River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1916-04-27
CERMANY'S POLICE
Science, System and Patience In
Hurting Criminals.
HANDLING A HOMICIDE CASE.
How the Murder Board" Works to
Solve a Mystery and the Resources
at Its Commando Clever SwindIer
Who Worked a Daring Game.

Criminal investigation In Germany
follows the national policy of an ex-
treme Capitalization. Every phase of
detective work is undertaken by spe-
cialist along particular line An in
vestigation is not carried out by gen
eral purpose constable, as at Scotland
Yard. 1t is conducted by an officer ac-
companied by a corps Of experts. The
murder board" is an original German
idea. A homicide mystery is investi-
gated by one of the murder boards
from the detective center. This board
will consist of photographer, sur
geon, chemist, experts on blood stains
and finger prints, some one having ex-
perience in taking molds of footprints,
marks Of burglar tools, and so forth.
These murder boards, commissions or
squads are always available under the
German system. Each Of these squads
is given a single criminal mystery to
work out. 1t cannot be put on a sec
ond mystery until the first is either
solved or abandoned
The advantage Of such a system is at
once apparent. 1t means that thor
ough, minute, scientific examination
will be made at the theater of a crime
and that each succeeding step will be
comprehensive.
The German idea is that a mystery
should be examined from the center
out 1t is an ever widening circle. and
inv 1I ea1-
ways in an increasing arc solution in
the end is inevitable. The thing is
merely a question Of scientific eXami-
nation. Every resource of science is
brought to the aid Of criminal inves-
tigation through the great laboratories
in Berlin and other German cities de-
voted to the uses of the detective de-
partments of the imperial police
The whole postal system is at the
service of the German police. They
have the right to open and examine
anything passing through the post
which may seem to them to be impor-
tant to their criminal investigation de-
partment. They are able to do this so
cleverly that the average person does
not discover that his letter has been
tempered with. However, when the
police wish to know whether one of
their letters has been opened number
Of devices are resorted to which will
at once indicate any effort to disturb
the envelope. Among these is the de-
vice of putting a certain chemical In
the gum on the envelope flap. If such
an envelope is subjected to the least
heat in an effort to steam it open
stain will appear along the line Of the
gum border.
It must be remembered that the Ger
man police have one great advantage
over Scotland Yard or any American
detective center. A complete record OF
everybody is always available in the
German empire. If one changes his
place of residence or travels from one
point to another his departure and ar
rival must be registered with the po-
lice.
It is not to be concluded however,
that all dangerous crooks are by this
means excluded. Some of the most dar-
ing and ingenious sharperS of which
we have any knowledge have carried
out their fraudulent devices in spite
of the elaborate protective system.
A famous international craftsman
one night looted the office of bust
ness house in German village. He
expected to obtain a considerable sum
Of money in cash, but he got instead
small sum and a sight draft on bank
ing house in a neighboring city for
some 5000 marks The ordinary cracks
man would have gone no further. He
would have known the robbery would
be discovered in the morning and the
banking house telegraphed to stop pay
ment on the draft.
But the German swindler was per-
son of greater resources. He disguised
himself as police commissioner, went
in the night to the residence Of the
owner of the business house, awak-
ened him, told him that his office had
been robbed and inquired what the
robbers could have taken. The man
gave the sum of money on hand. The
false commissioner inquired if there
were any papers, The man replied that
there was a draft for 5000 marks and
gave the address of the banking house
on which it was drawn. The swindler
called for sheet of paper and wrote
out a telegram to the chief of police in
the city in which the banking house
was situated directing him to advise
the bankers to stop payment on the
draft and to take the proper precau-
lions to arrest anybody who presented
it for payment. He read the telegram
over to the man. He then directed the
tradesman to say nothing about the
robbery until the police authorities
could lay their hands on the swindler
when he came to present the draft for
payment.
The thing was so cleverly done that
the tradesman believed he had been
visited by an agent of the police. He
did precisely as he was told. 1t was
day or two before his suspicious We're
aroused. Finally, not hearing from
fbo Y,o1;oo no folopranhod. fho bankorc