Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1917-01-03
GOOD PICKING FOR THIEVES.
War in Europe Sends Many "Lig1lt
Fingers" to United States.

washington, Dec. 2S.--If you hap
pen to own jewel collection and
Your taste runs toward wearing it in
public, YOU had better hire a body
guard. this winter. The United
states is over-run with European
crooks, some Of them the smoothest
thieves on the continent
Private detective 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 European war, which has made
theft hardly worth while on a big.
scale across the water.
In Washington there's 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 cT
faultless 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-
turned from Il trip that extended
North to Boston and West to the Mis-
sissippi river.
'It's going to be big year for
ho
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 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
because it hau placed ban OH ex-
| travagant 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 bad
taste. 1t was generally believed
there, however, that the war would
not run longer than two years. and
| the biggest criminals preferred to lay
| low for time, waiting for peace.
| The finished European criminal is not
| anxious to operate in the United
| States.
LAS a rule" said the detective,
| "the language puzzles him, his accent
marks him as foreigner, and besides
he is not next to the little ms and
outs of our police systems. He pre-
fers to stay in Europe for the same
reason that real chorus girl prefers
to stay on Broadway. It's almost de-
meaning to his art to be forced to
seek new fields OF operation.
"Within the past year, though"
this man said, ''it has become appar-
ent that efforts to predict the time
the war will end are rather futile
and lay-off Of more than a year is
out OF the question for most OF these
smooth-fingered boys. So they're
coming over here, and unless society
people keep on their toes, so to
speak. there will he some big hauls
pulled off before spring. The enorm-
Gus war export trade Of the United
| States in munitions, foodstuffs and
the like has created brand new
crop OF war millonaires, and it must
not be 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. and
| con tinue to come"