Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-03-02
FEMALE DETECTIVES.
CASES IN WHICH THEY CAN EX-
GEL MEN.
Authorities Differ as to the General
Fitness of Women for the Sc
cret Service.

Although for a long time detectives Of
the fair sex-and some of them of good So
cial status-have been employed for the
discovery of crime and grave political of
fenses, and also for making private in
quiries where delicacy and tact is requisite,
female detectivism has but occasionally
been employed in the United Kingdom
for public purposes, and even then with
merely insignificant results. In recent
Government report upon the Scotch police
by Captain Monro, her Majesty's inspector
for constabulary for Scotland, he says that
the employment of a few women ON the
detective staff in large and populous places
might possibly be of valuable service.
Owing to this statement, and the import
ant fact that the employment of women as
private detectives in London has made
great progress, writer in the London
Queen has carefully investigated the sub
iect of this article on which he has re-
ceived some appreciable information from
those who are the most competent to
speak with authority on the question.
WOMEN FOR "spoTTERs."
As regards the engagement of women
for the detection of crime in this country,
it is not only very limited, but merely ex-
tends to few ofienses, the most important
of which appear to be shoplifting and
pocket picking cases and other thefts. In
fbaco and OIL fhax- llx
act under the guidance and close super
vision of regular members of the detective
staff. Some years ago large firm Of
omnibus proprietors always engaged
women to find out the dishonesty of the
conductors of these vehicles in robbine
| their masters of portion of their fares
and it is stated that women are even now
employed for this purpose.
As competent and trustworthy women
are difficult to secure for secret service in
police forces, and as no effectual means
exist for training them for this delicate
duty, and as they are indifierently paid
for their work, there is a general feeling
among policemen of all ranks that under
present regulations it would be unwise t.
permanently employ women on detective
stats or as agents or as assistants to the
members of such in connection with Grim
inal and political investigations. On the
other hand, in Paris, Berlin, Vienna, St
Petersburg and other large centers of pop
ulation on the continent, the detective
service rendered by women to the police in
these cases is very valuable. The socia
position of ladies employed is often of &
| superior order, while their general knowl
| edge is very advanced. The diplomatic
corps of some continental nations engage
ladies as detectives out of their own ceun
| try 1t is stated that few Of the fair sex
are employed i'll London on behalf of the
French and German embassies, and render
very efficient help to those to whom they
are responsible as such.
! STRONG ON DIVORCE CASES.
Now, for private detective work in Eng
land-as that required in divorce cases
tracing missing friends and other secre
inquiries-a great number of women are
employed, and their number and services
| have immensely increased during the las
ten years or Whereabouts, when female de
| tectivism as system is said to have com
menced by firms of private inquiry agents
| in the metropolis. The writer has beer
J informed by the principals of two import
ant private inquiry offices in London-ir
both of which large staff of women are
employed-that the latter are far more
| efficient for their duties than men woulc
| be- Great care is taken in their selection
and they are better paid for their service,
| than women who are temporarily EN-
ployed in police forces in proportion tc
the time they are respectively engaged il
| their work.
One metropolitan firm, at least, not
merely engages great number of female
| detectives permanently to devote theil
whole time to private inquiry business
but pays them liberal salary in addition
to giving them bonus in respect of each
investigation which they have been main
ly instrumental in bringing to success
full termination. The amount received by
| the employers of these women in several
ofsuch cases is very large, and the latter
are paid accordingly. One firm of inquiry
agents has very clever lady in theil
service, who, in the discharge of hel
duties, has travelled many thousands O
| miles. Her remuneration has approached
| e400 year from detective work alone
| Another firm has paid one of their fail
sex detectives as much as ESQ for
months service in private investigations
In addition to the remuneration the NOR,
efficient of these detectives obtain from
the employers, their incomes are materi
ally supplemented by handsome gratuitie
they receive for successful services rem
dered to those who pay their masters yer,
literally for such.-Neto Orleans Picaynnt