Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-11-18

citizen was indignant, as tho lady was
relative from the country, and he had met
her and taken her to "a hotel. But he re-
flected that, although his conduct had been
perfectly innocent, IL might DO given an
ugly appearance, and so he decided To gain
time and seek my advice.
81 told him that the first thing 20 do
was to explain the whole situation TO his
wife and then to arm himself with two
feet of stout rubber hose concealed under
his coat, take a friend with him, go to SEQ
Hicks, make him repeat his proposition in
the friends presence and then give him q
good beating with the hose. You see, "a
hose is not u deadly weapon, but it hurts
dreadfully and leaves few MARKS.
MY client was delighted with my ad-
vice, but he wanted to take . club instead
of n hose. 1t was all could do to dis
suade him. If no had taken club, he
would have killed his mar, and knew it.
"That Is the only way to trca. private
detectives of that class. The business of
private detectives Is necessary and legiti-
mate, but the operations Of blarkmailers
calling themselves private detectives have
brought the term into much disrcpute'
G. J. Stillwell, another reputable detect
i've, said
"The curbstone detective has no reputa-
ton to lose. He is willing Mt all times to
undertake any scheme of blackmail or ex-
tortion. To his eyes the immediate dollar
is Of moro Importance than prospective
reputation. 1t is of little importance
whether the evidence that he secures for a
client is true or not, and he will not hesi-
tate under tho pressure Of good fee to
manufacture evidence and suborn perjury
"One of the most famous cases of black
mail in this city by an inscriptions pri-
vatc detective was that in which Wilson
and McGaughey took part. BY certain
means Wilson secured the fragments of a
letter from the wasteb6sket of the late
DR.. Plouf. A lady in Willows had writ
ten business letter to Plouf regarding
some dogs. After Wilson had surrepti-
tiousiy obtained tho fragments of this let
ter he pasted them together and proceeded
to Willows, where she met the husband of
the lady in question. Carefully conceal
ing all but the signature of the letter, he
offered to furnish the husband with abso-
lutte proof of his wifes infldelity on the
payment Of n certain sum. He actually
secured $40 by this scheme ard afterward
related the circumstances in court, ex-
planning that McGaughey had urged him
| to that course. The death OF Dr. Plouf at
McGaughey's hands was the result of this
| private detectives work.
"Such acts as these tend to bring the
term private detective into bad odor. For
the honest detective there is broad field of
usefulness 1t is his business to trace
missing heirs and persons who have disap-
peared from their accustomed places in
| life. He is often called upon by employers
to investigate the habits and character Of
an employee. Much Of the labor of private
detectives comes through the requirements
| of lawyers. 1t Is impossible for an attorney
| with a large practice to learn from his
clients witnesses all that it is necessary
| for him to know, and it is here that n pri-
vate detective is needed, and he must as
certain the character of the witnesses and
the legal value of their evidence
] IA great deal of the private detectives
| work lies entirely outside the limits Of
police detectives duties. AS rule police
detectives work does not come into play
until after warrant has been issued. In
| the case of a defaulter, for instance the
least publicity will alarm him and he will
try to escape. 1t frequently happens that
q suspected person is kept under careful
surveillance long time by private detect
ives, until his books have been exported
and his guilt or innocence ascertained 1t
sometimes happens that men are wrong
fully suspected. In such cases they are
| never Iudue dWSI6 OF I1e severe trial
through which they have been put.
There are many kinds of fraud which
are being constantly investigated by the
private detective. Threats of blackmail
and anonymous letters are placed in his
hands for Investigation, and il is through
his tact and skill that the guilty PARTIES
are discovered. The private detective IL
also called upon to find lost or stolen arti-
cles He may assist in the conviction of Q
criminal. or he may establish the innocence
| of q man who has been convicted Of Q
! crime"
When shady private detectives were
mentioned to an experienced police detect
i've he struck his desk with his clinched
hand and veheInentiy exclaimed:
They are the greatest promoters Of
crime in the whole country. i am not
Speaking of the respectable private detect
i've, but Of the detestable spy whose prin-
| cipal business is 70 find out the weakness
q men and women and levy blackmail on
the knoWlsdee thas - thus acQuipaA