The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1923-08-16
By GEORGE S. DoUGHERTY.
Formerly Deputy Police Commits
sioner of New York.

SkOnGE OA ANCW Urn"
vrYHEN I set out last year for
wv pleasure tour Of Europe
1 carried letters of intro
duction 70 police heads on the other
side. One was addressed to Com
missioner William Richter of Berlin.
Commissioner Richter is a new police
executive. having come in with the
new Government. He is a Soclallst
and a member of the working party
"a most democratic fellow-and was
formerly a prosperous saloonkeeper.
mention his political tendencies be-
cause it is not the fact that all the
municipal officials of the new Ger
MANY are Of the Republican party.
Berlin's most famous police otIlcIaI
is holdovef from the Kaiser's Gov
eminent, and it is with this Imperial
list that my story has much TO 90
His name is Trettin.
The Great Trettin is an indispensa-
hIe official who had made SO good IN
every way as Chief Of Criminal In
veetieation IN the Berlin Police De-
nartnaent that there was nothing else
to 10 but keep him on the JOB IN
spite of the political turnover that
followed the war. Trettin was a
lieutenant in a famous German
regiment during the war and he lost
his right arm in the service or ms
country. He is in every way TO
mantle figure. He is a young man,
lust over 80, with square, inscrut-
able face which might be taken TOT
that Of man twenty years older or
ten years younger. He wears glasses
has a short, stubbly mustache ana IS
short and stocky. l looked at MN
and decided he must be a human
cennonhall OF energy and ambition.
He is nervous and fidgety was
surprised when 1 heard him speak,
expected TO hear low, tense voice.
b,,t It is not. He is loud voiced, al
most believing. L talked with him
and discovered at once that he is Iull
Of maneuvers when in action.
The Mystery Solver.
He appealed to me. Trettin! 1t
sounds like the name OF great
magician. never heard his first
name. / don't suppose anybody IN
j Germany knows it. He is Trettln
tho Great; Trettin the enemy OF the
criminal: Trettin the mystery sol
ver Trettin the keen and sharp
witted. If he were in America
dare say a jargon Of our underworld
would be: IF you don't watch out
Trettin will get YOU"
talked first with Commissioner
pi..hter. He expounded his theories
at some length, saying that ne was
not a believer in force. Il thlnK
sending armed men in uniform 10
dispense mobs frequently agitates
and infuriates them the more" he
said AZ believe in reasoning with
thoir leaders before using force. 1t
is better to have forces hidden for
prompt action than to make a great
military display" / looked around
at the windows in his office, observ-
ing scores of bullet holes through
them and at the walls looking as If
they had had smallpox. Riots? L
knew very little about riots. Crimi-
nal investigation was my work. L
told him so.
"Ah Trettin," he said, and sent
for Trettin. The Commissioner
showed his aid that part of the
letter of introduction which referred
to my experience as an investigator.
Then the three of us talked for
little while. Trettin took occasion
to teer at me a little. with such side
remarks as: According to the letter
Commissioners Dougherty brings
with him, he has quite a reputation
as a detective"
A Band of Thieves.
Then he turned suddenly to me in
a gleefuny malicious sort of way
and challenged me:
II 1OItiillSolOhCA 41OCSoAAC4 - -
New York is such a marvel would
he offer me some suggestion to as
sst me in rounding UP a band of
ternational thieves supposed to be
now in Berlin?"
shoot / said: I was pleased
with the challenge.
Then he proceeded to outline his
belief that a group of professional
thieves who had robbed an Italian
collector Of rare and valuable medal
lions We're at the time congregated in
some quarter Of Berlin and that a
wonderful collection which they had
stolen was hidden in or near the city.
lie had no idea as to what part Of
the CITY the thieves and the loot
n,ighI>be located. He did know, how
aver, that the collection was worth
100000 marks and that the owner
HAD offered a handsome reward for
thu recover of the property and the
arrest of the thieves.
81 can help" said. Then sug-
gested that the press was always
ready taahelp collaborate with de-
tective chief. and proposed that he.
Trettn, arrange to have the Berlin