The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1886-01-27
rRIvATE DETECTIVES.
How They Shadow Their Game--AreRcles
That Flourish IN New York.

Private detective agences will before long
be the subject Of good deal of comment
There are few of these organizations
which are thoroughly reliable but the ma
jority Of them are little more than black
mailing concerns. 1t may safely be con-
cluded that If private detecti We gets on the
track of man who ia trying to conceal any
thing the jig is up. There is absolutely no
way of getting away from expert shadows
and they learn more about a mans habits
and movements in the course of week
than his friends do in twenty years. Many
OF the shadows have great liking for the
business and will take all sorts of risks to
get the information they are in search OF,
When they start in to shadow man they
PICK him up in the morning after breakfast
and from that time on till their services are
dispensed with he does absolutely nothing
that is not observed and recorded. What
strikes the victim most when he comes TO
'ead the reports is the thoroughness of do
'ail. Not long ago was looking over some
official reports of the shadows of we'll.
known agency concerning ono of the EN-.
ployes of a big publishing house, There
was leak somewhere and the firm en-.
pioyed detective agency to find it. As is
usually the case they looked about for
few days and then fixed upon rather fast
young clerk as the man. They followed
him for two weeks and fixed tho crime iirm-
~ upon him. He confessed, gave up what
had all b.
punished. doubt II any man was more
thoroughly surprised than he was when he
read all the reports Of the detectives. The
recent investigations into the Ray case have
also attracted attention to them. The OF.
istence of private detective agencies makes
1t possible for employers or husbands or
wives to gain any information Of private
nature without risk of discovery. The
only drawback is the expense, which in
most instances is very great. The promised
cost of an investigation is nearly always ex.
ceeded. Shadows, as the detectives who
follow the victims personally are called,
usually cost $40 day and their expenses.
The whole cost is apt to foot up to 1876 or
$50 day, which is paying rather dear for
information which in nine cases out of ten
the inquirer never wishes to obtain. In
many cases the investigation brings ont
facts that are not at all suspected. When
the agents are businesslilse and honorable
there is little to complain Of. There are
out two agencies in New York that l know
Of that will not undertake divorce cases.
II may not be significant, but they are the
most successful agencies in town. The dan.
ger of employing any but the most respon.
sible firms is obvious. Information CLEANED
through private detectives is usually of such
nature TINT it must be kept quiet. II
publicity were not dreaded the detectives
Of the Police Department would be en-
ployed ut the outset. Hence the private
detectives become possessed of information
concerning various people of peculiarly
valuable kind and IL they choose to use Il
Tor matchmaking purposes they have lever.
age which is seldom OF never resisted. -
NSlo l'orS Letter.