Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1889-04-12
"rM WATCHING 4 MAN"
How mn Experienced Detective Does
his Work.


"What are you doing there y
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
a pile of boxes, trunks and the like at a
railroad station. Upon first glance he
looks like a sleepy old fellow, who may
have drunk more than hagon Of rum or
he may have walked long distance, and,
therefore, he is fatigued. As any one ap.
| proaches him in the crowd he looks sharp
| ly, and then seems to become oblivious.
That man is one of the sharpest detec-
tives in the state of Massachusetts.
What are you doing there = is the ques-
ton again.
Quickly, without moving muscle, with
out looking up again, he answered, in
low, distinct voice Don't speak to me
now I'm watching a 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
do!
Hardly is there time to walk ten PAGES
when he has disappeared The train thun.
| aboard The man was nowhere.
That night one Of the bodest burglars
was arrested and lodged in jail He was
arrested on the 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 followed him closely
and just as he was about to put his foot on
the step he tripped and fell upon the plat
form. In an instant the detective fell on
top of him.
The two men were assisted into the car,
aud then the detective apologized for hav-
ing fallen on him They sat down togeth
er in the smoking car, the old fashioned
detective shook out of his pocket a lot of
cakes and apples, and they began to eat
and talk about the news.
That was bad bit of work those fell
lows done there in Boston. Did you see
the evening papers ~
"What do you mean = said the man.
"Whv, that safe burglary last night.
"Was there burglary Z"
''Yes didn't YOU hear of it Why they
stole over 500, 900 worth of cash. securi-
ties and bonds from the - bank"
'lndeed Any arrests y
mot vet, but the officers are close on
the track of the leader of the gang"
"Are they Do they think they have
the right man y
YES, they are watching a man in East
Boston by the name of Ridgewood, noted
burglar
Just at this moment a 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 detec-
tive 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 90
ing out of the next car. The train was
stopping 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 some
thing about a 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
at was when | tripped up my friend
that | wanted to avoid suspicion the burg
lar was behind us-the man who fell first
is one of the best detectives in Boston. He
was dressed like a workingman and carried
u pail. When we fell the man whom we
were watching did not notice us, but hur-
ried 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 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 ap-
plies and talk. When | mentioned the
name of Ridgew ood he started from his
reverie. | looked him square in the eye.
He got up and left the car. He was our
man.
ooh, 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 the regulation length of the 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.
"Of course, said the detective, mo man
gives himself up to justice-no criminal
tells the detective that he is the man. We
are compelled to Judge from our expert
ence A criminal has certain look, pc
culiar way of moving secretly, even in
public places-in hotels, at the theatres, all
over, No one but skillful man in Grim
inal work can tell the difference, but their
actions are readily apparent-they become
a large part of the criminal nature he
cannot cast off himself
"Then there are other things, Certain
well-known criminals have, he added, "a
distinct style of work The crime is al
ways carefully investigated, and the detec-
tives learn the methods of the different
men. 1t is a school I cannot describe it
to you unless you are close observer of
human nature.
"A criminal walking along the street will
unconsciously turn his head and give IA
quick glance backward, generally within
every hundred 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 they will be recog-
nized. - Boston Herald