Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-06-11
THE DETECTIVE FEVER.
Criminal Hunting Has Charms for
the Youth from the Country.
San Francisco Chronicle.

San Francisco Chronicle.
do you have many applications
for positions on your force?" was ask
ed of a manager of a Kearny street
detective agency recently.
so many" was the reply, ''that I
sometimes think that half the popuia-
ton 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 unknown disseminators of bIood>
and-thunder literature, and have be.
come infatuated by the glamour
thrown around the heroes of bank
burglary ca otures, the shadowing of
suspected murderers and their detec-
ton by means of button or suspen-
der buckle. [ receive a good many
letters from the rural districts. Here
is one from a man at Woodland, who
says he has been schooling himself in
shadowing people up there, and his sue
cess has been so flattering 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 business. If there are any
safe robberies or murders on hand to
work up, he would gladly accept a
position on my forces at a nominal
salary. I have written back inform
ing him that | am very sorry not to
be able to avail myself of his valuable
services, but there is no vacancy in
nay force at present. I have several
letters from youths Of from IL to Is
years, who are impressed with the
idea that they are young Hawkshaws
OF the first grade. Some of them have
visited the office and urged me to give
them a trial, but [ have never yet
considered it wise to encourage them
ia becoming detectives. Some peo-
pie have what [ call attacks of the
detective fever. They hear of some
robbery Or other crime ard proceed
to work up the case without the
knowledge Of the officers or regular
detectives. These cranks often shadow
some innocent person for days at a
time, making a careful note of every
suspicious action. This class of would
be detectives are harmless enough. [
never yet heard of one of them being
of the slightest use in a case, or afford
ing the least clue, although they
sometimes offer voluminous reports
of the conings and goipgs of their
suspects. Nothing, however, can
make people ca 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 Grim
mails"
is employment ever given to tbs
applicants from the country?"
mot very often. Sometimes [ send
one of these verdant customers out GA
some trivial case, and then detail ans
other man to watch his proceedings.
L have gone out myself, and it is often
as good as a circus. The fellow will |
hunt up his man and shadow him up |
and down the street, lodging behind |
corners and posts. and some |
times attracting a great deal of
attention from people along the
way, if not from the man
he is shadowlng, Occasionally, how
ever, the apprentice detective will
take hold Of case in good shape, and
work it up with such despatch as to
create surprise among the older men
on the force. Probably the worst
cranks of the class CT which I am
speaking are women, who often get
the detective fever in its worst form.
| have often had as many as six APP
plications day from ladies who were
sure they could be of great service in
hunting up female criminals and re-
storing stolen property, but I have
never yet employed one. They are
constant source of annoyance, and
will not be put Off as readily as the
men. AS a rule. however, a woman
of any delicacy will not insist on be
coming detective when she is given
to understand the dangers of the posi-
ton, the kind of company she is like
ly to meet, and the sort of places she !
must visit. Some of the applicants
have the queerest notions of what Is |
Of a detective when on active
duty. One fellow, who evidently |
thought that IN detective life insomnia
was one of the most important quail |
fcations, wrote from Santa Rosa that |
he was sure he could live up to the
motto of the detv ctives. we never
sleep, as his nervous system was such |
as to prevent him from taking any
rest at night. I sometimes, too, have |
from ex-convicts, who I
tell me with a great air of mystery
that they are acquainted with the |
ways Of burglars and other criminals, |
and are capable Of first class work in
the detective line. It is perhaps un
necessary to say that I have never |
intrusted 2 case with any of these gen |
try"
Where Hugo Wished to be Buried. !