Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-11-27
WAYS OF DETECTIVES.
How Criminals and Jailbirds Uncon-
sciously Betray. Themselves.

From the Boston Record
"What are you doing there?'
The man to whom it is addressed is Q short,
thick-set man; there is nothing about him TO
attract attention. He IL the most common
place man have met for some time, He il
simply leaning against pile of boxes, trunks
and the like, ct railroad station. Upon first
glance he looks like q sleepy old fellow, who
may have drank more than fagon of rum,
or he may have walked long distance, and,
therefore. he is fatigued. As anyone ap-
preached him in the crowd he looked sharply,
and then seemed to become oblivious.
That man is one of the sharpest detectives in
the state Of Massachusetts,.
''what are you doing there?' is the question
again.
Quickly, without moving muscle, without
looking up again, he answers in q low, distinct
voice: .'Dont speak to me now; I'm Watching
man." moved away.
Presently the crowd gets thicker. The sleepy
gentleman by the trunks becomes suddenly
aroused. He moves about very rapidly among
the people. What will he do2
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 nowhere.
That night one of the boldest burglars was
arrested and lodged in Jail He was arrested
on 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 detec-
tive followed 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 detec-
tive fell on top of him.
The two men were assisted into the car and
then the detective apolOglzed for having fallen
on him. They sat down together in the smok-
ing-car. the old-fashioned detective took out Of
10 M rat lot NJ av,1 aud @h1xv
began to eat and talk about the news.
That was bad bit of work those fellows
done there in Boston. Did you see the even
ing papers?'
What do You mean?" said the man.
why, that safe burglary last night"
'Was therera burglary"
eyes; didn't you hear of it?" Why, they
stole over $100, 900 worth of cash securities and
bonds from the II bank"
Indeed! Any arrests2''
"Not yet but the officers are close on the
track Of the leader of the gang"
Are thsy9 Do they think they have the
Eyes, they are watching man in East Bos-
ton by the name OF Ridgewood, noted bur-
glar."
Just at this moment man arose from the
seat behind and walked out Of the car. He
passed on into the next car.
"That's our man" whispered the detective to
his apparently injured companion.
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 stopping
at short station. The man got of. He was
arrested.
How did you know that was Ridgewood?"
was asked of the detective.
Because. when l mentioned his name he
started and left the car. There is something
about q criminal that gives him away' TO a
practical eye. / saw that man on the platform;
he was walking up and down. He did not walk
more than eight feet before he would turn and
walk back again. At this became aroused and
watched him closer"
1T 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 in Boston. He was dressed like
workingman and carried q 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
eye and nestled down in his seat, apparently
engrossed in his newspaper. The man read
the same paper for long time; he did not
seem to be interested in it at all, although his
eyes were intently upon it. They were only
on one spot. We sat down in front of him and
began to eat apples and talk. When men,
his reverie. ! looked him square in the eye
He got up and left the car. He was our man.
"Oh, 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 80 long in his cell He
will only go about eight feet; that is the regu-
lation length of cells. He does this uncon-
sciously, and even though he may guard him
self against it, before he knows it he will begin
to walk up and down.
''Of course" said the detective, mo man
gives himself up to justice-no criminal tells
the detective that he is the man. We are COM
PEELED to judge from our experience. A erim-
inal has certain look, peculiar way of NOV
ing secretly, even in public places-in hotels,
at theaters, all over No one but skillful
man in criminal work can tell the difference,
but their actions are readily apparent-they
become larger part of the criminals nature:
he cannot cast off himself"
Then there are other things; certain we'll
known criminals have he added. "a distinct
style OF work. The crime is always carefully
investigated and the detectives learn the
methods Of the different men. 1t is a school, 1
cannot describe it to you unless you are close
observer of human nature.
"a criminal walking along the street will I'M
consciously turn his head and give a quick
glance backward. almost every SO often, gener-
ally within every hundred steps, can tell a
man instantly when enter a crowd That's
why these fellows hide away; they know that if
they appear in public that they will be re-
cOgnized."