood avenue.
The noted detective Is man CT
medium height, smooth shaven. immo-
bile face, steel gray hair worn httle
long and brushed back from his fore
head, about 45 years old, a kindly
agreeable voice and an infectious smile
by no means the rough and uncouth
man of "blood and iron" so often
thought of as successful above his fell
lows in capturing criminals and ferret-
ing out crime. Above all Superintend-
ent McQuaid is modesty itself and re-
ouires much coaxing to get him to talk
of his work.
OF course the reporter asked first as
to the visitors Impressions of Califor-
mia in general and of Los Angeles IN
particular.
"You have an ideal country and a
wonderful city," responded Mr.. Nc
Quaid with emphasis. Where come
from there Is little besides dust and
smoke and coal, especially coal. You
don't know how good it feels to drop
down into a country so richly covered
with flowers and green grass as Is your
Southern California. And Los An
geles? Why, I am astonished at 1ts
marvellous growth. 1 was here about
six years ago and the city has changed
everywhere.
Amazed at Sights
"My people here have been carting
me all over the country and 1 am con-
tinually amazed at what 1 see. L
would like nothing better than to stay
here for good, but my work would not
permit I have a wife and little ones
back in Pittsburg and then there is my
profession"
What was the occasion of your visit
to the Pacific coast six years ago?'
'I came after a man named Harry
Hannah" was the reply, and as the
talk turned to his own particular life
work the chief settled himself in his
chair and looked meditatively at the
end of the unlighted cheroot which he
had been holding between his teeth.
"Hannan was a sure thing man. as
we call members of the criminal class
who work the shell game and other
smooth tricks at county fairs and such
places.
"At Greensburg, near Pittsburg, he
had a bad mix with man named John
Gregg and deliberately shot him full of
lead. I traced him to San Francisco
and when we had him safe took him
back home He got off with sentence
of six years and five months, however,
and was afterward pardoned.
81 saw him a little while ago and
have my eye on him now. He'll get In
again. They nearly always do. When
a criminal loses his nerve then you can
reform him. Before that, rarely"
rs there such thing in Pittsburg
as a political pull?" was the next
question.
No Political Pulls
mo, sir, not in our department at
any rate" came the quick answer. II
have been in the detective work of my
city for seventeen years and it's head
for three and I have made 1t a point
to keep strictly out of politics and TO
keep politics strictly out of the depart
ment.
"I haven't time to be a politician and
detective at the same time. If you
let politics get into your detective
bureau you get to be laughing stock
and your city is overrun with crim
inals.
II think that am not boasting when
I say that believe that not one of my
promotions, and 1 worked up from the
ranks, came through politics or pull
[ try to be student in my profession
and where 1 have had success I lay it
to this.
"Pittsburg is sort of stop over be-
tween Chicago and New York, and we
get the criminal class going and COM
ing The thief and the beggar usually
land in Pittsburg, try to pick up lit
tie loose change and, If successful, go
on to one of the larger cities.
"This condition of affairs gives us
much to do. We have a habit there-I
don't know but you may have it here,
too-of arresting suspicious characters
as soon as they reach the city. We are
pretty well acquainted with the class
and we make few mistakes.
1--WE lock the party up and send his
photograph to the Washington bureau
for identification. If they belong to
the criminal class we give them six
months or year in Jail or the work.
house. Some we dispose of as vagrants
-one to six months. We keep a clean
town. No beggars or 'yeggmen' all
lowed.
Don't know what a 'yeggman' is"
He is a professional criminal Some
times he is beggar, feeling the way
for confederate; sometimes he is a
safe-cracker himself. He is the most