St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-03-20
Watching the Employees, and
How the Latter Also
Watch Them.
Detective System Is as Per-
feet as Any Railroad De-
paPtment.
Some Sketches Of Effective
Work Among Crooked
Employees.

Sey City and hurried out to the train for
the West that was about to pull out of
the Pennsylvania station.
Many masculine eye was turned to
the trim figure, and many a man looked
as if he would have given something to
nave been in the place of the parlor car
conductor, who was rewarded with a
weet smile for helping her up the
steps.
Yet that same conductor at the very
moment was sincerely wishing that
that same pretty young woman were
anywhere else than on his train, for
three years before she had been pointed
out TO him as one of the most clever de-
tectiYes in the employ OF the PInker-
ton agency.
As matter of fact, in spite of her ap-
parent shyneSs, she was one of the most
eXperienteI "spOtters" n the employ
Of the Pullman company.
Her sweet smile and her pre- ty brown
eyes were only the masks OF her Occu-
patton, and it was good odds that while
one was employed N all effort to be-
witch the company'S CmDIOye, the other
would be actively engaged i'll watching
his every movement and taking down
an accurate account Of everything he
did during her stay on his train
Even though he may not transgress
the company's rules in single respect
it is no sure thing that he will not re-
ceive a letter from headquarters at the
end of the month calling his attention
to the fact that on that day he used bad
language in addressing his porter, or
that he failed to collect the proper fare
from some way passenger, or that he
passed some friend free, or that he did
something or other else that he should
not have done.
Perhaps he may have been innocent
in every respect. and the chances are
that he was. for he we'll knows that he
is watched at every turn, and that he is
liable to removal at any moment. but
this makes little difference.
The "spotter" knows that she has got
to earn her pay, and that if there is
nothing to "Spot" her occupation is
gone; so she will not hesitate 10 manu-
facture q transgreSSlOn is order to make
it the basis for report, suggests the
New York Herald.
The Long Island railroad few years
ago had "spotter" who was a most
consummate villain in this respect. His
name was Farr, and his ostenSlble oc;
cupation was to examine the accounts
of station agents.
Year after year he went up and down
the road, and his trips never failed to
reveal some discrepancy in the accounts
Of some unfortunate agent. At the
same time he seldom if ever failed to
find some ground for complaint against
a conductor or other trainman.
In fact, the company seemed to
| possess in "Maj." Farr an untiring en-
ploye and one that was most faithfully
devoted to the company'S interests.
Station agents frequently complained
that, no matter how honest they might
try to be, and no matter how sure they
might be that their accounts were abSO-
lutely correct, the "Major" always man
aged to discover a shortage in their
cash.
This went on for a long time, until
one day the station agent at East New
York got a tip that FAIR would be
around to see him that afternoon. He
quietly marked two five-dollar bills Ill
his cash drawer for Identification, and
then awaited the Majors" coming.
He arrived as per schedule, and there
was the customary going over OF the
books. But when Farr started to count
the cash the agent turned away care
| lesSly, at the same time keeping care
full watch upon his man. He was re-
warded by seeing Farr slip a s. note
into his pocket. A moment later the
examiner said:
II have found a shortage of IS in your
cash. MIR. Smith, and L shall be CON-
PEELED to so report"
The agent, who was fully prepared
for Just such an announcement, called
in policeman who was III waiting, ana
Farr was promptly arrested. He was
very indignant and roundly denounced
the proceeding.
On the way to the station house, how
ever, he did not hesitate to try to de-
stroy the damaging evidence against
him, but he was caught in the act of
slipping the bill into his mouth. whence
it was promptly extracted by the police
man.
Farr was convicted and sent to prison,
and the agent at East New York earned
the everlasting respect of his fellow EN-
ployes.
The detective system is about as per-
feet as any department of a railroad,
and hundreds of thousands of dollars
are annually expended in the "spot-,
ting" of employees. The spoilers"
term of usefulness is not a long one, for
the railroad men are not long i'll spot
ting" him.
a conductor uGlGcIS pair VI eyes
watching him little too intently, and
his suspicious are Immediately aroused.
He, too, does a little watching. and il
there is really 'spotter" on his trail it
is almost a sure thing that he will find
it out.
The word is passed along from one
train crew 10 another, and 1t is only
matter of very few days when that
spoilers" usefulness is thing of the
past. Another is employed to take his
place on that road. aud he passes on to
another, and so the progression cOntin-
ues.
Old railroad men become accustomed
to this surveillance and get so they look
upon it as matter of course. But new
man, one before whom the opportunity
to be dishonest Is suddenly thrown, is
very apt to resent the idea, and if he
discovers the ''spOtter" there is every
likelihood of clash.
OF course the spying is not always
going on, although the company would
like to have its employees believe that
they are never out Of the so-called spe-
cial agents sight. As matter of fact,
there is very little opportunity for the
employees to steal from their employ
ers, so many safeguards have been de-
vised.
Most of the cash is handled at the sta
tons, where the agents have to account
for every ticket they sell, and they are
compelled to make daily returns of their
receipts.
Then, most of the tickets are punched
before the holders are permitted to
board train, and so there Is no chance
for the conductor to return an I'M
punched ticket TO the agent to be sold
over again.
Still. as once heard an old railrOader
remark, there never yet was devised
system so perfect that it could not be
beaten in some way or other; and so the
fight goes on, the company ever alert
to put new checks upon its men, and
the latter always on the lookout for
new scheme to beat the game.
The Shenandoah Arrives.
NEW YORK, March 19.-After a pre-.
longed voyage Of S62 days, during which