The Big Con by David W. Maurer

Author:David W. Maurer
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Swindlers and swindling, Cant
ISBN: 9780099409991
Publisher: Arrow Books
Published: 2000-05-26T04:00:00+00:00

Perhaps this is the place to indicate the falsity of the popular belief, fostered by film and fiction, that some detectives can spot a criminal by looking him over. Unless the criminal gives himself away by some slip of speech or attitude, there is no detective who can pick him out for a professional—without a keen memory for the photographs in the rogues' gallery.

However, it must not be assumed, on the whole, that

there is anything like the traditional enmity portrayed in film and fiction as existing between grifters and detectives. The wrong coppers are usually too fair-minded to hate con men; they know only too well that con-game victims are fleeced while trying to profit by a dishonest deal; furthermore, they see arresting a con man and giving honest testimony against him only as a part of their sworn duty. But the wrong copper is a very rare bird. The right coppers who have been on duty for many years know all the important con men in the country and con men know all the detectives. They do not hate each other any more than a merchant hates his customers; they co-operate for their mutual well-being; it is a part of the system. On the other hand, they seldom become very good friends, because the quickest way for a con man to acquire an unsavory reputation among his colleagues is for him to associate with detectives. And a smart detective does not encourage personal friendship with con men, for he understands the situation perfectly. The wise detective causes a con man as little trouble as possible, never asks him embarrassing questions, and takes his end quietly and unostentatiously. He knows which side his bread is buttered on; he may go out of his way to do favors for those con men who pay regularly and generously, but there is nothing very personal about this action. Con men reciprocate, not only to protect themselves, but also in the interests of their friends, and are very careful to protect certain detectives, especially if they are in court and giving testimony which might reflect upon the officers. This is in general true; in exceptional cases, grifters turn state's evidence against detectives, or in other ways reveal their connivance with crime. Then, especially if a "reform" administration is in power, the officers are liable to indictment and trial. When these conditions are revealed, as they are in every city from time to time, the public is momentarily scandalized, then lapses back into the com-

plete apathy which characterizes it. Certain public officials profit politically from the hullabaloo which is raised and, when the reform administration goes out, things go on much as before.

In some places the fix is so strong and the grifters so well organized that hangouts for grifters like Dan the Dude's place and Mike Haggarty's saloon in Memphis in the old days are completely immune from police interference and even from police visits. This protects the con men from shakedowns and provides them with privacy for their leisure and recreation.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.