Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-06-10
The Detective Fever.
CRIMINAL HUNTING HAS CHARMS FOR THE
YOUTH FROM THE COUNTRY.

CRIMINAL HUNTING HAS CHARMS FOR THE
YOUTH FROM THE COUNTRY.
From the San Francisco Chronicle
"Do you have many applications for positions
on your force?" was asked Of a manager of q
Kearny-street detective agency recently.
$50 many" was the reply, "that sometimes
think that halt the population is anxious to
place itself in position to ferret out the crimes
OF the other half. These self-recommended
candidates for the empty honors of detective
life are chiefly from the country. Some of them
have read the thrilling tales to which the name
OF Allan Pinkerton has been attached by un-
known Qisseminators of Observation-Disclosures
literature, and have become infatuated by the
glamour thrown around the heroes of bank
burglary captures. the shadOwing of suspected
murderers and their detection by means of a
button or suspender buckle. receive a good
many letters from the rural districts. Here is
has been schooling himself in shadowing peO-
pie up there, and his success has been SO Hat.
tering that he has come to the conclusion
that he is possessed of detective ability
of no mean order. He is anxious to try
his hand at the real business. If there are any
safe robberies or murders ON hand to work mn
he would gladly accept position on INV force
at a nominal salary. l have written back in
forming him that am very sorry not to be able
70 avail myself OF his valuable services hut
there Is no vacancy in my force at present 7
have several letters from youths of from twelve
to eighteen years, who are impressed with the
idea that they are young Hawkshaws of the
arst grade. Some OF them have visited the
office and urged me TO give them trial, but I
have never yet considered il wise to ENCOURAGES
them in becoming detectives. Some people
have what / call attacks of detective fever
They hear of some robbery or other crime and
proceed TO work up the case without the knowl-
edge OF the officers or the regular detectives
These cranks often shadow some innocent per.
every suspicious action. This class of wOnld
be detectives are harmless enough. / never
yet heard of one of them being of the slightest
use In case, or affOrding the least clue al
though they sometimes offer vOluminOus re-
ports OF the comings and gOings OF their sus-
poets. Nothing, however, can make people on
whom the detective mania has fixed its hold
believe that they are not endowed by nature
with a special qualification, inspirational or
otherwise, for hunting down criminals"
rs employment ever given to the applicants
from the country?"
Not very often. Sometimes send one of
THESE Veruant customers out some trivial
case, and then detail another man to watch his
proceedings 1 have gone out myself and il is
often as good as circus. The fellow will hunt
up his man and shadow him up and down the
street, lodging behind corners and posts. and
sometimes attracting great deal of attention
from people along the way, if not from the man
he Is shadOwing- Occasionally, however the
apprentice detective will take hold of a case in
good shape, and work IL up with such despatch
"a TO create surprise among the older men ON
the force. Probably the worst cranks of the
Class of which am speaking women, who
often get the detective fever in its worst form.
i have often had many as six appIi-
cations day from ladies who were sure
they could be of great service in huntino
mp female criminals and restoring stoie5
property, but / have never yet employed
one They are a constant source of annoyance,
and Will not be put OFF as readily as the men.
As rule. however, a woman of any delicacy
Will not insist on becoming q detective when
she IS given to understand the dangers of the
position, the kind of company she is likely TO
meet and the sort OF places she must visit
some or the applicants have the queerest no
tioDs OF what is required of a detective when
on active duty. One fellow, who evidently
Thought that In detective life insomnia was one
OF OF inc most important qualifications: wrote
rom santa Rosa that he was sure he could live
up 10 the motto OF the detectives: we never
sleep, as his nervous system was such as to
prevent him from taking any rest at night.
sometimes, too. have applications from ex-
conv!ets. who tell me with great air OF mys-
terry that they are acquainted with the WAYS
OF burglars and other criminals, and are capa-
BILE OF nrst-cliss work in the detective line II
Is perhaps unnecessary to say tina. l have
never Entrusted case with any OF these
gentry"