The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1884-12-17
MAKING DETECTIVES.
The Conditions Which Are Neces-
sary for Success.
Eearlessness, Goodness and Self-Control
Absolutely Required-The Difference
Between Detectives In Fiction
and Real Life.
Philadelphia Times.l

tive at one OF the city agencies yesterday.
"What are the requisites Of a good detec-
tiveS" asked a reporter.
"Fearlessness, coolness and self-control.
Without these a man can never be per-
feet detective, for though he may be useful
in some branches of the business he can
never attain to the highest eminence in all
of them. He must also have strong per-
ceptive faculties and that power of gener-
alization which will enable him TO jump at
once to correct conclusions. Memory Is one
of his most important essentials. One
sight Of a face must imprint 1t so indelibly
upon his recollection that he can never for
get IL, and he must remember not only the
face itself but the time, place and circum-
stances with which 1t is associated. A
memory Of faces alone Is not sufficient.
The detective must have q strong memory
for names, numbers and dates as well. He
must be intelligent, and there is no knowl-
edge Of any kind that may not some time
be Of value 10 him In his profession.
"Detectives in real life are very different
from those in novels and plays. The latter
are represented as wearing VARIOUS dis
guises, such Us wigs false whiskers, etc.,
which they suddenly pull off at the most
unexpected moments, thereby reveal
ing their identity. This is simply nom
sense. 1t Is utterly impossible for the most
skillful hair worker to make upa wig or
set of false whiskers that can not be de-
tected as false when worn, and every
theater- goer knows that the most skillful
artists In "make up can not put upon their
faces lines and wrinkles which indicate
age In such way as TO deceive, even when
aided by the glamor Of the foot-lights.
No detective in real life ever attempted to
wear any such guise. Detectives on the
stage are usually debonnair individuals, in
neat suits and mutton-chop whiskers. In
real life there is nothing distinctive in the
deep appearance and manner OF detec-
tives any more than there Is In those Of
lawyers and merchants. For my own part
am more frequently taken for "well-to-
do farmer than anything else"
"What Is the salary Of detectlves"
"That Is q hard question 10 answer
There is no business In which the price
varies more. Sometimes man, after hav
ing had an apprenticeship on the police
force or In connection with some agency
will set up In business for himself as pri
vate detective, and then he charges what.
ever hepleases. Detectives are paid by
the day, and have known some Of thest
private detectives, such as have men.
toned, to charge the unsophisticated -,
and even more per day.
allow do men become detectivesp
"They don't become; they have nat.
ural gift in that direction. Detectives
like poets, are born, not made. Many oi
them begin rs amateurs. For instance
something occurs In their own lives which
causes them to turn detective for their owr
purpose. They work up the case success.
fully; they find that they like the wori
and they embark In II as business.
"You would be surprised 10 find how
clever some amateur detectives are. Iknov
q young Chestnut street merchant wht
would make one Of the greatest OF all de.
tectives IL he would follow the business
He wanted to find out the whereabouts ant
antecedents of a young fellow whom b,
suspected in a certain matter. He em
ployed detectives, but they could discover
nothing. Finally he began 10 look into th,
matter himself, and although the man he
was after had left the city and covered W
his tracks Pm blest II he didn't find oui
everything there was to find. He discov.
cred the address Of girl on Race street tc
whom the man had been paying atten.
tions.
"He called on her, represented himself az
a lawyer, said that her lover would In.
herit fortune II his Identity could be es.
tablished, and In order 10 do that ho'd have
10 have some specimens Of his handwrit.
ing, and he persuaded her TO let him have
two Of the love-letters the fellow had writ
ten her. That was as neat a pieoe Of de-
tective work as | ever heard Of.
"It often happens that man fails to bea
good general detective through the lack Of
some one quality. Thus, employed
young fellow once who thought would
make splendid detective. He had every.
thing In his favor, possessing a splendid
physique and appearance, an elegant and
insinuating address, great shrewdness, re-
markable quickness Of perception, and, In
short, every requisite Of a great detective,
except one, as afterward discovered. He
was lacking In self-control, having
an ungovernable temper, TO which he
gave way on slight provocation. Thii
great fault was not apparent at first,
however, and assigned him TO number oi
difficult cases, which he worked up very
satisfactorily. At last resolved to test
bis skill TO the utmost, and set him to try
10 extort confession from a young woman
charged with infanticide. Now, In the
course Of his interview with this girl, as he
afterward confessed 10 me, he fell in love
with her and took II into his head that she
was not only innocent OF the crime alleged
against her, but that she was not the real
mother Of the infant which she was ac-
cused Of having destroyed, hut that she
had merely assumed the responsibility OF
being It's mother TO shield friend. Bow
ever, he resolved TO do his duty, and feel
Ing sure the result would be such earnest
protestations Of innocence as would con-
vince the whole world Of their sincerity, he
perseyered In his attempt TO extort ccu-
fession. He acted with SO much tact that she
broke down completely and was about TO
confess the whole affair, but being salts
fed, from her words and actions, that she
was undoubtedly guilty, he became so en-
n oed 10 find that ., whom ho had al