TRUE CRIME

Jean Belin gives us his memoirs as a member of the French Sûreté, a law enforcement branch that dealt with major criminal activity. As a detective, Belin chased murderers, forgers, thieves, and those who plotted against the French Republic (anarchists, communists, foreign governments, and secret societies).

Belin offers details on several investigations in the years between the two world wars, and finishes with the difficulties brought on by the Nazis and the Vichy government, leading finally to his resignation. This is a fascinating look at the development of law enforcement and crime-fighting in France.

Major C. E. Russell investigated crime and espionage in France during World War I, as American troops fought the German onslaught. Murder, swindles, counterfeiting, train-robberies, and spies make up 19 adventures in this remarkable history of law enforcement during this great conflict, a side of warfare that is sometimes overlooked but is just as important as direct action with the enemy.

New York in the early 1900s was awash in scoundrels and confidence men (and women) who took advantage of “suckers” for hundreds and thousands of dollars. O’Connor classifies the most prominent cons and the hucksters who played the game in this fascinating guide to the racketeers of Broadway. Dice cheats, religious trinket sales, “puff” piece sales, counterfeit cash passers, blackmailers, and more are among the shady characters described. Often, victims were too proud to call the cops, or were doing something illegal themselves when they got cheated, so the racketeers knew they had a better than even chance of getting away. These are the criminous roots of modern day financial scams, and worth reading to keep ourselves from falling for similar cons that crop up today.

Luke S. May started out at an early age as a private detective, but soon became one of the earliest independent forensic investigators. He was responsible for the development of techniques and equipment that aided the growth of criminal forensic research and the founding of police laboratories.

First published in 1936, Crime's Nemesis details the many ways criminals left behind clues, and the techniques used to track them down and convict them. This book is a fascinating window into the origins of forensic science, which has so captivated many through popular fiction and television shows.

Now Listen, Warden, is a humorous look at the hunters, fishermen, and poachers encountered by fish and game wardens. Ray P. Holland was a well-respected U.S. Game Warden and outdoors writer (later editor of Field and Stream). His stories will be enjoyed by any outdoors folk as a slice of life from the early years of game laws.

Obviously, battles between pirates or buccaneers and their prey or adversaries led to injuries, and life on ship or in tropical climes brought disease . . . so, what did they do? Leo Eloesser introduces us to the doctors who rode the high seas with their pirate and buccaneer brethren. Highly respected onboard, but often as villainous as their shipmates, these doctors practiced under unusual conditions, whether dealing with lost limbs or STDs.

This is a reprint of the original 30-page article from the Annals of Medical History.

P. T. Barnum's classic work, Humbugs of the World, continues to enlighten and entertain, giving example after example of frauds, scams, deceits, and self-deceits in every aspect of life: religion, business, medicine, science, and entertainment.

An article from 1918 in The Annals of Medical History, discussing the pair of grave robbers turned murderers.

This booklet reprint (first published in 1935) is a classic on the use of three card monte, a very useful skill for magicians who specialize in card tricks. Walsh and Scarne discuss different techniques and effects, some known to be used by street grifters.

This is a facsimile reprint.