San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-05-21
DETECTIVES OF ALL KINDS.
Best Men for Swallowing" and
Other Fine WORK.

ofner fIne WORK.
Chicago Mail.
Selecting suitable men and train
ing them for the business is not the
easiest part of our work" said an old
detective the other day. I'm fact it
Is the hardest thing 10 have to con-
tend with TO get honest, bright men
whom we can trust and rely upon.
We select our men from all branches
of human endeavor, and a railroad
brakeman, carpenter store clerk or
any man In the humblest walks Of
life lie often found to make the best
detective. The first question asked
of an applicant is whether he can
read or write. II he is not familiar
with these common branches his
application is at once thrown into the
waste basket and he lie told his SER
vices are not needed. On the other
hand, If bright young man comes
into the office and possesses these
two qualities he receives attention.
A blank application sheet is given
him, and he writes out his history
from childhood up. This is placed
on file and he is told to call again.
In the meantime his past life is most
thoroughly Investigated, ana If the
slightest flaw is discovered the appli-
cation goes into the wastebasket.
1.-THE first work that is given to a
new man is 'shadowipg.' This con-
sists in getting on the track of a GER
tain person, keeping him in ight and
watching his movement without let.
ting him know it. This is the incipi-
emit branch OF the business, and con-
trary to ordinary ways of starting a
man with the easiest work, we give
him the hardest. Usually he is
accompanied by one OF the old men.
who are familiar with the work and
who give him instructions. 1t does
not take the experienced man long to
learn the ability of his scholar, and
after two or three trials he makes 8
report to the Office. If the new man
has shown any aptitude for the work
he is at once placed on salary list and
given job. "This shadow ing bust
ness is one of the most important
branches of detective work, and to do
its successfully requires the skill of
an artist, and rot one man out of half
q hundred is suitable for il.
New men are watched carefully
with us, and while many of them
think they are fulfledged shadow
ers, detective is on their heels all
the time watching their movements
They do not know this, as IL would
not do to let them know too much
1t Is an erroneous idea that q man in
one depar tment knows what Is going
on in the other. He knows nothing
except his individual work, as the
men are not allowed to talk to each
other on matter pertaining to the
business in any way, Neither are
they allowed to enter the business
Office or communicate with the cleri.
cal force. The work has been sharp
ened down 10 such fine point that
man can go to China and back, be-
ing gone for weeks at time, and his
mos { intimate friend will never know
it. OF course, his absence is noticed,
but the men are 80 trained that they
ask no questions.
"When men take position on our
force they Sign an iroDclad agreement
never to accept any presents of money
or jewelry that may be offered them
by people for whom they have accom-.
plished good job. This is done to
prevent our clients from saying that
they are working for q reward, and
any man caught taking anything but
his salary is summerily discharged.
II often happens that after detective
has recovered u large amount of
stolen jewelry, found some missing
friend or solved some murder mys.
terry, he is offered reward, and
many times 1t is large amount, but
it throws discredit upon tho force to
have men accept such things, and
we do not allow them 10 do it.
"The greatest enemy we have to
contend with among the men is
drink. They seem to be imbued with
the idea that a detective is ball
fellow well met, posing as a gambler
or man OF leisure, and taking a drink
at every corner. Another Is that he
must assume a false name and go
through the streets disguised with
fake whiskers and a ssndbag in each
hand. This comes from reading the
trashy literature that is flooding the
country, telling ofthe wonderful ex-
PLOTS of some detective who has been
next door 10 death dozen times, hut
has managed through some hook or
crook to escape each time. No man
who drinks can work for us. What
we want are cool, level-hesded men
who keep their wits about them, and
drinking man can not do that"