police or the
prosecuting attorney of the defendant's culpability is as likely as not
to be found incompetent in court and barred from the record. The result
is a verdict of acquittal and all the work of the police goes for
naught.

Unfortunately for the public at large, the Lecocq type of detective does
not exist outside the pages of fiction. But even were there a thousand
Lecocqs, reinforced by half a thousand Sherlock Holmeses, employed on
the New York detective force, it is doubtful whether their peculiar
ability would prove of much practical service. Their deductions,
wonderful and convincing though they might be, would never be permitted
to reach the ears of a jury.

So in the end, the great detective is the one who, seated at his desk,
with the reports of his dozens of subordinates before him, is able to
direct their collective efforts toward a single goal--the production of
such evidence as is admissible in a court of law.

Since countless writers of detective fiction have provided the public
with a most distorted notion of the methods of crime detection, it may
not prove unprofitable to devote a moment or two to a peep behind the
scenes at the Central Office.

Captain Manning is the titular head of the bureau. He finds on his desk
eleven police slips, each bearing in succinct outline the story of a
crime which requires the services of Central Office detectives.
Ordinarily he will assign two men to each crime and perhaps the same
day, or the following one, the detectives will make a verbal or written
report. Out of the eleven cases, perhaps ten will prove to be minor
robberies of no especial significance, except to the victims. On the
face of them, they are the work of professional house-breakers, or
pickpockets or hold-up men.

Manning will deliver a list of the stolen articles to his "pawnshop
men," who will inquire of all pawnbrokers whether anything on the list
has been pledged. Duplicate lists will also be left with all pawnbrokers
with the request that they notify the police if anyone offers to pledge
any of the stolen articles.

Other detectives will drop casually into places suspected as being
"fences," and closely question the proprietors as to what new articles
he has purchased recently. Of course, the "fence" gives little or no
information, but he thereby lays himself open to prosecution as a
receiver of stolen goods should they be found on his premises
subsequently.

Next, Manning starts i