The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-12-27
Detectives Expect a Big Haul
in Jewelry at Some Society
Event This Winter.
HARD TO TELL SOME
CROOKS FROM NOBLEMEN
Many of the Agencies Have Re-
ceived Calls For More
Guards Than Ever Before in
History.

Pei " own JeWef cOl1eCtlOn ana
your taste runs toward wearing it in
public. you had better hire a body
guard this winter. The United States
Is overrun with European crooks,
some of them the smoothest thieves
IN the continent.
Private detective and police agen-
cfes in New York, Boston, phila del
phia, Washington. Chicago and other
big centers are looking forward to
one OF the most active years in the
last decade. It's all on account OF
the European war. which has made
theft hardly worth while on a big
scale across the water.
In Washington, there's a detective
agency which specializes in TIE
guarding of guests and jewelry at big
social functions. The business of this
agency is not confined to events at the
capital. for private detectives of fault
less manner and speech are sent out
on Jobs" as far West as Chicago by
this same agency.
The man who has devoted years of
experience and his organization of
sleuths to the protection of social
leaders and their guests recently re-
North TO Boston and West to the Mis-
sissippi
It's going to be big year for
agencies like ours" he said. Within
the past twelve months Europe has
| been sending over some of the clever
est jewel thieves this country has
ever seen. and they have only come
here when 1t was clear that robbery
as a profession was up against hard
times abroad until the war was over.
War Drove Out Crooks.
These crooks saw. at the close of
the first year of the war;" said this
detective. that the big conflict had
put them out of the running, simply
because it had placed ban on
extravagaCt functions in European
society. Additionally. the habit of
thrift is forcing itself upon all classes
of European society now and the
wearing of more than the simplest
assortment Of jewelry at afternoon and
evening affairs is considered aim ST
bad taste. 1t was generally believed
there, however. that the war would
not run longer than two years A-.d the
biggest criminals preferred to lay low
for a time. waiting for peace. Just
get 1t perfectly clear in your mind
that the finished European criminal
is not anxious to operate in the United
States
AS rule" said the detective.
the Language puzzles him, his accent
| marks him as a foreigner and besides,
he's not rext to the little in; and
outs of cur police systems, He pre-
fers to stay in Europe Tor the same
reason that n real chorus girl pre-
fers to stay on Broadway. It's almost
demeaning to his art to he forced to
seek new fields of operation.
''WlthiD the paSt though
this man said 'It has become appar-
ent that efforts to predict the time
the war will end are rather futile and
a lay-off of more than a year is out
of the question for most of these
smooth fingered boys. SO they're COM
ing over here. and unless society peo-
pie keep on their toes, so to speak.
there Will be some big hauls pulled
off before spring. The enormous war
export trade of the United States in
munitions foodstuffs and the like has
created a brand new crop of war
millionaires' and ii must not he
thought that these gentlemen OF
crime from across the Atlantic are
ignorant of that fact 1t was just one
of the reasons why they came ana
continue to come.
The average war millionaire Of
1915" this detective declares, lis of
the suddenly-wealthy type. with no
traditions. connections or backing Of
the proper social sort, and he makes
comparatively easy mark for the
foreign crook. These miilonaires of
1916, as rule, go crazy over the so
cial game within the first six months
after they make their money and Il
takes the loss of $4,000 or $40. 900 i'll
iewelry or artistic treasure to teach
them not to make friends too quickly.
The real society woman, however,
censors her guest lists more cautiously
and there is less chance of her being
made the victim Of a big steal. but
there Is that about the social game
which inclines one toward careless
ness as to who is attending a big. pre-
guests and so much ground TO cover
that 1t is next to impossible for one
hostess to keep personal track OF her
entire invitation list.
I'm the case of the American soci-
ETY. crook" said this man, the police
and private detectives are driving them
out Of the business. simply because
they are known. But take the case
Of a smooth foreign crook who has
made it his business to learn social
usage to the last detail Compared
with a real foreign noble of the same
nationality it is mighty hard 10 tel.
them apart, particularly II they are
Of the Latin or French type.
LAS far as my agency is concerned"
he said, I'VE have orders from social
leaders who are wise to conditions to
send nearly twice as many operatives
to guard their guests as were formerly
used, and. of course. the necessity
for added precautions at society
wedding. where there are many gifts.
can easily be appreciated. If the win
ter of l916-l9l7 passes without some
big haul that will make the whole
country sit up and take notice. II viii
be because thief-takers In the United
States have been sitting up nights
figuring out new waye to nab these
oily folks from across the ocean"
WORLDS WHEAT CROP SHORT.
Output z, 500, OOO, 900 Bushels, Is Per