Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1889-02-08
FEMALE DETECTIVES.
CASES ON WHICH THEY CAN DO
BETTER WORK THAN MEN.

Authorities Differ as to the General Fit
ness of Women for the Secret Service.
In Many Large Cities They Render VAL
liable Service to the Police.
Although for a long time detectives of
the fair sex-and some of them of good
social status-have been employed for
the discovery of crime and grave politi-
cal o~ffenses, and also for making private
inquiries where delicacy and tact is
requisite, female detectivism has but oc-
~casionally been employed in the United
Kingdom for public purposes, and even
then with merely insignificant results.
In a recent government report upon the
Scotch police by Capt. Monro, her males
TVS inspector for constabulary for Scot
land, 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 state
ment, and the important fact that the
employment of ome as private detec-
tives in London has made great progress,
a writer in The London Queen has care
fully investigated the subject of this
article, on which he has received 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 coun-
try, it is not only very limited, but
merely extends to few offences, the most
important of which appear to be shop
lifting and pocket picking cases and
other thefts. In these and other instances
they generally act under the guidance
and close supervision of regular mem
bers of the detective staff. Some years
ago q 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 their fares, and 1t is stated
that women are eve 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 indiffer-
entity paid for their work, there is a
general feeling among policemen of all
ranks that under present regulations it
would be unwise to permanently employ
women on detective staffs or as agents
or as assistants to the members of such
In connection with criminal and politi-
cal Investigations. On the other hand,
in Paris, Berlin, Vienna, st. Petersburg
and other large centers of population on
the continent, the detective service rem
dered by women to the police in these
cases is very valuable. The social
position of ladies employed is often of a
superior order, while their general
knowledge is very advanced. The dip
lomatic corps of some continental ma
tons engage ladies as detectives out of
their w country. 1t is stated that a
few of the fair sex are employed in Lon
don 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
England-as that required in divorce
cases, tracing missing friends and other
secret inquiries-a great number of wo-
men are employed, and their number and
services have immensely increased dur
ing the last ten years or thereabouts,
when female detectivism as a 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 important private in
! quiry offices in London-in both of which
a large staff Of women are employed
that the latter are far more efficient for
their duties than men 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 a great number of fe-
male detectives permanently to devote
their whole time to private inquiry bust
ness, but pays them a liberal salary in
addition to giving them q bonus in re-
spect of each investigation which they
have been mainly instrumental in bring.
ing to a successful termination. The
amount received by the employers OF
these women in several of such cases is
very large and the latter are paid ac.
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. He,
remuneration has approached e400 q
year from detective work alone. An.
other firm has paid one of their fair sex
detectives as much as ESQ for a months
service in private Investigations. In ad.
dition to the remuneration the more eff.
Gent of these detectives obtain from the
employers, their incomes are materially
supplemented by handsome gratuities
they receive for successful services rem.
dered to those who pay their masters
very literally for such.-New Orleans
Picayune.
Dominions of His Grace Moosonee.
Some idea of the extent of territory
of the Canadian diocese may be gath.