The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1914-11-27
EASY CRAFT FOR
| HURT-SOLDIER
FAKER ON LINER
with Rich Lawyers as Incen-
tive, Doesn't Hesitate at
Real Clashes
CROOKS AND SHARPERS/
ARE NOT COMING HERE
Inspector FaurOt Scouts Re-
ports That They Are-TOo
Close Watch Kept

NEW YORK, Nov. ia brand
new kind OF panhandIer mas been
developed by the European war. He
sails the ocean blue. lie clusters
around the quays OF Rotterdam and
Southampton, with bandages on his
Aead and on his arms and legs. He
shambles and stunts his way INTO the
steerage of the big liners going TO
America. And on the way over ne
tells pitiable stories OF the frighttul
suffering the war has brought upon
MIN. He ls always Belgian, for Bel
gian spells the admirable and heroic
now In the public mind.
He starts the telling OF his harrow
ing tales in the steerage and tells
them necessarily, so that finally they
get TO the ears OF the steerage stew
ards, then to the ears of the second
class, then TO the first class stewards,
md presently the affluent passengers
of the upper deck know the stories.
And these affluent passengers, COM
ing themselves from the scenes or
devastation, their whole trip for days
having been across tragic pano-
rama, may be depended upon, Win
heir sympathies thus quickened, TO
ook up the unfortunate and pour law
sh charity into their hands
Usually 1t is quite useless Tor
ships doctors and ships officers TO
ell the passengers that these "refu-
gees" are fakes They usually can
show wounds With rich largess
as an incentive they will cash their
heads, faces and bodies and then are
prepared TO stand up for an unwrap.
ping OF their bandages. Some, how
ever, have been detected with surface
scratches barely wadded with ban
lagos. Ellis Island has detected and
urned back at least dozen OF these
akers. But that is figured 10 be only
about per cent OF those who have
worked the war victim" dodge on
board ships.
The feature OF their story that al
ways calls out the biggest flow of
gold is when they say they are COM
ng TO America 10 try 10 build new
homes and send for families left half
starving in their wrecked native land
but that they are without the where
yithal-the $50 Of cash necessary--to
permit them 10 be admitted TO the
new country. They usually get about
i've times $50 from the wealthy pas"
engers.
On the other hand there has been
great deal printed regarding the
influx OF crooks from the old World
the New because OF the war. With
practically all Europe roaring camp
" war, il has been declared, criminals
rave deserted the continent like rats
ind have come in droves to American
s-principally. OF course, New
Hork. The Paris Apache has been
described as pulling his visored cap
we'll down over his eyes and taking
passage for America. They would
ind an Apache colony already in this
ity. The safe-crackers and highway.
men OF London and Paris were on
heir way here. But, above all, the
Willy crooks-the swindlers and card
,harps and women baiters and black
nailers from Monte Carlo and the
Riviera, from the fashionable oriental
Dorts-were coming on our way.
AS to these reports, Inspector Fau-
rot, chief OF the detective bureau or
his city, said:
these reports of a big invasion
bf an invasion OF any size-of this
ountry and especially New York, by
oreign crooks is romance pure and
simple. Ii has not happened and Is
Tot going to happen. This depart
nent Is in closest touch with London
md Paris, and besides l have my own
men over there, and any crook OF any
legree who tries to come this way
spotted. Our work Is easier now
III ahna To- M
ause the ports are fewer from which
such undesirables could ship them
selves to America.
Besides, II stands to reason that
The richest field for the crook Just
how Is Europe itself. right in the war
swept district. Families have fed
houses and left valuables behind;
strangers, Germans. are trying to 20
ice cities, and amid the, semi-anarchy
that exists the opportunity FOR the
thief is enormous The dead on the
helds can supply them uniforms with
which they can walk unsupported
among the ranks OF the soldiers, and
Everywhere In Europe now are men
who have been driven from their
homes and are wanderers and cannot
REASONABLY be- expected to give a good
account OF themselves or their move
ments. The way l see 1t. the war
must make OF the battle-scarred dis
tricts crooks paradise.
"As for the polite undesirable--th
gentleman card-sharps, the men who
ingratiate themselves with women
only to blackmail them-to a certain
extent we have always had them with
us, and certainly not to any greater
extent now than heretofore. Certainly
none such who have ever earned po-
lice attention can get past our police
barriers or wrigg1e their way into a
harbor here. Certainly, also. there
have been no complaints OF crimes of
this nature since the war began,
granting that such crimes are often
concealed by tho victims themselves
In fear OF the attendant nutoriety."