Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1894-02-03


Stand here and
talk to me. will
you, while?" said the detective II
have been here 50 long it is getting
deuced monotonous. Stand over on
this side of the tree. There, that's
right. I've got to have my eye on that
window with the curtain up. Been
watching that spot since 10 this morn
ing. Nothing to eat. nothing TO drink
for seven hours; couldn't bulge, of
course. Expect three weeks sha-
downing to climax in that house to-day.
If miss, Ill get laid off.
Isn't much romance in to-day's
work, then, is there?'' asked the re-
porter.
There never is. he said, bitterly
81 was attracted by the alleged ro-
nance % it, and went into it. / didn't
find oui my mistake until had got so
far into it that had new profession
learned.
The first work the novice is put at, z
said the detective. fills him with
false idea Of his own Importance. He
is set to shadowing a man with com
plicated route. The novice thinks he is
on big case. whereas in reality he is
probably shadowing only an office de-
tectiYe whose route was made out be-
forehaud to try him. The dishonest.
trick man viii fake up a report. not
knowing that he himself has been
Swallowed. If his report is not abso-
lutely genuine he is never heard of
again as a detective. In no other BUSH
ness is greater honesty exacted than in
detective work. All the chief wants is
an intelligent report. No matter if
you fail, so long as he can rely on your
report, it is all right. Detective work
has been reduced to such a system
these days that the old maxim. 1t
takes thief to catch a thief. has no
place in our category of abilities. The
chief requisite is honesty.
The novice is not sent out to learn
by himself the art of shadowing. He
receives from the first assistant to the
chief some general instructions. These
generally surprise the beginner. being
contrary to what he thought he would
have to do. For instance, he is told
that the first rule in shadowing is. do
not use DISCUSSES. When a disguise is
necessary, it is time to call in an as
sistant.
Then comes another rule which he
does not know is. perhaps, the hardest
of them ali to follow, until he gets at
actual work. This rule is, never let
the Swallowed see your face the second
time.
These two are the fundamental
general laws of the profession. The
specific rules are many, such as never
dodge behind trees, poles or corners.
Always appear unconcerned. If sha-
dowed stops, go on like an ordinary
person. When Swallowed gets on a car
do not race after the car: call the first
cab or order a carriage at the first liv-
cry stable you pass.
Let me illustrate the last by an ex-
perience of mine. Two years ago.
was told by the chief that two Span
iards, clever thieves, were to arrive by
steamer. / laid the wire. If thieves
they probably lived high, and. being
foreigners, they would take a carriage.
the best they could secure. So | got a
hack, assuring myself that the horses
We're fast. The Spaniards waited
neryously about the pier Finally
they approached my driver and
tried to engage him, saying in
an easy way that their own
carriage had not come. They were
about to step into the next hack, when
their own rig appeared 1t was mag
niticent turnout, with housekeeping
horses, ordered by telegraph from
Queenstown. found my team was
not in it with the thoroughbreds.
Passing under the elevated saw a
train coming up, l figured out could
catch it, so tossing the driver 81. flew
up the stairs. had heard them say
that they We're going to the Grand
Central depot. got there just as they
We're entering. They were going to