The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1883-06-05
WOULD-BE DETECTIVES.
How the Police Department il
Annoyed With Appli-
cations.
Post-Dspatch.

PoSt-IIspatch.
Secretary Williams had disposed of the
morning police mail to-day when he res
cued bunch from the waste basket and
writing respectfully referred to the Chief
If Detectives" on ii, he sent it into Segt.
Sam Boyd's office. "They all want to be
detectives" said the Sergeant, as he glanced
over the opening lines OF each epistle and
handed them over TO reporter. There
is one of the funniest manias man can
he effected with. Every day in the year
he receives letters from all parts OF the
west from men, women and boys who want
to be detectives. don't know what leads
them to write these letters, but We are con-
tinually in receipt of them.
What class of men write these letters %
81 can only judge from the chirography
in most cases, for have seen very few of
the original birds. Every letter is written
in a scrawling, wash-blue style, while the
spelling W. uld sicken tie heart of the most
ardent disciple of The reform union. At
certain times during the year the depart
ment receives large number of these let
tiers and at other tilaes but few. / think
they come in liveliest just after the gram
gers return to their homes afler the fair in
October. In the midst of the harvest they
have to work to occupy their minds. The
city cranks that want to be detectives don't
write letters to the Office, but they are none
the less persistent in accomplishing their
plan. Go and talk to few of the ser
geants at roll call, and you will see how
these fellows work. Why nearly every
officer walking a down town beat has
some young fellow who is continually
hanging to him, walking the beat with
him. These cranks take the greatest de-
light in offering policeman the slightest
assistance, and many of them, sprung from
good families, would jump at chance to
get on the police department., even as a
patrolman, as it leads to possible ap-
pointment as special officer or detective.
This crazy thirst for little authority has
during year or two past led to two MUIR
ders, If the bottom facts of the tragedies
were ever brought to the surface. The ap-
plicants from the country imagine that
city like st. Louis Is a regular crib OF
crime, and that cut Threats, highwaymen
and burglars Turk in every alley and by
way in the town. / suppose these sensa-
tional stories abont 'Sleuth, the Man
Hunter The Terror of the thieves The
AGlSu AVSCCi1VCo, CtCs CtC., arc u0AnAy ~
sponsible for q large number of these
cases."
"Do you receive applications from wo-
men 2"
eyes. 1t is only few weeks ago since
We received letter from the mother of q
family living some place in Illinois. She
made full statement of her domestic and
financial affairs, related all the qualifca-
tions she possessed for filing the Office,
and in conclusion showed by number of
possible but highly improbable cases tho
of having female detective con-
nected with department.. We never an
swer any of these letter as it would bring
down an avalanche of letters upon our
heads. We consign them all to the waste
basket, but occasionally receive . visit
from the applicant. They are grays of the
deepest dye, and we usually get rid of
them after guying them about the Office
for half an hour. A firm has been organ
lied in Chicago, under the name of the
Chicago Detective Association, which
gives these people an opportunity to in
dulge their proclivity for this particular
line of business. By paying down . GER
tain sum of money, they are furnished
with q star and commission written in
general terms and really emitting him to
very little swing.