In the Old World many of the best detectives when searching for criminals disguise themselves as cabmen, truckmen, and collectors of old clothing. They also work in factories, foundries, potteries, coal mines, or indeed, any place where they can secure a clue.
Detective McCleevy, of the Edinburgh Police, became a rag collector in order to catch a murderer. He went along one thoroughfare for several days crying, “Rags, rags, rags.” Then he entered a dark alley where the murderer was hiding, and who offered him a bundle of bloody clothing to carry away. After this he secured his man.
Some years ago the Pinkertons took a tip from the Old World detectives and put men in the coal mines of Pennsylvania where they lived with the miners and finally captured the whole band of Molly Maguires and put them out of business.
The Scotland Yard detectives of London not only work among various toilers in their efforts to discover crime, but keep in touch with 30,000 crooks, many of them being ticket-of-leave men. In this way they know where they can be found when wanted. The movements of those who continue in crime are watched night and day. When a crime is committed an old crook is arrested and unless he can prove a clear alibi he must stand for the job.
But the best and cleverest detectives are said to be the French, if we may judge from results; and the reason for this is, they keep a register, not only of all criminals in France, but also of their plans, aims and movements. A few years ago the National Chief of Police in France had the names of 20,000 depraved characters who spent their lives in crime. At that time there was less crime in France than in any other part of Europe. If the police will keep themselves informed of the movements of criminals they will know where to find them when wanted. This is the secret of the best police service.
The present head of the detective Department is Inspector James McCafferty. He has risen from the ranks and owes his present position to Commissioner Bingham, who had confidence in him by making him chief detective. Mr. McCafferty calls his Bureau the greatest detective system in the world. This is certainly not because of the number of insolvable crimes it has cleared up in the past few years. The fact is hundreds of murders, hold-ups, atrocious assaults, robberies, burglaries, larcenies and almost every crime on the calendar remain unsolved. In all seriousness, the people have a right to ask, what is the matter with the best paid police force in the world? Why don’t the police arrest the criminals and put them in jail? That is certainly a fair question.
Some time ago Coroner Julius Harburger passed some scathing remarks on the Police department. He said he was tired of sitting in his office and waiting for the police to arrest murderers now at large. Then he cited the case of Elsie Sigel, Samuel Bersin, Joseph Pogano, the unidentified woman of Thirteenth Street, and Joseph Juliano and Michael Millelo, who were killed by “Jack” Vigarato, a saloonkeeper of Harlem. He told also of a woman in whose home on West 110th Street a girl died after an operation. Reminded that he had recounted only six murders, the Coroner remarked:
“I can’t think of the other two. They come so fast it’s hard to keep track of them.”
“But have the police no clues in all those murders?” the Coroner was asked.
“Clues?” repeated Mr. Harburger, “No, not even a suspicion. They ‘haven’t got anywhere,’ as Inspector McCafferty says.