Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1917-01-26
FOREIGN THIEVES
ARE COMING HERE
Detectives Expect Lively Doings
at Social Events This
Winter.
war DRIVES CROOKS TO U. S.
Many of the Private Agencies Have Re-
ceived Calls for More Guards
Than Ever-"War Million
aires" In Danger.


Washington.-f You happen to own
4 Jewel collection and your taste runs
toward wearing 1t in public, you had
better hire a bodyguard this winter.
The United States is over-run with Eu
ropean crooks, some of them the
smoothest thieves on the continent.
Private detectives and police agen-
cies in New York. Boston, Philadel-
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 Eu-
ropean 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 the
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 faultless manner and speech are
sent out on "jObs" as far west as Chi
cago by this 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-
turned from a trip that extended
north to Boston and west to the Mis-
sissippi.
Big Year for Detectives
"It's going to be a 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 it was clear that robbery
as profession was up against hard
times abroad until the war was over.
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
extravagant 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 al
most bad taste. 1t was generally
believed there, however, that the wal
would not run longer than two years
and the biggest criminals preferred
to lay low for q time, waiting fol
peace. Just get 1t perfectly clear IL
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 accen
marks him as a foreigner and besides
he's not next to the little ms ant
outs of our police systems. He prefer
to stay in Europe for the same reason
that real chorus girl prefers t.
stay on Broadway. It's almost de
meaning to his art to be forced t
seek new fields Of operation.
Foreign Crooks Coming.
within the past year, though,
this man said, ut has become appar
ent that efforts to predict the tim
the war will end are rather futile
and a lay-off Of more than a year l
out of the question for most of thes
smooth-fingered boys. So they'r
coming over here, and unless SC
ciety people keep on their toes, 8
to speak, there will be some big haul
pulled off before spring. The enol
nous war export trade Of the Unite
States in munitions, fOodstuffs an
the like has created a brand new GRO
of war millionaires,' and it must nc
be thought that these gentlemen Q
crime from across the Atlantic ar
ignorant Of that fact. 1t was jus
one of the reasons why they came, an
continue to come.
"The average war millionaire &
1916" this detective declares, "is {
the suddenly wealthy type. with n
traditions, connections or backing
the proper social sort, and he make
a comparatively easy mark for tn
foreign crook. These millionaires
1915, as a rule, 60 crazy over the 81
cial game within the first six month
| after they make their money and
takes the loss Of $4,000 or $1,000
] in jewelry or artistic treasure to teac
them not to make friends too Quickl,
The real society woman, however. Gel
sors her guest lists more cautiousl
= and there is less chance Of her bein
made the victim of q big steal"