The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1869-04-15
the former, who would not hesitate to put

bne former, VINO would not hesitate TO put
him on his guard.
The operative, when making memoir
anda of fares paid, uses pencil not more
than two inches long, and has to write
with it in his pocket on blank cards, a
package of which he carries in rubber
band. When he has noted down a fare
he draws out the card and drops it in his
pocket, putting but one fare on each card
1t is no easy matter to write well in ones
pocket while shaken by railroad car
going at the rate of Is or 90 miles an hour,
and the specimens of hand writing exc
cuted under such circumstances are very
apt to look moreslike Egyptian hierogly-
phics than the style Of penmanshlp in
common use.
When making memoranda of fares paid
to the conductor, the following facts must
be noted down: The name of the station
at which the passenger got in; whether
alone, or with another person; the seat
he occupied, whether near the aisle or
window; the denomination, character
and amount of money handed to the con-
ductor; also, the change received by the
passenger, if any, and any conversation
overheard between the conductor and
passenger. The form of the memoranda
made by the operative when taking down
.
fares, is about thus:
"NEwBURGH.-Young man in fifth seat, alone,
gave conductor U. S. Treasury note, saying
Bedford and received some postal currency
and yellow check, which conductor tore from
Bedford"
The other operatives in the car who are
so placed as to see this fare paid, will also
make a note of it, although they may not
be able to note all the particulars, such as
4 \ L IL
amount paid. What they do see, however,
and note down, goes to corroborate the
report made by the operative who sat
nearest the passenger and saw the whole
transaction.
Upon arriving at the station where the
"run ceases, each operative with valise
in hand, will wend his way to his hotel,
which has already been decided upon,
and the name and location of which are
down in his instructions. All the detec-
tives do not go to the same hotel, as it
would be apt to excite suspicion. Two
or three, at the most, put up at the same
house, each one dropping in singly and
engaging his room. While at the hotel
they must treat each other as entire
strangers, and are allowed to cnmmuni-
cate only when in their private apart
ments.
After each run, and after the operative
has reached his hotel, he sits down and
writes his report. When the reports arc
| finished the operatives assemble in the
room and compare notes, beginning with
the first passenger car in the train. 1t is
seldom that there is any great variance in
the reports. Sometimes there may be a
dispute as regards the amount of fare paid
in particular instance, but when the
places the passenger got in and out at are
decided the account of fare paid is soon
settled by reference to the schedule oil
prices.
Beside the amount of fares paid, the re
port of q "run" often contains descrip
ton of the conductor, whether polite and
| attentive to passengers whether the cal
was crowded or otherwise; whether il
was well ventilated and the lamps lighted
| also, if the conductor cancelled all tickets
on presentation to him, and gave checks
for them; also, if there appeared to be
| any suspicion in his mind of being "test-
ed" In short, every thing that comes
under the observation of the detectives
that is likely to be of any interest to the
Company is reported.
From three to five "tests" are generally
sufficient to show the honesty or dishon-
esty of a conductor, but they cannot be
made daily, as it would excite his suspi-
cion to see the same faces in his car on
four or five runs in succession.
A great deal of judgment and shrewd-
ness are required to run road" success
fully, and avoid being dropped on" by
the conductors, who, as a class, are rather
knowing than otherwise, and are general.
ly on the look out for "spotters. 1t is
therefore necessary for the detective hav-
ing the operation in charge to be we'll
trained and ably assisted, or the chances
are that the "run" will ago up."-Ne,o
York Tribune.