A MODEL POLICE.
AN amusing illustration of police imbecility is just now played in the very midst of police-governed Germany, the centre of official paternalism. The scene is Augsburg, a Bavarian town containing about 40,000 inhabitants, which has for several weeks been in a state of great consternation. The German girls, up to the time of marriage, wear their hair in long tresses hanging down over their shoulders. Now some unknown, hero, hitherto undiscovered by the whole police of town and neigh- bourhood, makes it his business to cut off those tresses, or tails as the Germans call them. At first only a few girls were attacked, and mostly at night ; but latterly the " tail " robberies have become numerous, and they are executed in broad daylight. Yet nobody can lay hold of the fearful " Zopfabschneider or Tail- cutter." The tresses of some ladies were cut off on Christmas Day at noon, and in front of the Burgomaster's • house ; but still the despoiler escaped. The magistracy of the town promises high rewards for the discovery of the offender; but the only consequence of this notice hitherto has been, that a number of innocent people liàiie been arrested, and sometimes severely maltreated ; so that are authorities have -been compelled to issue another proclamation *bidding unlawful • arrestations. Never since the days of Cagliostra 'did such a mystery puzzle the world. The German papers sneered for months at the English peliee for not discovering the Waterloo Bridge murder—here 18 a nut to crack for the advocates of Continental police and passport checks. Perhaps they conduct this search on false principles. In "paternal" Europe they always suspect a politioal object for any mystery, especially an aggressive mystery : have/the Augs- burgers inquired into the dealings of the greatest, or the cheapest, wigmakers of their town ?
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