Smyrna times., 1892-12-14
CHAPTER III.
s. s. s.

VINO, and what IS detective
Well, now, that is a question. You
might as well ask how is a letter of the
alphabet made. But, for some of nv
readers benefit, l will try to answer.
believe there are people who really
are shy of detectives. l don't mean
criminals or fugitives, but innocent
people, that have no need of fear not
children only, but grown people.
Well, says one, if that McLain is a
detective, | am not afraid of him nor
anyone like him. Just so, my good
reader, that is right. Again, SAYS
another, have known McLain IA long
time, but as for him being detective,
that is a new wrinkle to me. TO such
beg to say, they don't mean to say
they know me, for all they may have
seen me several times. | never went
to school much, yet | learned while
small. to be seen and not heard next.
that still tongue makes wise head !;
but later on, have about come to the
conclusion that if you keep your
tongue too still, no one will ever know
you have wise head. And again,
when joined the secret service years
ago, was cautioned so much to keep
my mouth shut and both ears and at
least one eye open, until now the fact
is, keep my mouth shut too tight,
causing my associates and would be
acquaintances to think me cold heart
ed, selfish and unfricndly, when such
is not my intention.
Now, | don't propose to mark out
some other mans path and dictate to
him what he should do in the detec.
tive field, but am only speaking for
myself. l, as detective, solicit and
| will investigate every class of civil and
criminal work, including, theft, for
geries, GmbeZzlement, blackmaiing
schemes, threatening and anonymous
communications; detect crimes and
bring criminals to justice; ascertain
the habits and associates of employees;
to establish the authenticity of wills,
the validity of deeds, and trace the
origin and genealogy Of heirs. And do
a general detective business in all its
| branches.
According to the statutes of all the
states, there are two general divisions
| of crimes or Oifenses against the law,
known as felOnies and misdemeanOrs.
Felonies arc Ofienses which may be
punished by death or Imprisonment in
the penitentiary; all other offenses are
misdemeanors, and don't interest me
much. The reason for this is two-fold:
first, it don't pay to waste time with
small matters, and the second is, that
in every town, the marshal or regular
ly organized police are employed and
paid regular salary to preserve the
peace, and if the independent man in.
tCTferes, the local officers become ieal-
Gus, and l desire to be on good terms
with the regularly constituted author
tiles. Therefore / confne myself to
felonies. The field is large, the re.
ward is great, and my protection under
the law, is ample. Murder has two or
three grades, according to different
states. There are first degree, second
degrees and man slaughter, p,
procuring, or attempting to procure an
A., robbery, shooting, cutting,
etc, with intent to kill, or r., OF
rob, child stealing, matchmaking, arson.
malicious burning of property, burn
ing ones own property to get the in
surance, burglary, embezzlement
BTahu laEceuy, (uOG petCyI, horsesIeal-
ing, destroying or secreting will
perjury or false swearing, falsely per
sOnating another person before a court
or officer, bribing officers, receiving
bribes, aiding II prisoner to escape
bigamy, incest, S. under promise
of marriage. obtaining property CT
money under false pretences, selling
or conveying land without a title, for
gerry and cOunterfeiting
These are the principal felonies, and
it can be readily understood, though
be private detective, can easily pro
cure enough to keep away the blues
without poking my nose too far into
other peoples business. A man dom
have to be lawyer to be u detective
it is no business of mine to prosecute
am only to detect, so those interested
may prosecute.