St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1886-05-29
Of this kind 1t depends largely upon the

and thus at a glance observe any change
or augmentation Of the total number.
''The life railroad detective is not
a very enviable one. l can assure you.
He is hired on the express condition
| that instructions, however repulsive to
his character, must be strictly COM
piled with. Furthermore, he has no
abiding place whatever. The interest
of the service requires continuous
shifting around with the men from one
road to another i'm order to reduce rs
much as possible the chances of attract
ing suspicion by the conductors and
railroad employees in general. 1t is
thus a usual thing for spotter to travel
through every State in the Union in the
course of few months, and his work
is really harder than most people would
imagine. Naturally he must assume
different roles to meet any emergency
and throw off suspicion. You find him
posing as land speculator, insurance
agent, merchant, missionary, gambler,
newspaper man or politician, all ac-
cording to the particular job on hand
and the character of the section through
which he travels.
1.-The general course is to assign Cne
agent to each car, thus checking every
passenger, but the entire registration
must be done mentally. The art con-
sists in evincing the least possible con-
cern, and the spotter should always
have straight story to tell when he
engages in conversation with other
passengers or pals of the conductor.
At the end of each trip the detective
makes out an elaborate report covering
certain car and sends it to head
quarters, where it is compared with the
conductors balance sheet. The spotter
is frequently instructed to pay cash
fares himself, and the most conclusive
proof is derived by holding out the
| tempting bait in such a manner as to
entrap the conductor. When the evil
dcnce is found to be of very dam
aging character all formalities are dis
pensed with and his walking papers
served at once. Nevertheless there
are some shrewd conductors who man.
age to delude detection in spite of all
vigilance. They possess a sort OF in
tuitive tact through which the presence
of so-called Hawkshaw is revealed.
The conductors. without exception. en-
tertain a bitter hatred to the detective
service, and in this age of dynamite as
an agent of redress for supposed griev-
ances it is rather surprising that no at
tempt has so far been made to blow up
the spotter headquarters. Vengeance
has. though, been executed on several
of our men out in the Territories,
where the public, as a rule, is in SYM
pathv with the conductors, and rejoices
i'm the sport of hunting down an awk-
ward spotter.
"A favorite scheme with the con.
ductors is occasionally to turn in fare
or two in excess of the number really
collected. for the purpose of creating
an impression upon the company that
the spoilers report is untruStworthy
at all times. Now and then the train
employees suspect an entirely innocent
person. and it is amusing to behold the
puzzled mien of such passenger when
he encounters the strange looks be-
slowed upon him by conductor and
porter. The mutual interest existing
between these functionaries tends to
overcome race prejudice. and conse-
quently they are both on the
alert to get on the track of
their sworn enemies. One way. prac-
ticed with view to extending secret
warning to colleagues on the different
lines. is to cut notch in the heel of
the supposed spotter's shoes while the
porter ostensibly subjects them to 4
first-class shine. Identification is by
this and other devices made quite easy.
and the further use of the shown up
detective is seriously impaired.
1.-The unwary traveller on entering a
palace sleeping-car is likely to become
impressed with the notion that an air
of distinguished responsibility is per-
vading every visible object alike.
Whether he may cherish this idea to
the end of his journey, even in case the
pcnds largely upon the conductors
talent to manage each party in defer
ence to their particular wants. Shady
individuals, professional gamblers. etc,
are. of course, not permitted to operate
upon the trains, but smart conductor
can arrange such things to suit all
parties concerned when he is decently
recompenscd. and. consequently. you
might make an interesting study in the
dubious art of high-staked poker if
you happen to drop into the smoking
saloon of a sleeper after eleven p. m.
The professional spotter has to keep
an eve on all transactions of this kind,
and his report affords frequently some
very spicy reading. There are, besides.
a number of other duties he is required
to perform. such Is observing whether
all tickets and checks are properly can
celed. noting the condition of car and
closets. paving attention to the conduct
of train cmployes-ifthey should sleep,
drink or smoke or use profane language
on duty Sometimes it is next to inn
possible to catch a conductor, although
suspicion rests upon him, and detect
i've is then put on to shadow the man
in order to learn his habits. compan-
ions and general conduct in private life.
Through this source very valuable tes-
timony is often procured and circum-
stantial evidence furnished. showing
the suspected party is dissolute fellow.
spending much more than his salary
would justify at the gamblers den or
in dissipation. Yes, the spotter system
is big thing, and you can't afford to
dispense with it as long as sordid greed
for money remains the pivot of human
nature. ~. 7. Herald.
Suicide an Accident.
n 4