The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1886-02-26
A DETECTIVE ASSOCIATION.

An Organization Formed to Ascertain
the Private Habits of Employes-Tip-
piers and Gamblers to BE "Weeded
Out"
The merchants of Chicago are organ
izing detective association TO learn
the private habits of their employees,
and propose to tweed out" gamblers
and tipplers. It may be that such a
measure has become necessary, but we
can hardly believe that the large ma
jority of clerks are untrustworthy.
The end sought might perhaps be ac-
complished at less expense and much
more satisfactorily by a combined eff
fort on the part of employers to re-
move the temptations which beset their
clerks and providing for them innocent
recreation, Saturday half-holiday, etc.
But here is what one of the members
says about the new organization:
"The time has gore BY" said Chi
cago merchant, "when business men
could employ help indiscriminately, or
even keep men whom they have had in
positions of trust for years without
knowing more of them than acquaint-
ance in the store or office can give.
Our confidence is so much abused and
our pockets are so frequently rified that
we have come to feel that protection is
absolutely necessary. About the only
thing we receive which gives us fav-
orable opinion of man when he APP
plies for work is an introduction from
a mutual friend or a letter of recon-
mendation; but the friend or the writer
Of the letter rarely knows more of the
mans real character than we do, and
the recommendations in reality testify
only to his ability to do work. They
tell us nothing of the mans life after
business hours-whether he passes it
in respectable aud honorable way.
or devotes it to drinking and gambling.
An association is to be formed for the
purpose of probing into this thing.
eve think of organizing detective
system for the purpose of exercising
surveillance over our employees. The
number of disreputable places il Chi
cago is not so large but that we can
secure pretty correct idea of mans
habits without going to any very heavy
expense. | was member of such a
society in New York, and it was of in
calculable benefit to me. AS an exam
pie of its workings, let me show you
this brief report, said the gentleman,
displaying ruled, partially printed
blank. 1t read as follows:
'"To subscriber 2O7: The person of whom
you inquire is about twenty-six years old, I'M
and bears a good character. Often visits
gambling-houses. Drinks, but not to excess
Lives extensively"
''This young man." continued the
merchant ''came to me with the very
highest recommendations / wanted a
cashier, and should have employed
him had it not been for the report
from the protective society. You can
very readily understand why / did not
wish a man who frequented gambling
houses, even though so quietly that his
friends knew nothing of it, handle my
money. Neither would / kno ginglv
employ man who drank, even if he
never did get drunk. This young fell
low could not understand why / re-
fused his application. Many trusted
employee in New York at that time
wondered why his resignation was
asked for, or how his employer learned
that he occasionally played faro or
went out with conviyial party
"But if man is honest and faithful,
and attends strictly to business, do you
store it up against him that after bust
ness hours he CANDLES or drinks lit
tle?''
eve most assuredly do. Among
business men the sentiment against
dissipation in employees is growing
stronger and stronger. The first thing
we ask now about a new man is: Does
he drink or gamble? and we purpose
answering these questions through the
new society. Experience has taught
us that the reliable men-those most
to be trusted-are those who abstain
from whisky and cards, and / venture
the assertion that ten years from now
the drinking man will find difficulty in
securing any employment-much less
position of responsibility. A young
man may drink and gamble in modera-
ton for years and still attend to his
work, but he is sure to come to grief,
and his employers must suffer. We do
not say that every drinking man and
every gambler shall be discharged, but
we are going to find out who of our
employees have bad habits, and you
may be sure they will be given no posi-
ton of trust or profit.
81 do not care to give you the names
of any of the members of the new asso-
citation. Suffice to say that there will
be over two hundred, that they include
many of our principal business men,
and that enough operatives will be en-
ployed to keep us posted on what we
wish to know. Chicago Cor. Mime
Gpolis Commercial Gazette.
WHISKY AND WORKMEN.