Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1890-03-07
THE FEMALE DETECTIVE.
Some Clever Female SleuthS. Whose
Business Is Is TO Unearth and
Run Down Criminals.
Hundreds of Shop LifterS Caught in
the Big Retail StoreS-Inter-
esting Experiences in Me-
trep0liS.

A prominent police official holds that
women are utterly useless as detectives,
and that no good woman viii engage in
the business, He having advanced this
theory IN a recent conversation with me-
my curiosity was aroused, and | set out
to make some Investigations in the mat
ter.
Are women useful as detectivcs?"
asked the head of detective buresu, SAYS
a New York Journal reporter
The chief is very diplomatic, and was
inclined TO be nOn-committal. but finally
said:
Yes; in many cases women can be
used to better advantages than men. In
Matchmaking cases. in case of theft or in
many civil cases-and by civil cases
do not mean divorce cases, but
the ordinary everyday cases of the civic
court-women can be made very useful,
more so than men. Their best feature is
getting hold of the confidence of other
women, leading them on to tell what they
know"
Are they often employed in cases of
murder?'
Not often; yet do not know why
they should not be. y
Can they be trusted?'
The detective hesitated a moment and
his eyes were fixed upon the floor. At
last, in deprecatory way, he said:
We'll, there is no question that the
| average woman is not quite discreet. She
loves to talk. have known female de-
tectives whom could trust-a few
Can woman remain honest In pur-
suing this calling?'
Il do not see why she can not | can
not see why she should compromise herself
| Of course there are a good many confden-
ces which woman can draw from man.
| There are a hundred and one tricks at her
command which man knows nothing of
A woman can easily lead man to a GER
| tain point; there is no need to go beyond.
! les, 1t is my opinion that a woman may
! be detective and remain perfectly viz
! tuOus.
Have there been notable examples of
! female detective work."
Yes, there was the case of Mrs Kate
| Warren, the spy of the rebellion, who I'M
earthed a plot to murder President Lincoln.
| She was one of our detectives and did some
very clever work.
Can women detect shoplifters ea.ily?"
| All! that is not IN our line. We do not
employ any for that purpose
Then, as a whole, you favor the idea of
women acting in this capacity?'
Yes, we have some very good worke re-
women we can trust and women who
are perfectly respectable. 1t is not,
however, very agreeable calling for a
woman.
! WHAT WOMEN DO AT RIDLEYS'.
Bidding the gentleman good morning
and hurrying past pretty yellow haired
| typewriter, who stared at me, evidently
thinking had called for an engagement
as detective, | went out through the
narrow. crowded street to Broadway.
decided to go over to the big shop on the
| East Side-Ridleys and see what they
| knew about female detectives there.
Yes, said the manager, when | had
stated my errand, I'VE have been in the
| habit of employing female detectives fol
years although Just now we have no regu.
lar one. We have found them keen of eye
quick of apprehension, clever In detecting
but not in manipulating. That is, many
of them will detect shoplifter in capital
fashion, then get nervous and lose then
| heads. Our best female detective by al
odds was Barbara Fleischaur, who was
with us great many years, and who did
capital work for Us, saving the firm thOus.
andS of dollars. Barbara, alas Is married
now, and we have not yet supplied hel
place She has younger sister working
for us at orr notion counter, who would
with little practice, be quite as acute AND
skillful as Barbara. Already she has de
tected at least 100 cases of shOplifting, and
has accomplished The arrests deity and
quickly. will send for her and you can
talk to her if you like -
| signifed my wish to see the young
woman, and while a messenger was sent
for her the manager showed me an enor
nous register wherein the record of al
shoplifting cases is kept. Opposite nearly
all the names appeared that of Barbara
| Fleischaur, showing that Barbara must
have been a very busy young woman, IN
deed.
| WHO THE SHOPLIFTERS ARE.
You would be surprised if you could
see some of the women whose names are