The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-06-03
BEING A DETECTIVE.
THE PRACTICAL SLEUTH DIFFERS
FROM THE IDEAL VERY MUCH.
A Man Whose Life Has Been Spent in
the Business Talks of Its Ins and Outs.
How Hard Experience Quells the Young
Ambition-The Modern Hawkshaw.

Selecting suitable men and training
them for the detective business is not the
easiest part of our work." said an old de-
tective the, other day. Gin fact it is the
hardest thing we have to contend with to
get honest, bright men whom we @ trust
and rely upon We select our zen r,n
all branches of human endeavor, and q
railroad brakeman, carpenter, store clerk
or any man in the humblest walks of life
is often found to make the best detective.
The first question asked of an applicant is
whether he can read and write If he is
not familiar with these common branches
his application is at once thrown into the
waste basket and he is told that his serv-
ices are not needed. On the other hand,
if a bright young man comes into the Of
flee 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 and if the slightest flaw is
discovered the application goes into the
waste basket.
''The first work that is given to a new
man is 'shadowing' This consists of get
ting on the track of certain person, keep
ing him in sight and watching his move
ments without letting him know it. This
is the incipient branch of the business and
contrary 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 gives him instruc-
TONS 1t does not take the experienced
man long to learn the ability of his scholar,
and after two or three trials he makes a re-
port to the Office. If the new man has
shown any aptitude for the work he is at
once placed on the salary list and given a
job.
"This 'shadowing' business is one of the
most important branches of detective work,
and to do it successfully requires the skill
of an artist, and not one man out of half
hundred is found suitable for it.
'New men are watched carefully during
the first few months they are with US, and
while many of them think they are full
fledged shadowers,' a detective is on their
heels all the time watching their move
ments. They do not know this, as it would
not do to let them know too much. 1t is
an erroneous idea that a man in one de-
partment knows what is going on in the
other. He knows nothing except his indi-
vidual work, as the men are not allowed to
talk to each other on matters pertaining to
the business in any way. Neither are they
allowed to enter the business Office or COM
municate with the clerical force. The
work has been sharpened down to such a
fine point that man can go to China and
back, being gone for weeks at time, and
his most intimate friend will never know
it. OF course his absence is noticed, but
the men are so trained that they ask no
questions.
when men take position on our force
they sign an ironclad agreement never to
accept any presents of money or jewelry
that may be offered them by people for
whom they have accomplished a good job
This is done to prevent our clients from
saying that they are working for reward,
and any man caught taking anything ex-
cept his salary is summarily discharged.
1t often happens that after a detective
has recovered large amount of stolen
jewelry, found some missing friend or
solved a murder mystery he is offered a
reward, and many times it is large
amount, but it throws discredit upon the
force to have men accept such things, and
we do not allow them to do it.
1.-THE greatest enemy we have to contend
with among new men is drink Another
idea is that he must assume false name
and go through the streets disguised with
fake whiskers and a sandbag in each
hand. This comes from reading the trashy
literature that is flooding the country tell
ing of the wonderful exploits of some de-
tective who has been next door to death
dozen times, but has managed, through
some hook or crook, to escape each time.
I'VE are constantly besieged by book
publishers who want to use our name to
back up some book that they want to print.
They think if they can only prefix the title
of their trashy novels with our name it
gives the publication an air of authenticity,
but my consent is never given. Our great
est annoyance, however, comes from boys
who aspire to detective honors They have
filled their heads with all sorts of imagin-
alive tales which they read, and then write
to me and ask if will give them a job as
detective rll venture to say that 100 of
these kind of letters go into the waste paper
basket every week The other day re-
ceived letter from a man who wanted to
be a detective. He said he could speak
hNe ldlS ud9tS duu leu lIilly CdtpdDte VI per
forming the duties of a detective. His
was the finest ever saw, and
l concluded he was a crank; there was a
screw loose some place.
Women often ask for positions, but it is
one of our infallible rules never to employ
them. Not one in thousand ever amounts
to anything, because they cannot keep a
secret.
''I'll never forget the case Of one young
man who wanted to become detective
He was the son of q rich merchant who
now occupies a high position socially and
financially in this city. The boy was re-
fined and educated, but nothing would do
but that he should be q detective The
father came to me and asked me what he
should do. He explained that he could do
nothing with the boy. Send him to me-
said l, and I'll take that out of him. l
found him a bright young man with all
the qualifications for business career He
was willing TO start, and the first night
sent him TO s deserted coal yard on the
South side to watch for coal thieves. The
temperature was way below zero and the
speed of the wind had to be taken with
lightning rod. Well, he lasted just two
nights. 1nen he came to me and said that
be had been called out of town suddenly
and would have to leave me. OF course
was sorry TO lose him, but | took the de-
tective spirit out of him in short order, as
| predicted. Chicago Tribune.
t-ia IN