The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-08-28


source OF assistance which is only in
small degree available in New York. This
is the great army Of public cabmen and
expressmen.
BY contrast, suppose case in which
the New York detectives arrive at
steamship pier a half hour too late 70
apprehend Mr.. Cadbury Thwaites. who
has just arrived from Europe after
swindling a conhding widow out Of SIS. COO.
They go across West Street and ask
John Eckhardt. the expressman. where
he took the trunks OF the elusive Mr..
Thwaltes. Perhaps he tells: but. II he
has been properly managed by Mr..
Thwaites, he will be more likely TO tell
the wrong address. The detectives have
no way TO make him tell the truth.
Cabmen In Fear of Police.
In London the licenses OF all the hack
men and expressmen have to be passed
on by Scotland Yard. When a man from
the &C. l. D." walks up to a London cab
driver. therefore. and says Hawkins,
where did you drive that gentleman with
the auburn hair anG the bottIe-green suit
at 7:l9 this evening"" Hawkins Is very
likely TO answer correctly. as well as
promptly, for he knows that one we'll
authenticated lie on his part is enough
to cause the revoking Of his license.
The machinery Of a case is much the
same in London and New York. Center
street has its telephone and telegraph
Somebody calls for the detective bureau
on the telephone and says that his wife's
diamonds have been stolen. The in
spector in charge makes note OF the
name and address. and details a Heuten-
ant 10 visit the man at once and hear
about the robbery IN more details. The
lieutenant reports back 10 his superior.
and, If he needs help 20 cover other ends
OF the crime, headquarters assigns other
men
Perhaps he has reason to believe that
the robbery has been committed by GER
tain persons who Will attempt TO leave
the city at once. He telephones the
descriptions 20 headquarters. and head
quarters telephones to the men who are
regularly assigned to watch the ferries
and railroad stations. A general alarm.
If necessary, can be sent 10 every station
house in the city, and puts the entire
police force on the alert.
The lieutenants directly concerned with
the case work meantime mainly by ask
ing questions. After all. indefatigable
Questlon-asking is the foundation Of ali
detective work after a crime has been
committed. as II Is the basis OF most
newspaper reporting. Only the detective
has this advantage. that his shield often
compels information where the reporter
has TO depend on the good nature. the
conceit, or the w-hims OF the person ques-
toned.
Assisted by Newspapers.
The practice OF the police In regard 20
mysteries has been radically different on
the two sides OF the ocean. Scotland
Yard has always maintained the most
stohd silence on cases m which II was
concerned. giving out details only when
the case had been solved with finaHty.
to the glory OF the Yard" In New
York the police have been extremely ger
srous with their Information. Withholding !
'nly as much as seemed absolutely neces- I
'ary 20 insure the successful outcome OF !
he hunt No doubt some criminals have I
been lost through premature publication 4
n police plans; but this IS a small mat
-er compared with the number Of GRIM I
nails who have been caught because the 4
they ygot in the newspapers /
made II impossible for them TO hide In 1
act many mysteries which bafled the /
'olice have been solved by reporters-as 4
n the case Of the man who threw bomb
4 Russell Sage
II England had had newspapers and I
newspaper men OF the aggressive Ameri-
an type no doubt more information
would have been extracted from the re-
loubtable c. l. d. OF late years the
fard' itself has shown signs OF realizing
hat publicity might not be a bad thing
Il times. and has used less reserve in its
citations with the newspapers. After DR..
,rippen and Miss LeNeve had given In
pector Dew the slip, the latter was only
90 glad to have the newspapers fur
hshed with complete description and
photographs Of the fugitives. not TO mem
Ion a few details Of the crime.
Parentheucally. 1t might be mentioned
hat when the London Times printed the
ews that DR.. Crippen and Miss LeNeve
ad been discovered by wireless on the
iontrose it headed its story with the
ingle bright and newsy line:
The North London Murder"
Any one inclined to be scornfuI OF the
Conservative methods OF Scotland Yard
night find material for fun in the fact
hat it tried for long time to get along
'ithcut telephones, and only installed
hem two years aso. This does indeed
eVeai conservatism, out the scornful
erson must take into account the fact
hat telephones have not been in general
Sc In London much longer. Oshkosh.
Wis., Is very swift to adopt modern i'm
rovements; New York is slower. and
ondon Is still slower. (