National Republican., 1883-09-21
Thn Modern, Detcotiye.

The Modern Detective.
The detectives still have possession of Con-
necticut They havo several "clews," and
are trying with their usual astutoness to as
certain who strangled Rose Amber, tho latest
victim to the homicidal mania that has given
to the state the reputation of being young
girls slaughter house, Yellow covered liter
ature has cnvcoped the detective in glamor
of romance. The yellow backed detective is
like Fennmore Cooper's ideal Indiana
purely imaginative being The real every
day detective is an arrant humbug.
| He would not know murderer if he
should chance to be introduced to him
on Pennsylvania avenue or any other avenue.
He knows next to nothing about criminals
that criminals themselves do not tell him,
and the as. mad preternatural sagacity of
the detective is all in lis oye-to use q cur
rent vulga ism. There is nothing in it.
The detective cntreuches himself behind
| bulwark of mystery, and winks, and mods, and
inuendo, and by vague intimations that he
is on the eve of unearthing some great crime
manages to attract an undue share of atten-
ton, and accomplish nothing He is u very
poor and very inexperienced detect
i've who is not about to discover colossal
crime. He is a vast reservoir for clues
and theories which are to eventually yield up
murderers, robbers, safo blowers, highway
men. and thieves by tho hundreds and thou
sands.
1t only needs very slight personal acquaint.
anco with the average detective TO satisfy man
of mary intelligence that he is of little or
no account. The detective seldom detects
He establishes friendly relations with the
proprietors of pawn shops, and gets
solid" with women of large expert
ence on the seamy side of life.
When robbery is reported the detective
and to his acquaintancos among the females
whose occupation has been delicately alluded
to- and notifies them that II robbery has been
committed and tells them TO be on guard. In
due timo tho property is offered for sale at
some of the pawn shops, If the merchant
is an old and profitable customer the pawn
broker tells the detective ho has clew, and
that he thinks he can get the property if (,
reward is offered for its recovery, "and nc
questions asked" Tho detective knows what
that means and acts accordingly. In
min nT lNh
willing to pay round sum for tn,
property and pursue tho question
no further. In such cases the detective
"turns up" tho property, and receives the
reward, which he turns over to the pawr
broking go-botwton, after doducting com
mission for his trouble. The So-bctween pay
what is left to the thief, first retaining
percentage in the way of u commission. Th
owner, the detective, and the pawnbroke
compound felony with tho thief, and tn
detective gets advertised for his skill in re
covering the stolen goods.
If the merchant" is of no special accoun
\ the pawnbroker takes the goods offered ant
either pays him something for them or toll
him to call again. In tho meantime h
furnishes the detective clew, and tn
detective finds his man in convention
bagnio or at an address given him by tn
pawnbroller, This feat is heralded abroad u
mighty achievement of detective skill.
! When tho merchant" succeeds il
disposing of tho fruits of his in
dustry at profit, he generally
! goes to houses of questionable reputo ant
: elbows in" portion of the proceeds on wine
, Such extravaganza attracts attention, an
when the merchant has squandered tn
bulk Of his substance tho detective is mott
4 fed Arrests not infrequently follow, an
0 the detective is praised for his wonderful
:, acumen,
o A detective is usually remarkable for hi
- skill in concealing crime from tho publ,
, His first instinct on hearing of a robbery
= to keep itstill. He is oppressed with dread
f full fear lest the robbor should learn throug
i the newspapers that he had stolen something
Y and that the man who had been robbed migl
: get an inkling through the same channel th'
IS he had been plundered. This terrible col
o tingency must DO guarded against. IL
T therefore, shuts his mouth grimly and col