New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-02-14
JUDGE SWAMI FAV0RS
DETECTIVE SPECIALISTS
Jurist Believes Skilled Sleuth'
ina the Only Way to Combat
Organized Crime.
CITES PICKPOCKET SQUAD
Until Waldo Abolished 1t the
Trust" Had Hard Sled
ding, He Tells Curran
Probe Committee.


crime Is more iampan, to-day IN New
York city than Il has been in many
wears" decllred Judge Edward swami
20 the Court of Special Sessions. Whlie
tesiifyine before The CurTan committee
yesterday afternoon. u doubt II there
EYER was as great number ~ burglars
At large in this city as. at present
Criminals are well organized and Speciai-
lie in crime and 10 meet this condition
we should have detectives specialize IN
the work OF these criminal specialists
Judge Swarn. VINO devoted the entire
afternoon to giving the committee the
benefit Of H., ~" wears close slud! Oh
he criminals Of the city. said me- ne
lieycd that the restoring Of the ''ntiaI
Office and the morning ii:c-up OF pris-
on,rs. abolished by Police Commissioner
Waldo. would tend largely toward re-
licving present conditions.
TIE majority of crimes are done by
professional criminals" said Judge
swami criminal specialize in crime
Just as business mcn DO i'm business.
They are well organized. Vpic'i
ease was one that came before me TWO
dats ago. Tho prisoner was mcinp'r
of the .uiclnockct trus,' The prisoner
was defended by = lawyer essentially
counsel for tho pickpocket trust
This prisoner had a certain part OF
the town assigned to him. IT, stood IN
the subway At IA street and Broadway.
lie was arrested there five years ago
three years ago. two years ago and then
Inv 81 a
thst criminals. when they come before
vou again. come before YOU for tho came
crime. generally committed "a the same
locality
"1'his Young pickrpckct WIS arrested
10y one e tie old members OF the squad
that ran down picl.pock"ts. He saw him
, thcro. noticed he was a dope nend' ana
frally eaw nim ~ three purs - II WON
On who were returning from matinees.
Not ONLY dii he sperialize in woncn's
purses hut he confined his work n matt
nee goers.
Had THIS detective not been trained In
tho pickpockct squad now abolished. ne
would have arrested tho man when he
first opened a pockctbook. But this man.
trained waited un,il he opened a third
one. which he robbed and made out
complete case against him.
When he was arrested this pickpocket
called up two telephone numbers have
the numbers here. They arc not listed.
They are private telephones. But they
arc known TO the members Of the trust,
and. when arrested. they use these pri-
vate telephones To- get bail. Tho trust
not only provides bail but counsel as
well Tho trust: has detectives of its
own
"You don't mean members Of thc police
force inquired Emory Il. Buclner,
counsel TO the committee.
no" replied Judge Swami. "hu' some
Of It's own employees who are legion In
this case two women detectives OF the
'pickpockct trust went To IN" victim OF
the prisoner and almost frightened her
away from coming to court
Judge Swami observed that before the
DAYS II Commissioner Waldo there was "A
detective SQUAD that operated in tho thea
TIE aud shopping districts and on the
streetcars to trail pickpochcts. and that
its work was very effective. Not until
two or three months ago did he learn
that the squad was out OF existence. NJ
that time ne wls beginning 10 think that
al the pickpoclcts had left town. as
none were being brought into the courts
But" added Judge Swami, II learned
that they were not being arrested and
we're bodcr IN their work than ever be-
fore"
Then he talked about fences and sad
there were hundreds az seemingly respec-
table business mon In this city who were
nothing but receivers OF stolen goods.
Il have here with mo a list Of fifty of
these gentlemen, with their names and
addresses" coatinucd Judge Swami. II
cant give out the names. COR they have
never been arrested. but the greatest
pleasure that ! look forward 10 Is sen
,eucin. these men. They employ agents
who persuade honest young men driving
wagons 10 steal merchandise en- route.
And I'm going To- pat some of these rep
utable' business men behind the bars.
Judge Swami told of u man IN canal
street who made a business Of writing let
ters ON the stationery of reputable bust
neg. houses To judges telling Of the
good character OF tie prisoners before
them for sentence These letters We're
written 10 order III ~ cents each. The
sam. grammatical error running through
a series Oi letters i'u W NH' 'At'I VIII
.r'S detection.
1udg" Norman :. Dixie of brooklyn. Will
he A witness ~ this afternoon ion or