The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-11-26

ID pfoNefp winch was true III Old
Testament days and which has wealth
cred the ages.
And" modernity might add. ALSO
the pawnbrokers.
To the pawnshops look the virtuous-
ly poor as place of temporary haven.
To the pawnshOp once looked the dis
honest as a means of converting
stolen property into ready money. The
term "once looked" is used advisedly
for in Salt Lake. as in other cities
modern police methods are making
rough and hard the way of the thief
who seeks 10 make a fall guy" of the
money-lender.
In an age when public opinion has
been wont TO judge the pawnbrOker
not impartially, the thief is rapidly
learning that such slfeps are no place
20 dispose of stolen property, while the
police look to the lenders for co-opera-
tion-and get il. Many are unacquaillt-
ed with the system whereby Salt
Lakes police department is given the
aid OF the pawnbroker in tracing down
and recovering stolen property. Many
viii say that there is little virtue In il
for the pawnbrOker,. for the system Is
simply the execution of the law. That
IS true, but instances are not lacking
of where pawnbrokers have furnished
material aid to the police simply as
good citizens and of their own vOlition.
How One Thief Was Caught.
One in hand may be related befare
the actual system itself is mentioned.
About a year ago the sheriff's office
notified local pawnbrokers of the theft
OF large quantity of firearms from a
store in Park City. The numbers of
the guns were furnished and lenders
were warned to keep ian eye out,
A few days after the theft, q big
burly looking fellow walked into a
First South street shop TO "hock' ARE
Ivolver. The clerk IN charge examined
the gun and quickly saw that It was
one Of the stolen lot On a pFeteXt Of
Nfurther examining the weapon he per-
suaded the man TO leave il in the store,
asking him TO call back an hour later.
The minute the door closed behind the
would-be borrower the clerk slipped on
d coat and followed. The man walked
10 West Temple street and then 10 Sec
ond South. At rhis point the clerk saw
Patrolman Furster and told the latter
70 arrest the man.
This was done and the fellow was
taken to Coalville, where, instead o.
the approved story book ending. he
managed to break Jail and was never
brought TO trial.
The above instance could probably
be duplicated by several others.
Report Made to Police.
The ordinance providing for the
weekly report 10 the chief of police of
every article pawned has been in eff
feet for several years and has proved
of great value in the recovery of prop
erty. The ordinance provides that eV-
cry Monday the report for the week
past shah be made 10 the police This
report shows the name of the vendor,
his address. and contains a complete
description of the property pawned.
If, on looking the list over, the de-
tectives find any articles which have
been reported as stolen, they call and
examine the property, and, if it
proves up" notify the owner. This
work is in charge of Detectives George
Chase, George +. Raleigh, Joseph W.
Burt and Richard l.. Shannon. In the
opinion of the detectives an improve
ment in the present ordinance would
NC an 4iAlEllAlltNAAA pAbN III DeLAi9
report. This system is in vogue in Og-
den.
Considerable property has been re-
covered during the past year by means
of the weekly reports. In the majority
OF cases the owners are only too glad
10 make good whatever loan has been
advanced. For instance a man recOV-
ering a $50 overcoat has no misgivings
at getting it back through the agency
of the police and pawnshop for the
sum OF So.
Any place such as a pawnshop,
where come the still water and the
froth. the good and the bad. the viz
i tuOuS poor and the dishonest poor,
must needs be a great clearing house
\ of human nature. Here is life, indeed,
y storehouse of incidents in which are
laid bare mans frailties, his weak
hess and his greatness.
All Give Explanations.
BE they good, bad or Indifferent, the
patrons Of pawnshOps-and this is "A
notable fact-find II incumbent TO offer
,4xpugag for their presence MOI Eek