New York City Police Department Detective Bureau

George S. Doherty, second deputy police commissioner, executive head of detectives.

Inspector Edward P. Hughes, in command of detective bureau.

Police Lieutenant Dominic G. Riley, aid of Commissioner Doherty's staff.

Detective Sergeant John J. O'Connell, official stenographer.

his own sources of information supplied the clues and his personal skill in examining criminals brought out the confessions that saved the city the expense of trials with all but one offender it is far from the writer's wish to indulge in hero-worship however so these details will appear in their proper place in the narrative george doherty has had nearly twenty-five years experience in criminal work in new york and over the whole country until his appointment by mayor gainer in may nineteen eleven he was connected with the pinkerton organization bank and financial crimes have long been his specialty so the taxicab case fell right into his own province He knows the ways of forgers, bank sneaks, swindlers, burglars, and yeggmen, and is personally acquainted with most of the criminals in those lines, in and out of prison.

He has also had much to do with protecting the crowds at races, ball games, aeronautic meetings, and other big gatherings.

as executive head of the detective bureau five hundred plainclothesmen police scattered over greater new york cover all crimes of a local and routine nature and are subject to his call when a special case like the taxicab robbery comes up for his personal attention on an ordinary quiet morning at police headquarters there will be a steady stream of people passing into doherty's office several assistants guard the doors leading from two ante-rooms and marshal the visitors now a group of detectives enters and hears a talk on methods then two detectives come in make a report and receive further instructions then there will be an interruption perhaps while an assistant soothes and sends away a crank who occasionally turns up with a purely imaginary affair of his own and two more detectives pass in accompanied by a man and a woman who look just like the people one sees dining at a fashionable uptown restaurant the woman's furs are magnificent and her hat a costly fifth avenue creation a couple of taxpayers speculates the group of reporters waiting outside to get a statement about some important case two of the cleverest check swindlers in the country corrects detective and presently the reporters are called in and doherty recites names dates and facts connected with the gang to which these prosperous taxpayers belong gazing reflectively out of the window as details come back in memory and chuckling with the delighted journalists as the pithy slang and professional names of the underworld are jotted down on their pads they fire a scattering volley of questions at him and depart, and then his secretary announces that the saloon keeper who knows a good deal about the blind puppy cafe case is outside, but refuses to talk to the police at all.

Hello, is the commissioner's offhand greeting as the cautious saloon keeper comes in, and in two minutes the latter is answering questions freely.