The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-10-17
THE RAILROAD DETECTIVE.
A Smart Fellow Who Has Many Inter
esting Experiences.
From the New York Sun.

From the New \ Ork sun.
It was in the waiting room of a Jersey
City railroad station. People were flying
to and fro for trains, and the scene was
quite as animated as the rush of people
around circus ticket wagon. A smooth
shaven mild eyed man was standing near
the door when people were pouring out
for departing trains. The man, who was
well dressed, seemed to be looking for
some one about to leave His eyes were
fastened on the door, and each person
who passed was subjected to his careful
scrutiny. After a few minutes a stoutly-
built man. plainly dressed and wearing a
black mustaChe, walked mp behind the
man at the door and tapped him on the
shoulder. The man turned about and
the two men held a quiet but earnest
two minutes conversation. When it
ended the man with the mustache pointed
toward the street door and the other man
with an angry look followed his direc-
ton.
"Don't come back" said the man, who
gave what was apparently an order from
one having authority. He spoke firmly,
in voice that could be heard several feet
away.
1t seemed strange that a man attending
to his business should be ordered out and
submit to the order. The reporters GU
riosity prompted him to make an inuqiry.
What sort Of a play was that?" he
asked of the man with the mustache.
What business is it Of yours?'' asked
the man.
He seemed somewhat Modified when he
learned that the inquiry was natural, and
was not caused by Interior motives.
WELL" he said, that innocent-loolS-
ing gentleman that you saw leave is one
of the best known of the confidence men
and thieves in the east. He is out Of
prison Just now but is watching out for
his line of business. He sometimes hangs
about on the ferry boats watching for
rural victims on the incoming trains /
suspect that he was looking out to-day
for the safe departure of some Victim
who has been finished up by the gang and
would not squeal because he did not want
his name in the papers. You see. we
can't hold the crook. as we have no evil
dence. SO we give him the rum
And what is your business?" the re-
porter asked.
"Oh. / am a railroad detective, detailed
here to protect patrons Of the road" and
the detective moved away.
Every railroad company has "A small
corps of detectives-bright fellows who
do not win big regulations in big cases,
but who are constantly employed in the
hardest and most trying work. They are
travelling from one end Of the line to the
other looking up all sorts OF depredations
except the work known as spotting emf
ployes That work As usually done by de-
tectives hired from an agency. The rea-
son is easily explained. The railroad de-
tective, in order to carry on his work sue
cessfully, must have large personal ac-
ouaitance with the employees of the road.
1t is ten TO one shot that II any one OF
them caught him spottng "A friend he
would be thenceforth useless. But there
is no end OF labor. The protection Of pat
rons ia large railroad stations from pick
pockets and bunco men is a most fmpor-
tant work 1t requires a detective with a
remarkable memory for faces and a most
extensive acquaintance with sneak
thieves He must carry the rogues' gal
lery In his brain. 10 often happens
though, that man possessed of the real
detective intuition can come pretty near
locating thief by his appearance ana
manners For instance, while moving
about in a crowd at "a railroad station
"A crowd that changes constantly-he
will perhaps notice one man who re-
mains there after the departure and ar
rival OF several trains. That man Is
classified by the detective as "A suspfcIons
character The detective watches him
carefully, and then # he is not duite sure.
he politely asks the man whether he is
waiting for a train. II the answer ~ un-
satisfactory the detective Will observe
that the waiting room Is not a public
ioahng place, but IL intended for passen-
gers. In nine out OF ten cases the expe-
rienced detective viii know whether the