The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1920-12-20
Of CROOKS
FEARED BY POLICE
Punishment From New York
May Drive Criminals to D. c.
Detectives on Guard.

Major Gessford, superintendent OF
police, today detailed extra men TO
Union station as "A safeguard against
any invasion OF criminals, expected
TO swoop down on Washington as
well as the other points. following
the cleanup crusade In New York.
To stem the rising tide OF the New
York crime wave. the police there to
day began arresting recognized
crooks on sight. taking them to rail-
road stations and ordering them TO
move out"
EXPECT THEN HERE.
Criminal experts regard II as prac-
tically certain that many OF these will
strike for Washington, Philadelphia.
Baltimore and Boston.
Washington. police officials admit
In handicapped in it's efforts To turn
the invasion back. Major Gessford
tas detailed to the Union station men
expert at sporting" crooks. Amy
criminal they recognize Will be halted
in the station and told either TO keep
by automobile"
ton"
This may avail little. however. for
Major Gessford this morning declared
the crooks, If they come, "will sneak
in on freight trains. by foot. ana
automobile"
POLICE HANDICAPPED
Should they come by automobile or
get of a train outside the city, ana
walk in. their capture will be large
~ matter of luck, Major Gessford
says he has not increased his nigh
way guards, and he admitted today
that those now on duty. lacking spe-
cial training in this line, probably
"wouldn't be able to recognize crook
il they saw one
Major Gessford limited that he
might place men especially fitted for
such work on the pixies leading into
the Capital. but refused to go into
detail.
II Major Gessford should detail ex-
perts along the highways. to stop
criminals coming into the city by au-
tomobile, IL was pointed out today,
that 1t would necessarily be at the
expense of the protection OF the city
proper. They would have to be taken
from the regular force, leaving 1t
smaller than ever.
Extra men. hired for the occasion,
would be practically valueless, be-
cause they would not be familiar
with the criminals faces. They
wouldn't know whom to arrest.
But even if outside experts were
ner, chairman of the safety group of
the City Club, there is no money with
which to pay them.
FUND NOT AVAILABLE.
"Major Gessford has an emergency
fund o fabout $5,0OO-practiciily
nothing" said Mr.. Rayner. That is
so tied up with red tape, it is prac-
tically unavailable. Why, when De
tective Scrivener, smashed his car,
and was shot in capturing a murderer,
they could not spend that money to
repair the car. Too much red tape.
So the fund isn't much good-even II
there were anybody to hire with it.
Mr.. Rayner is also head of the vol
unteer motor corps of the Home De-
Tense League, comprising 220 automo-
biles and men. These, he declared,
were at the services of Major Cess
ford whenever needed, at a moments
notice."
Were willing to &c out and work
night and day." he said. We'll do
everything we can. But we are valu-
able chiefly in chase. 1t wouldn't
do any good for us to get out and
patrol, because we wouldn't recognize
Il crook unelss he wore a label"
The attitude of the City Club Of
fetal that conditions are deplorable.
all around, eN1ueNtly is not SNdreu
by police officials. Despite the fact
that there have been five murders
in Washington within the past
thirty days Chief of Detectives Cilf-
ford L. Grant declared conditions
rever more satisfactory"
The fact that five murders have
occurred within the past thirty days,
is just circumstance" he said.
ACTIVE IN BALTIMORE.
There have been twenty-three
murders in the District during the
year; one triple crime. or the
twenty-one slayers, five are still at
large.
Dispatches from Baltimore today
show that the police in that city have
taken prompt steps to turn aside the
expected migration of New Iork's
underworld. Fifty men are working
for the detective bureau, guard ng
all avenues into the city. Additional
special details of plainclothes men
are working from the various police
districts.
We have trouble of our own here"
said Police Commissioner Gather,
land do not propose to permit New
York highwaymen to find refuge