Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-31

methods are the same
and involve necessarily
what is tantamount to
partnership, friendly
understanding among police, poIi-
ticians and crooks. In the older
days these partnerships dealt in
crime. Nowadays there Is not much
OF this, the partnerships fattening
of the proceeds of violations OF
our sumptuary laws-prohibition
mainly, but also gambling and
prostitution. The partnership with
crime died because public opinion
would not tolerate it. The part
nership with all sorts Of vice sue
ceeds because public opinion does
tolerate 1t.
Nearly q quarter of y century
ago I became ofhcially acquainted
with q racket for the first time.
had just been made deputy police
commissioner Of New York City.
and was comparatively green. We
had been receiving q lot OF
"squeals"-as the police term COM
plaints-from passengers riding on
the Twenty third street crosstown
cars. All made the same squeal,
Their pockets had been picked
during the rush hours.
When these squeals came to the
attention Of my chief, Gen. Bing-
ham-a great commiSSioner-he
sent for me.
This is singular" he said. I'VE
are having more squeals from peo-
ole on this line than from all the
others in the city put together.
What do you think is wrong?
The records showed that two
particular policemen in plain
clothes had for years been assigned
to this line. Lets take on the de-
tectives now on this line and put
On two new men," suggested.
This was done. The picking OF
pockets on the Twenty-third street
crosstown cars instantly ceased.
hid the detectives pick the
- pockets of. the squealers? No.
Who, then? The pickpockets who
were paying for the privilege OF
working the line. And they had to
quit once the detectives, with
whom they had made the deal,
were no longer on the line.
In those days the cream OF the
pickpockets were men from the
West. But they were eventually
driven out by our own East Side
boys, who developed a technique
SO superior that they could pick
the pockets of the Western dips.
A dip, it should be noted paren-
thetically. is a pickpocket.
Gen. Bingham ordered that
clamped down. The word went
of the underworld that New York
longer a paradise for pickpocketS
crooks, even though the city was
ministered by a mayor and OIL
ected on Tammany ticket.
an the days of Commissioner b
detectives were particularly vigilant
ence to thieves whom they knew
might be coming to New York f
purpose. One day there was broug
quarters by one Of the old and
detectives, who probably knew m
by acquaintance and by sight thar
man in the country, well known II
thief, whom we shall call by his
Eddie.
Eddie was always one Of the best
men. 1t is true that he was some
dressed, but the overdress was of 81
On the occasion of this arrest-or
arrest, shall we call it this Invita-
police headquarters, for he was CT
no crime-Eddie was brought to n
He was clearly and volubly ind
stood upon his rights as a free.bor
citizen to be unbothered by police
Prolonged conversation with Ed
the confession from him that he +
the hands Of the law before. but n
I'D all that and didn't want to be b
would agree absolutely that he wo
no crime in New York If he were
stay here without being picked I
picion from time to time according
honored police custom. He would 81
for this, the word Of gentleman,
never been broken.
This was agreed to. Eddie was.
placed on parole to do no thievi
York, and was to be allowed to &C
rs he wished.
Reassured by this treatment, he
somewhat on his methods. Their
to be a copy of New York news
en- the desk, and Eddie remarked Il