“TRAPS.”

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 8, Issue 29, 9 April 1907, Page 2

“TRAPS.”

HOW POLICE AND CRIMINALS SET SNARES FOR ONE ANOTHER. The detectives had raided a coiner’s den at the moment when the proprietor was writing a letter. The inspector in charge of the case posted the missive to tlio pex - son to whom it was addressed, and waited, with the result that there presently walked into the trap, not only one, but two prospective purchasers of base monejf both of whom were promptly arrosti ed. In another recent case, in Clcrkcnwell, a far bigger "bag” was secured by a somewhat similar ruse. A shop occupied by a notorious "fence” (receiver of stolen property) had been raided in the early hours of the morning, and the proprietor haled off to gaol. The officers then ranged themselves behind the counter, in tho guise of principal and assistants, and as soon as "customers ” cam a in limy were seized, handcuffed, and hurried through the back door, and thence to prison.

DICING OF COINERS.

About a dozen suspects had thus been captured, and the game bid fair to go on indefinitely, when there entered a certain notorious burglar, who, it chanced, knew the detectives as quickly and as well as they know him. A single glance sufficed. Spluttering imprecations, the robber leapt back just in time to avoid the outstretched grip' of the nearest officer, then turned and bolted into the street, yelling as ho ran to some friends of his who were waiting outside, "Scatter, (he shop is full of splits.’’- The "splits ’’ (detectives) rushed after him, and succeeded in arresting him, but his pals got aw a y and, of course, into the metaphorical "pit that had been digged " there fell no more victims.

Very ingenious was the trap sot by Detective-Inspector Fox for Woodstock, the notorious "King of the Coiners,’’ now undergoing a longterm of penal servitude. The officer knew that his quarry was very fond of driving, and he accordingly suggested to the proprietor of a publichouse, which Woodstock was in the habit of frequenting that he (the publican) should organise a coaching trip to Brighton, and that Woodstock and his wife should be invited. The "King swallowed the bait greedily, with the result that his house in New Cross was left for the day untenanted save for the watchdog, a fine collie named, "Nero.’ A This dog Fox had previously made friends with, and an soon as the coast was clear he let himself in * with a skeleton key, unchained the animal, and bade him -"find your master." Oil started the collie, and in a few minutes had led the officer to Woodstock’s -"mint,"- a roomyi workshop above and at the back of some disused stables.

It is against the etiquette if the force, to trap a hunted man by means of which his wife is mode un< suspectingly to play & p.*vrt but any mere friend or acquaintance of lha opposite sex may be lawfully utilized to this end, even without hen knowledge or consent. THE AGONY COLUMN*

Thus, the decoy advertisement ia the “agony column ” of a daily paper, supposedly emanating from his sweetheart, but in reality inserted by the police, had trapped many n “wanted ” man ere now. and will probably continue to do fio< The professional criminal, hovr,-vv, regards this sort of thing as “not playing the game,” and will sometimes turn savagely on thevse whom he conceives to have taken in this way a moan advantage of him. Tb< writer especially recalls one case from amongst many. !A! bm hI«J named Macdonald was badly ”waot< ed,“' and Hu* usual adverti,semen! was invited, purporting to eroanaN r rem a woman with whom ho was on Intimate terms. He was instructed to call at a cartain tobacconist'* shop for an important letter. When, - n dee com re, be put In a« e.pp aranoe, he w«.s seized by DetPctlvoTrv sptetor Hooper, Detective Dowel!, and Police constable Brooks, and hustl-d into a four-wheeled cab U« was handcuffed, hut on his vs ay to the station bo m«n*)g«l to slip hu folte/s, and drawing a revolver fired five times at his captois By a miracle no lives were lost, but Brooks was shot clean through tho body, while Inspector Hooper w a a also badly hurt. Eventually, however, the desperado was overpowered and beaten into insensibility. THE TRAPPERS TRAPPED. His only comment on rsro v ciiwjsJ was: “Perhaps that will teddt them not to play any of their dirty tricks on a “wanted ’’ man again.’’ Too judge before whom Macdonald was tried .remarked—sotto vooc—that in a sense he sympathized with him.But he sentenced him to twenty, years penal servitude nevertheless. Many other methods of entrapping criminals are known to Scotland Yard, some of which it would not bo wise in the interests of justice to make public. But it must not be supposed that the police have it all their own way. They themselves, too, are not infrequently trapped in their turn and by the very men they arc socking to inveigle* 15B^