Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-04-17
A DETECTIVES WOES.
Every Mail Brings Applications for
Place in His Bureau.
SOME ENTERTAINING LETTERS
Written BY Those Who Would Emulate the
Famous Old Sleuth.
WHY THEY WANT TO BE MAN HUNTERS

''The young man who sees in himself the
skill, daring and peculiar qualifications to
make . detective is a confirmed nuisance, !"
the superintendent of a local detective
agency said yesterday. "Look here" he
went on, pointing to a heap Of letters that
covered his desk, ''that's to-day's mail, and
the bulk of those letters are from young
men who want to go into our business.
Many Of these letters are rare specimens in
their way, and all are self-written indorse-
ments of the applicants qualifications and
fitness for the place he seeks
''The ambition to become detective is
not confined to men alone. THE DISPATCH
published IN account of female spoilers be-
ing employed to watch the con-
ductors on our street railways Since then
our mail has been literally flooded with
applications from women who want to 60
into the spotting business, and with nearly
every application comes at least one case in
which the applicant says she has seen con-
doctors fail to ring up the number Of fares
collected.
Women With q Grievance.
"All our women applicants seem to have
a grievance, and with their application for
a position they invariably file their griev-
ance, giving in their letter enough routine
facts to fill book. Here is a letter re-
teived from lady this afternoon. See, it is
nicely written and the writer is evidently
highly educated. It says:
/ would like to have q position in your
bureau. l live in the East End, and have
often seen the street car conductors knock
Il ha M I
often catch them at it. lam anxious to earn
q respectable living. am 10 years old, and
my friends say l am handsome. If yon need
q railroad spotter, am satisfied would suit
you.
The lady then signs her full name and
gives her address.
'Here is another" the chief detectivee
went on as he fumbled over the stock of
late mail The letter produced was dated
at Kansas City. The writer adopts the edi-
torial 1--WE" and talks glibly in the plural.
He says:
We have had vast experience in all lines
Of detective work, and are thoroughly con-
versant with the topography OF the country
within q radius Of 200 miles. Many cases
brought to a successful issue by us demon
strates our shrewdness and sagacity, and we
possess all those attributes which go to the
makeup of q successful thief taker.
A Large Acquaintance With Crooks.
We know and have had dealings with
nearly all the crooks in Kansas City and out
side towns. This alone proves invaluable to
a detective. In regard to our physical
strength, constant exercise in the gym
nasium has developed us INFO athletes
of no mean order. We arS q perfect
giant in stature and strength. Our personal
appearance is such as to warrant us in
taking any kind of q case. We are equally
at home on the polished floor of the ball
room or in squalid dives of the slums OF
great city. We are very apt and ready
in the matter Of DISCUSSES, and have
untold facilities for making O light
ming change. Wc desire to see law
and Justice carried out in all cases.
The writer then signs his name with an
signature, by which he asks to
be addressed when the appointment Is sent
him