Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1889-01-02

The Plain
Hoods SarsapariIIa
FEMALE DETECTIVES.
Cases Where Women are Superior to
Men.

Although for long time detectives
OF the fair seX-and some OF them OF
good social status-have been employed
for thu discovery OF crime and grave
political offenses, and also for making
private inquiries where delicacy and
tact is requisite, says tie New I ork
TeIeqram, female detectivism has but
occasionally been employed in the UNI
ted Kingdom for public purposes, and
even then with merely Insignificant re-
suits. In q recent Government report
upon the Scotch police by Captain
Monro. H. NJ. Inspector for Constabu-
larry for Scotland, lie says that the en-
ployment OF a few women on the detec-
tive staff in large and populous places
might possibly be OF valuable service.
Owing to this statement. and the i'm
portant fact that the employment of
women as private detectives i'll London
has made great progress, the writer OF
the London Queen has carefully lnyes-
tigated the subject of this article. on
which he has received some apprecia-
ble information from those who are
the most competent to speak with au-
thority on the question AS regards
the engagement Of women for the de-
lection of crime in this country, 1t IS
not only very limited, but merely ex-
tends to few offenses, the most import
ant OF which appear TO be shop-lIfting
and pocket picking cases, and other
thefts. In these ard other Instances
they generally &C under the guidance
and close supervision OF regular mem
bers 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 robbing their masters OF a
portion of tteir fares, and it is stated
that women are even low employed for
this purpose.
AS competent aud trustworthy
women are difficult to secure for secret
service in police fo-ces, and as no ef-
ficient means exist for training them Tor
this delicate duty, and as they are In
differently paid for their work, there Is
a general feeling among policemen of
all ranks that under present regula-
tions 1t would be unwise to perma-
nently employ women on detective
stats, OF as agents or assistants to the
members OF such in connection with
criminal and political Investigations,
| On the other hand, in Paris, Berlin,
Vienna, ST. Petersburg and other large
centers of population on the continent,
the detective services rendered by wo-
men to the pol!ce in les rases IS very
valuable. The socia' position of ladies'
employed Is often OF a supeIior order.
while their general knowledge Is very
advanced. The diplomatic corps of
some continental nations engage ladies
as detectives out of their own country.
1t is stated that few of the fair sex
are employed in London on behalf of
the French and German embassies, and
render very efficient help 10 those to
whom they are responsible for such.
Now for private detective work in
England-as that required in divorce
cases, tracing missing friends and other
secret inquIries-a great number OF
women are employed, and their num-
ber and services have immensely in
creased during the last ten years or
thereabouts, when female detectivism
as system is said to have commenced
by firms of private inquiry agents in
the metropolis. The writer has been
informed by the principals of two i'm
portapt private inquiry offices in Lon
don-in both of which large staff of
women are employed-that the latter
are far more efficient for their duties
than Een would be. Great care Is taken
in their selection. and they are better
paid for their services than women
who are temporarily employed in police
forces In proportion to the time they
are respectively engaged in their work.
One metropolitan firm at least not
merely engages great number of fe-
male detectives permanently to devote
their whole time to private inquiry
business, but pays them a liberal sal-
airy, In addition to giving them bonus
In respect of each investigation which
they have been mainly instrumental In
bring to successful termination. The
amount received by the employers OF
these women in several of such cases is
very large, and the latter are paid &C.
cordingly. One firm of inquiry agents
has a very clever lady in their service
who. in the discharge of her duties
has travelled many thousands of miles.
Her remuneration has approached G40C
year from detective work alone. An.
other firm has paid one OF their fair Sci
detectives as much as $50 for 2
months services in private investiga-
tions. In addition to the high remunera.
J tion the more efficient of these detec-
tives obtain from their employers. thell
incomes are materially supplemented
J by handsome gratuities they receive fol
successful services rendered to those
who pay their masters very literally
for such.