Evening star., 1911-08-13
ENGLISH POLICE "GRAFT"
IS AL WAYS HUSHED UP
Special Correspondence OF The Star.


LONDON, July &c. 1911.
THOSE Americans who think that
/ police graft" is confined to their
side of the Atlantic would open their eyes
IL they could get a glimpse behind the
scenes at Scotland Yard, the headquar
tiers Of the London police, or at the CEN
trail offices OF the police Of any of the
great English provincial towns. Lincoln
Stefrens expressed the opinion the other
day that England was great field for a
muck raker. and a muck raker who
tackled the English police would find a
rich and sticky quality Of muck that
couldn't be beaten anywhere in America.
Every now and then English observers
who are familiar with the conditions
think that the public is going to get a
peep behind the scenes, but ii never
does 1neipient scandals are hushed up
and the English libel laws are so framed
that no newspaper dares to print what
1t knows. During the last few weeks
there were hopes that the searchlght
was going to be turned on the London
police, In the trial of ex-Inspector Syme
Syme was dismissed from the force for
Characterization His insubordination
consisted in refusing to lock up man
brought in by policeman. although
commanded to do SO by a superior officer.
He demanded an investigation, alleging
that the man was being prosecuted by
| the police authorities. but he couldn't get
1t. Then he threatened to tell all he
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 official
head Of the London police. 1t was not
contended that the letter was anything
more than device to attract public at
| tention to his case, but he must go to Jail
for six months.
Syme's case got into the papers. but
| there is another which didn't and which
has a rich flavor of American police
methods In the most unre9enerate days.
| Some months ago a wealthy colonial was
| robbed by confidence man of 5000.
He complained to the police. who prompt
ly arrested the confidence man, who was
, tried, convicted and sentenced. In due
| time an official at Scotland Yard hand
| ed 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 thief's wife.
who. with her children. was in great
poverty. She had been getting up a pc
| tition to have her husbands sentence
reduced and wrote that she had strong
| hopes OF success il the colonial would
sign it. He replied that he had no de-
! sire to be vindictive. but that he had
been gravely inconvenienced by the loss
OF his $1,000. and that under the cir
cumstances he refused to sign. This led
Il
him that her husband had turned over
every penny of the 5000 to the police
On this the man communicated with
Scotland Yard and in reply he received
a telegram that he had received all the
money recovered. The telegram was
signed by an official at the yard" bu,
the colonial wasn't satisfied and went to
see some one higher up" The end of /
| was that there was an investigation ant
the colonial got his $1,000 The officia
who had kept back the money and sen
a lying telegram was dismissed from the
force. of course. you say. Not a bit OF
spector to third class inspector the
charge which went on the record against
him being receiving an unauthorized
present and failing to report it, 1t is
said he Is now at the head of the list OF
third class inspectors and In direct line
for promotion again to his old rank.
There IS ugly talk, too. every now anG
i again about blackmail by Scotland YarC
detectives. who don't hesitate to turn tc
their own profits family or persona
secrets which come to them in the course
men when they have a job OF this kline
to be done, prefer to employ q reputabl.
private detective, because they feel safe
In his hands than In those OF the profes
sional sleuth.
OF course. the London police are under
paid A constable receives from Sc 2
to 50 q week, sergeants get about SO {
week, while inspectors start at $782 {
year and rise to 81 .S33 a year. Most O
and inspectors and no one can deny tina
the temptation to a man earning $40
week to "make bit on the side" II yer,
great.