Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-23
SEASON FOR BURGLARS
THIS CITY MORE FORTUNATE
THAN OTHER PLACES.

This is the season of the year when the
| busy burglar works overtime, and our resi-
dents should see to it that their premises
| are kept locked and their valuables made
secure said detective sergeant to a Star
reporter.
While there are comparatively few bur
giarlous house entries in this city compared
with the population, and with other cities
| yet we have our share in the presence of
this nefarious criminal. OF all the various
| participants in the calendar of crimes the
houSebreaker is tie worst. He is at all
times thief, and when the occasion de-
mands from his standpoint an unhesitating
murderer. The Willingness to take human
HE is concomitant with the ever-ready de-
sire to steal the belongings of another He
enters and goes through a house with a re-
VolVer IN one hand and fgurative, and
often literal, grab-bag in the other No pre-
clncts are sacred to his evil invasion-the
| mother with her babe in arms looks the
same to him as the householder
There should be no sympathy wasted
upon the burglar; he is without the pale of
human consideration, as he is without the
pale of the law, for he is the most despica-
BILE of outlaws. There is no sentence which
should be considered too long to the con-
victed housebreaker, and to my mind he
should go to prison for life upon the second
CONVICTION, as he does In some of the states
upon third conviction.
THE burglar In nearly all instances has
his prey at disadvantage. He Is at all
times prepared, his mind Is intent upon his
pernlcious purpose, and he selects his own
time when to make his assault 1t is the
householder and not he who strikes a light
In the darkness and thus becomes ready
target for the assassns bullet. His senses
are alert while those of the attacked are
beWildered by its suddenness and in being
unprepared therefor. He is fully clothed and
shod, and as rule has made his entrance
INTO house in such a manner as to leave
reauy avenue or escape upon detection.
The taking of life in the obstructine of
this avenue of escape is but a mere incl
dent to his trade In all his work from the
inception OF the plan to burglarize house
to Its execution, his thoughts and his acts
are succession Of evil and murderous pur-
poses.
THE professional criminal however, does
not roost with us as he does in many other
cities of larger population, and the 200 cases
of HOUSEKEEPING recorded upon the blotters
of our station houses last year are not to
be taken criterion of this class of
crimes, as under the law the forcible entry
into a freight car may thus be classed The
great bulk of these apparently burglarious
entries were Of minor offenses which under
the law come under this designation AS an
instance of how well the city is protected
with it's limited patrol and detective forces.
that of unoccupied residences may be taken
During the summer months a large pro-
portion of our householders close up and go
away, leaving their houses unoccuped Dur
ing the preceding summer there were but
two reports received of the entry of such
houses, and in both of these cases the guilty
parties were arrested and the stolen prop
crty recovered. When the social condition
of the District is considered it is evident
that this police Jurisdiction is freer from
depredadons than any other section of the
country. Considering the extensive territory
covered by our patrolmen the unusual
lengths of their individual beats, and the
comparatively limited number of the police
force as whole, it is remarkable that our
men do as well as their records Indicate"