New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-04-24
seek AID OF PAWNSH0PS'
Detectives Resume Practice OF
Leaving "StoIen' Lists.
CROOKS WORKING OVERTIME
Loan Brokers Declare Police
Quit Calling After Mr.
Cropsey Took Office.

4 renewed line Of activity in Police he'
partment affairs has come as surprise 70
the loanshop keepers throughout the city
For the first time. II is said. since tom
missioner Cropsey took office detectives
visited all the pawnshops last week ana
left with the proprietors n green slip or
paper which has printed on IT list ~
stolen articles of various dates. This used
TO be a daily custom. which fell into disuse
after Commissioner Cropsey's stewardship
at the head Of the Police Department be
gan. according to the loan brokers.
The lists Of stolen articles proffered 10
the brokers under former regimes have
been useful in guiding them in case stolen
goods should be presented for pawn. Many
OF the ''uncles." as they are called in po-
lice parlance. are wondering why tho lists
have been suddenly renewed. and why the
police are again seeking. at this particular
time. the cooperation of the loanshop pro
prietors in recovering stolen property.
Can Il be because the grand jury is IN
vestigating police conditions or has the
reason anything 10 do with the recent ap-
pearance Of Commissioner Cropsey before
the grand Jury? are two Of the questions
W
themselves.
The search for reason is further ne
logged in the minds of the pawnshop con-
tingent. because when the detectives hand
ed out the first list TO them they remarked
that hereafter they would leave a list every
day. so that the pawnbrokers could refer
10 II II anything suspicious was offered for
hook Despite the promises Of the de-
tectives no daily lists have been forthcom-
ing
Had to Rely on Memory.
Since Commissioner Cropsey's term Of
office" said one prominent pawnbroker
Yesterday. "it has been the custom TO show
lists now and then TO 'he pawnbrokers.
just to read over and then hand them back
to the detectives. Under no consideration
was any pawnbroker allowed to keep the
list AS favor to the detectives. the
pawnbrokers would look over the lists
shown at their shops. but for them to re-
member what was on the lists was an
other and difficult matter. The pawnshop
men had 10 stand right in front Of the de
tective while reading the lists and hand
them right back.
During the last several months the de-
tectives have been stopped from showing
the lists at all. and in some Of the loan
shops in the city they say that they don't
know what detectives looks like.
According TO the pewnbrokers the print
ed list recently left with them is a record
breaker In quantity and variety of stolen
articles for q like period nj time in recent
years It dates from the latter part of
February to the middle Of the present
month.
Crooks Working Overtime"
BY the looks Of the present list. said
a pawnbroker Yesterday. 1T seems as II
the big feet Of crooks now in fhe city must
be wording overtime Everything imag-
Unable is on the list. The crooks are steal
ing anything and everything that is not
nailed. from diamonds almost big enough to
take a bite out Of TO baby carriages. wash
wringers, clothes. trunks, rszors, typevr't-
ers. bric-a-brac. paintings. carpets. glass
ware and pictures And by no means all
the stuff stolen is pawned The city Is
full Of fences who will buy anything Of
fersd spot cash, from a dollar TO several
thousand"
Among tho things recorded on The police
list as stolen I'm this city since February q
are about twenty valuable gold watches.
some If them ladies' watches. with iewelled
fobs or chains attached in most instances
Under the caption diamonds" Is the fol
lowing list. and dates on which the articles
were stolen:
March o, gold brooch. sixteen diamonds.
April q. diamond ring. three sapphires.
April 10. brooch. large diamond surrounded
by six small diamonds: April L. ladys
breastpin. large diamond surrounded ny
small diamonds: April -. nine scarfpins
set with diamonds. rubies emeraldg. pearls
and other stones; April IL. brooch. fifteen
small diamonds. and a horseshoe pin. con
sisting Of fifteen diamonds.
There are long lists of other articles
under the captions "jewelry.'' silver
ware" clothing and miscellaneous"
Similar articles stolen in other cities are
Included in the list.
The grand jury resumes its Investigation
Of the so-called crime wave and police
conditions to-day. Mayor Gsynor may he