Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-04-14
CRIME WAVE IN
LONDON BATTLES
SCOTLAND YARD
Murders, JeWeIry RObberieS
and HoId-upS Keep Best De-
teCtives Busy But Arrests
Are Made,
tAssoclated Press Correspondruce.l

ASSOCIATED Press correspondence
London March Spectacular
hotdups, mysterious murders ana
thrilling jewelry robberies are claim
ing the best skill of Scotland Yard
and holding the attention of the Lon
don public. Not for many years if in
deed ever-have the authorities been
called upon to cope with such wave
of crime as that which has swept the
metropolis since the beginning of the
year. While some arrests have been
made and some men punished, the
police are hard put TO keep pace with
the criminals,
SO frequent have robberies occurred
that London bankers have taken
measures to meet possible raids on
their cash counters, a proceeding
hitherto unknown in the city, All
cashiers have been instructed to keep
cash out of sight instead of displaying
it on bank counters. The police in the
neighborhood of important banking
houses have been ordered to he es-
peclally vigilant, particularly at the
lunch hour.
The prevalence of crime was first
called to the attention of the authoT-
ties when the newspapers made a SEN
sation out of the sudden death OF Bill
lie" Carlton, a favorite actress, who
was found dead in her apartment the
morning after the famous Liberty ball
several months ago. 1t developed that
she had died from an overdose of
| drug. An investigation showed that
the practice of drug-takinE was IN
creasing in the city and that opium
parties" were not uncommon.
Next the city was startled by the
arrest of Lieut.. Col. Norman L. Ruth
erford of the army medical corps,
| charged with shooting to death Maj.
| Miles c. Seton, also Of the medical
| corps, at the home of the majors
cousin, Sir Malcolm Seton in Holland
! Park. The hearing of this case in
| court has not been concluded.
Murders of less Importance fol-
| lowed each having some unusual fea-
ture. The city was again aroused a
| few weeks ago by the published state
ment that Maj. II. f. CLANCY, of the
royal air force. had tried to kill his
aged mother, at Talgarth mansions,
/ and had then killed himself. Mrs.
| CLANCY was severely wounded, but
| hopes are entertained for her recov-
| cry. Police investigation threw no
light on the tragedy so far as the pub
lie was concerned. Major CLANCY was
one of the best officers of the British
! air force, having been the inventor
| of the camera gun with which cadets
were trained in aerial gunnery.
OF robberies there have been many.
/ Holdups have taken place in the West
II End and in the suburbs at night, while
h scores of houses and apartments have
1 been robbed in the most clever man
/ ner. .....
Jewel robberies have perhaps been
the most frequent crimes since the
Fl epidemic set in. A number of high
!, class shops have been entered in day
! light by thieves who, on the pretense
Of buying diamonds, have stolen jew
) els to the value of many thousands
of dollars.
I, Many causes are assigned for the
4 number and character of the crimes
the majority of them placing the re-
, sponsibiity at the doors of the dis
, charged soldiers. Police officers from
some of the most important American
cities are in London seeking interna'
2 tional criminals who may have beer
= discharged from some of the armies
: French and italian officers also are
said to be here, each looking TO" al
: opportunity to assist in the genera
i roundup.
f Meantime the crimes continue.