How Criminals of all classes operate, illustrations showing arrests of
Murderers, Safe Blowers, Diamond Thieves, Procuresses of Young Girls,
etc., etc.
The contents of this book is a narrative of the authors twelve years'
experience on the Chicago police force. His long and successful
experience with the criminal classes justly fitted him for the work
of bringing before the public in presentable form the many and
interesting features of a detective's life.
In detail he tells the story of his life, and without coloring of any
kind produces an accurate account of his twelve years' experience,
many times under fire; his famous efforts to apprehend criminals, who,
by means of revolvers and other conceivable methods tried to fight
their way to liberty.
=The book contains over 500 pages=, is profusely illustrated from
specially drawn pictures and photographs of desperate criminals and
law-breakers, such as murderers, highwaymen, safe blowers, bank
robbers, diamond thieves, burglars, porch climbers, shop lifters,
bicycle thieves, box car thieves, lottery swindlers, gamblers,
women footpads, panel-house thieves, confidence men, pickpockets,
procuresses of young girls for immoral purposes, women gamblers, levee
characters, etc.
This great production is not a ponderous volume filled with dry
statistics, but made up of thrilling accounts which depict the most
noteworthy incidents in the lives of criminals in large cities.
During Detective Wooldridge's service on the force he has made 20,000
arrests, secured 125 penitentiary convictions, recovered $75,000
worth of lost and stolen property, which was returned to its rightful
owners; seventy-live girls under age were rescued by him from houses
of ill-fame and a life of shame and returned to their parents or
guardians or sent to the Juvenile School or House of the Good Shepherd.
It is well known in police circles that Detective Wooldridge has
refused at many different times, bribes of from $500 to $4,000;
$10,000 was offered for his discharge or transfer from the levee
district by criminals against whom he had waged a warfare.
_He has letters from Carter H. Harrison, the mayor, three state's
attorneys, eight chiefs of police, three assistant chiefs, six
inspectors, nine lieutenants, six police justices and others too
numerous to mention, which testimonials are printed in the book
together with their autographs. The book contains all the General
Superintendents of Police of Chicago from 1855 to 1901._
Detective Wooldridge has a wonderful record in police annals.