Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-03-25

Director Wilson. of the Department
of Public Safety. is powerless to cope
with the epidemic of crime that is
sweeping the city.
He made this statement when told
of another big robbery today in the CEN
trail section of the city.
The latest robbery-the biggest since
Director Wilson re-organized the detec-
tive bureau as zone" sysem--netted
the thieves s2175. The safe of the
Hanover Shoe Company. 1870 Chestnut
street, was chiseled open. after entrance
to the store was made through an area
way in the rear.
Ihehy forced their way into the Sec
ond story of the building, cut a hole In
TIME hoor, dropped through, carried the
76-pound safe to the rear of the store
and rifled it.
Although the operation must have
taken a considerable amount of time
the robbery occurred between late
saturday night and early today-no DO
hceman or detectives. supposed to be
carefully covering the city under the
new system, discovered the thieves. No
enort was made to blow" the safe as
broken drills were scattered about
mutely testified.
Director Wilson made no effort IN
deny he was powerless to afford pro-
tection Tor residents of the city.
such robberies are bound to occur. ''
ne said, and there is no way to stop
them The police are doing all in
their power"
He did seek to qualify his assertions
somewhat by placing blame on maeis-
trates. He said too many light sem
fences were given men arrested for va
rious crimes.
rms robbery is only one of a half
score in the central section in the last
month. The thieves have obtained more
than $4,000. AS all previous efforts
to apprehend the thieves have proved
vain., the latest move of the director
will be to run all suspicious characters
and men with criminal records out of
the city by policy of irritation, he
said.
THE police said Director Wilson
have orders to arrest any suspicious
characters and men with criminal rec.
ords on sight. If the magistrates allow
them to go free, we will arrest them
| again, and the same thing will occur
each time they are set at liberty BY
this method they will become sick OF
Philadelphia and will leave"
Director Wilson. while prefacing his
remarks with statement that he did
not wish to criticize the magistrates OF
Philadelphia, called attention to the
fact that three silk thieves arrested and
brought to trial recently were convicted
and received deferred sentences.
1t was suggested that the chief of
police of Atlantic City was right I'm
his assertion that Philadelphia is over
| run with thieves who have been forced
to leave New York city by the cam
pafgn of Governor Whitman and Dis
trict Attorney Swami, the idea being
| to keep them on the move"
Exactly my idea" Mr.. Wilson agreed,
| Keep them on the move until they
leave Philadelphia alone. do not wish
to make any criticism Of the courts, bur
severe sentences would be a warning
to others not to break the law.
1t is a significant fact, police say,
that almost every Saturday night the
safe OF some shoe company downtown
Is broken open by yeggmen and large
sums of money stolen. The Parry Shoe
Company, Chestnut street concern
which was entered last Saturday night
has. been the IIghtest sufferer, losing
only $i7 and a new hat. six and seven-
eighths, for whiih they received In re-
turn dollar-value old hat.
The thieves who entered the Han
over store took their time about the
slection Of a dozen pairs Of mems shoes
trying on numerous pairs and rejecting
five pairs of women's shoes after takine
them to the second floor.