Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1875-11-18
The Regular Detective.
What He Owes to Society and
How He Pays the Dcbt-SOme
Interesting Incidents.

0 Acorrespondentof the World
0 writing of the detective system
D gives the following interesting
9 incidents:
: = 1t is very hard to make the
D detective understand that he
owes anything to society. His
moral sense is never cultivated
, He quite as often prevents &
criminal from reforming, rs he
prevents justice from overtak-
ing him. Captain Young once
tod me of several cases where
the stupid indiscretion of the
officer had loaded society with
outlaws. One was that Of the
well-known one-eycd Thomp-
son, who early in his career,
was saved from the clutches of
the law by some friends, who
raised a sum Of money for him
and sent him out west. He set
tied in a thriving town on the
border, and changing his name,
made a most praiscworthy cf-
fort TO become a useful member
of society. He opened a store,
won the respect Of the towns
people, was actually made Sc
lectman, and was in a fair way
to live long and die honored for
his many virtues, when sudden
I ly he turned up on the streets
here again.
"IIallo!" says Captain Young,
Il thought you had squared it
and was out wcst?"
Eyes; l thought so too,"
says Thompson. But it was
no use; one Of your men did
my business for mel"
1t seems that this detective,
sitting on the veranda of the
new hotel, opposite TO the store
which the reformed man had
opened, Spotted him." "Well,
I'm blessed if there isn't 'one-
eyed Thompson!'' Some Of
the people guessed not. Oh,
mol that Mr.. Simpson, a respec-
ted and prominent citizen.
"Oh, ho! it was, eh? If that
isn't 'one-cyed Thompson the
burglar, then III go back and
join the church,"
"Ali up" says Thompson;
"I'm done for. Here l am, cap
tain. 1t was one OF your men
that fixed mel"
And so we'll fixed was he that
he became the most noted law
breaker of his day.
1t is the easiest thing in the
world to hunt a man down when
he is trying TO be honest with
his own record against him.
There is a case on record Of
a young man in a prominent
dry goods house in this city
who, in a moment Of tempta-
ton, forged a check on his en-
ployers. 1t was a peculiarly
painful affair. The lad was well
connected, and when the detec-
tives made the discovery it al
most broke his parents hearts.
However, after some trouble
the matter was compromised
The father paid the money, and
some mitigation of sentence
was effected. With the stain
upon him he started out to re-
deem his character, if he could.
After wandering about for some
time he obtained a situation in
New Orleans as entry clerk,
and at the end Of the year saw
a fair prospect of achieving sue
cess. His employers had con-
fidence in him, and he made nu-
merous reputable acquaintances.
One day, while on the side
walk experimenting the ship
ment Of some goods, one of
these New York men came a.
long.
"Hallo! you here?"
"Yes," said the young man
with his heart in his mouth.
"What are you doingY"
Trying to earn an honest
livingI'
1t seems incredible, but it is
true. The officer went straight
into the store.
One week later the young
man was in New York.
"God knows" said he, 81
tried as hard as anybody to be-
honest, but it's no usev"
Of course a detective who
had the slightest notion Of his
obligations as a man to society,
to say nothing of his duty as
an officer, would not have made
this mistake.
And that reminds me of an
other case which ought to teach
even police officers that discre-