Year: 1859

NEW oRK DEPOT FOR STOLEN GooDS-REYELA-


TIoNs OF THE RURAL POLICE.


The Newburgh Telegraph of Septemberl5th says:


In some sections of the country, and with certain
kinds of wares, pedling is doubtless legitimate
business, and 10 a certain extent necessity. But
with rare exceptions in our own section ENCOURAGE
ment to pedlers is both injustice to the regular
trader and miserable economy to the customer, be-
sides affordng the means for a great amount of
rascality. The remarks we made some time ago.
in regard to the injury people inflict upon their
own interests in a6ording their trade to travelling
shops apply with greater force to the strong
pedlers, and we propose to state some facts which
demand earnest tention. We do so at the sug-
gestOn of Mr.. Police-oficer Clark, who has given
a good deal of time to an investigation of the nu-
merous burglarie which are almost weekly occur
ring in every direction. Besides those which are
constantly occurring in our own town, we hear of
quite a number recently in Shawangunk. Mont
House-breaking, indeed, has been reduced to a re-
gular business and trade and in most cases is com
mitted with entire impunity. If it answers no
other good purpose, relation of the main features
of the system will not be without interest.


The managing man of the whole system is the
New I ork fence man, the receiver of stolen
goods. store in Newburgh, for instance, is
robbed of large quantity of silks and similar
goods The thief slips off with his plunder to New
York. and sells them to the "Fence'' for about
one-ffth their actual value. This is his only safe
method realizing the cash. and he is obliged to take
what he can get. When he is rioting over his i'll





plan to realize on his share He cannot safely sell
in the city, and accordingly he organizes gang of
pedlers who scatter themselves all over the coun-
try. These men have two objects in view-first to
sell the stock hand, and secondly to open the
way for supply. They resort to a variety of
expedents for their two-fold purpose. Some are
regular and open pedlers of silks and other drv
goods. Others have high-priced shells and fancy
articles, which they do not expect to sell, but once
fairly inside of a house, sly packages of silk are
produced, "sold so very cheap because they are
''smuggled." Few people miss the chance of a bar
gain out of any regard to the integrity of Uncle
Sans revenues. In these ways the stolen property
is disposed of-the silver, o. course, being melted
down at headquarters. 1t will be readily seen
that under such a system it is next to impossible
that stolen goods should be identified as the detec
the case if the goods offered for sale in the
city.


But the practice of buying of pedlers not only
thus provides trade for stolen goods but the means
are provided for robbing the customer himself
This class of pedlers (and we venture to say they
constitute fully nne-tenths of all engaged in the
busness) make sharp of their eyes while inside
the houses to which they obtain access Its arrange
ment is rapidly noted-the probabilities of its being
worth the while for MISUNDERSTANDING of doors
and windows-all such information will be valu
able to the burglar. Provided with such diagrams
ofa town and neighborhood, the house-thief goes
deliberately and understandingly to work. He rare
y makes mistake, and barring accidents, may lol-


low his business with all the and certainty OF
legitimate calling.


Mr.. Clark assures us, from his own knowledge,
that this is no theory but a simple statement of the


nodus operdndt of the business of house-breaking-
and such being the fact, it is important that people
should be on their guard against this class of stroll
ing yagabonds 1t will be found safe and econom