The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-08-07
GRAFT is CHARGED
INSCOTLAND YARD
English Libel Laws Prevent
Newspapers From Presenting
Evidence of Fraud.

London, August 6.-Those Americans
who think that police graft" is con-
| hnsd TO their side OF the Atlantic would
open their eyes II they could get
glimpse behind the scenes al Scotland
Yard. the headquarters Of the Londoi,
! police, or at the central Offices of the
police of any of the great English pro-
Vinclal towns. Lincoln Steffens eX-
| pressed the opinion recently that Eng
land was great field for a muck.
raker. and muck-raker who tackled
the English police would find a rich
and sticky quality of muck that could
not be beaten anywhere in America.
Every now and then English observ-
ers who are familiar with the cond,-
lions think that the public is going to
get peep behind the scenes. but they
| never do. Incipient scandals are
hushed up. and the English libel laws
| are SO framed that no newspaper dares
| 10 print what II knows. During the
last few weeks there were hopes that
the searchlight was going to be turned
on the London police In the trial of
EH-Inspector syme. Syme was dis
| missed from the force for 'insubordi-
| nation" His characterization consisted
| in refusing to lock up a man brought
| in by policeman. although command
ed to do SO by a superior officer He
:
that the man was being prosecuted by
the police authorities, but he couldn't
get II. Then he threatened TO tell ali
ne knew, and he was informed that the
lunatic asylums were hungry for such
men as he. In desperation he wrote
letter threatening TO kill Winston
Churchill. who. as Home Secretary. is
othoial head of the London police. 1t
was not contended that the letter was
a m
public attention to his case, but he
must go 10 jail for six months
Syme's case got into the papers, but
there is another which did not, and
which has rich flavor OF American
police methods in the most unregener-
ate days. Some months ago wealthy
colonial was robbed by a confidence
man Of $1,000. He complained to the
police, who promptly arrested the con-
ndence man. who was tried, convicted
and sentenced, In due time an official
at Scotland Yard handed over to the
Colonial $4,000, which he said had been
recovered from the thief
Some time later this man received a
pathetic letter from the thiers wife.
VINO. WITH her children. was in great
poverty. She had been getting up a
petition 10 have her husbands sentence
reduced, and wrote that she had strong
hopes of success IL the colonial would
sig1 1t. He replied that he had no
desire TO be vindictive. but that he had
been gravely Inconvenience by the
loss Of his $1,000 and that under the
circumstances he refused TO sign. This
led TO visit from the woman, who
assured him that her husband had
turned over every penny OF the $4,000
TO the police.
On this the man communicated with
scotland Yard. and in reply he re-
ce'ved telegram stating that he had
received all the money recovered. The
telegram was signed by an official at
the Yard" but the colonial was not
SATISFIED and went TO see some one
higher up The end of II was that
there was an investigation. and the
colonial got his $1,000. The official
VINO had kept back the money and sent
lying telegram was not even dis
missed. He was reduced from first
| class Inspector TO third-class INSPECTOR.
the charge which went on the record
against him being receiving an un-
authorized present and falling TO re-
port it," He is now al the head of the
list OF third-class inspectors, and In
direct line for promotion again to his
old rank.