The state herald., 1892-03-18
SHIPPING DETECTIVES
THE NOVEL DUTIES OF JOB
RERS' EMPLOYEES.
Mon Whose Sole Business It I, to Pro-
vent Thefts From Track. and Al
/ dresses From Paokages-A
New Ocoup ,tion.

torney the other day the head OF one
OF the largest wholesale dry goods
houses in this city had occasion to re.
fer casually to the various classes OF
men whom his firm found it necessary
to employ. relates tho Chicago Herald.
After citing statesmen, various kinds
OF clerks credit man. cashier. book.
keepers. ETC., the head OF tho firm
added. and shipping detectives"
'And what?" asked the attorney,
as though he hal misunderstood the
term.
Shipping detectives" replied the
cliont
"Wsll, that's new ono on mel" II
was also new to the Herald representa-.
tive who was all attention.
There's nothing strange about
that" said the wholesaler .for the
shipping detective Is quito nov
thing. Few houses-only tho larger
ones-have cause to employ thom,
and tho house that does usually keeps
the matter as much Of n secret us the
condition OF Its bank account"
What are his dutiesP'
principally to shadow consign.
ments OF goods from the time they leave
tho store until they roach tho freigh,
depot and the railway company be.
comes responsible for them by accept.
ing and receipting for them. t"
"A sort OF watchdog on tho team.
sterp"
Only in part. You SEQ we ship d
great many small boxes which
frequently contain hundreds OF dollars
worth OF goods. such rs .flno silks.
sa.ins rich trimmings. &c. Often the
wagon on which these boxes leave the
store passes through alleys or narrow
and unfrequentod side streets. need
not romind you that there are scores
OF very bold dcx,erous thioves In
Chicago as well rs other big cities.
who arc constantly on.the lookout for
opportunities TO nip any thing what
ever that can be turned into money.
Many expensive experiences with
these people have demonstrated that
they keep themselves Remarkably well
informed rs TO the more valuable ship
,mcnts mado by wholesale houses. in
former years it was .an almost daily
occurrence for wholesale houses - par
,icularly those in our line-io have
small boxes OF fine goods bodily
taken from the wagons in broad day
light while going tho compara lively
small distance nee essary 10 be covered
between store and freight depot. Only
n few years ago Our firm had three
such boxes stolen alta clip from one OF
the wagons ut . o'clock In the after
noon. while they were being carted
loss than four squares. BY descrlp
tion which was furnished Of the thieves
by'G bootblacls We caught ono of tho
thrce bold laadies and sent him over
tho road. but We never recovered tho
goods which were valued at over
s3, 600. This was hut one OF ioyeral
such losses. Now we have men who
do little olso than keep thcir eyes on
goods from tho moment thoy arc
placed on transfer wagons until they
are safe within the responsibility OF
the railroad company. And, fioaucnt-
ly 1t keeps them dodging pretty live
ly for they. of course follow the
wagons Moot going along the side.
walk. and keeping sufficient distance
in the rear as not TO attrac, attention.
another duty OF the shipping do.
tcctive-for whom somc houses have
n different name-is TO prevent us iar
rs possible, tho theft OF consignment
addresses. There aro firms doing bus.
inoss in this and. / suppose other
cities, who employ men TO lic In wait
at various times and places and COPY
tho addresses on boxes OF goods which
other firms nre sending out. The OBJ
jcct Is plain-namely, 10 have their
salesmen call on tho parties later on
and try TO get their trade. Tho ship.
ping detectives employed by US have
caught several such sneaks. but not
withstanding they arc guilty OF plain.
nnvarnishcd thieving ye. all wo can
possibly hope TO do In tho matter is 10
drive them away. or when we catch
thom nj IT, give them sound bastlng.
'Of course they will never reveal
the name OF the firm they arc stealing
tho addresses for. and this makes II
impossible for tho reputable houses to
publicly expose their dospicablc mas
tcrs. Such hlrcllngs ARE usually
blacklistod clerks from other cities.
and they hold their dishonorabio jobs
but a short time Any one noticing
the loads Of boxed goods that aro TO
bo sccn upon the principal down town
streets Mt nny hour OF the day will OBJ
serve that ns rule tho addresses arc
not exposed. II they are. tho boxes
in nil probability reprcson, imports
instead Of oxports. A strict. following
OF this rule regarding tho placing OF
boxes on wagons Is enforced by near
iy nil tho houses and goes far ,ownrtl
guarding against tho class OF thloves