St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-12-03
GOOD SHORT STORIES.
Ways of Detectives.

what are You doing there?"
8 The man to whom it is addressed is a
short, thick-Set man; there is nothing
about him to attract attention. He is
the most commonplace man have met
for some time. He is simply leaning
against pile of boxes. trunks and the
| like at railroad station. Upon first
| glance he looks like a sleepy old fellow,
| WHO may have drank more than a flagOn
Of rum, OF he may have walked long
distance, and therefore he is fatigued.
As any one approached him in the
crowd he looked sharply and then
seemed to become ObliviOuS.
| That man is one of thu SharpeSt de-
tectives in the state. of Massachusetts.
TWhat are you doing there?" is the
question again.
t. Quickly, without moving muscle,
without looking up again, he answers,
/ ina low, distinct voice: 'Don't speak
/ tojime now; I'm watching a man, l
moved away.
+ Presently the crowd gets thicker.
I The sleepy gentleman by the trunks
I becomes suddenly aroused. He moves
about very rapidly among the people.
| What will he do?
/ Hardly is there time to- walk ten
PAGES when he has disappeared. The
train thunders into the station and the
people went aboard. The man was no.
| where.
| That night one of the bOldest burglars
was arrested and lodged in Jail. He
was arrested OH that train, and by the
sleepy man.
= The arrest was accomplished thus:
AS a rough-looking man with TIN pail
in his hand walked quickly from the
depot to the train the detective fol-
lowed him closely, and just as he was
about to put his foot ON the step he
tripped and fell to the platform. In an
instant the detective fell on top of him.
I The two men were assisted into the
car, and then the detective apOlogized
for having fallen on him. They sat
down together in the smoking car. the
old fashioned detective took out OF his
pockets lot of cakes and apples. and
they began toeat and talk about the
news.
THAT wasa bad bit of work those
fellows done in Boston. Did you see,
the evening papers?"
''What do you mean?'
why, that safe burglary last night"
"Was there burglary@'
Eyes; didn't you hear Of it? Why.
they stole over 100000 worth of cash
securities and bonds from the -
bank"
"Indeed? Any arrests?"
s'Not yet, but the officers are close On
the track of the leader of the gang
Are they? Do they think they have
the right man."
'Yes; they are watching a man in
East Boston by the name OF Ridgewood,
a noted burglar"
just at this moment man arose from
the seat behind and walked ont of the
car. He passed On into the next car,
THAT'S our man." whispered the de-
tective to his apparently injured COM
panion. The two men arose and passed
into the next car after the fellow who
had arisen.
They caught up to the man as he was
going out of the next car. The train
was stopped at a short station. The
man got off. He was arrested.
How did you know that was Ridge
wood?" was asked of the detective.
because when | mentioned his name
he started and left the car. There is
something about a criminal that gives
him away to practiced eye. l saw
that man on the platform-he was
walking up and down. He did not
walk more than eight feet before he
would turn back again. At this be-
came aroused and watched him closer.
ut was when | tripped up my friend
that wanted to avoid suspicion, the
burglar was behind US; the man who
fell first is one of the best detectives lin
Boston. He was dressed like work
ingman and carried a pail. When we
fell the man whom we were watching
did not notice us, but hurried into the
cars; all the other people stopped and
looked on.
"The man went directly to the smoker
and lit cigar nervously;. he drew his
hat over his eyes and nestled down in
his'Seat, apparently engrossed in his
newspaper. The man read the same
paper for a long time; he did not seem to
be interested in it at all, although his
eyes were intent upon it. They were
only on one spot. We sat down in front
of him and began to eat apples and
talk. When mentioned the name of
Ridgewood he started from his reverie.
looked him square in the eye. He
got up and left the car. He was our
man.
sob, about the eight-foot walk? Well,
you see an old criminal who has done
time will never get out of the habit of
walking up and down as he has done so
| long in his cell. He will only go about
eight feet: that is tile regulation length
of cells. He does this unconsciously,
and even though he may guard himself
against it, before he knows it he will
begin to walk up and down.
s'Of course" said the detective, ''no
man gives himself up to justice-no
criminal tells the detective that he is
the man. We are compelled to judge
from our experience. a criminal has
certain look, a peculiar way of moving
secretly even in public places-in hotels,
at theaters. all over. Noone but skill
full man in criminal work eau tell the
difference, but their actions are readily
apparent-they become a larger part of
the criminals nature; he cannot cast
off himself"
"Then there are other things. Ger
tain well-known criminals have" he
added, 'sa distinct style of work. The
crime is always carefully investigated.
and the detectives learn the methods of
the different men. 1t is school. /
cannot explain it to you unless you are
a close observer of human nature.
"a criminal in walking along the
street will unconsciously turn his head
and give quick glance backward. al
most every SO often, generally within
every 100 steps. [ can tell man in
stantly when ! enter a crowd. That's
why these fellows hide away. They
know that if they appear IN public that
they will be recognized"
Deserves to Be Lynched.