The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1896-05-20
SEARCHING FEMAL EoFFENpeas
An Art Which Requires Both Tact ana
Personal Bravery,


An Art Which Requires Both Tact ana
Personal Bravery.
When 1 attended at one of the most
important metropolitan police stations
and sought an interview with the fe-
male searcher anticipated the pleas
ure of a little chat with perfect ogress.
To my surprise, found the searcher to
be a mild-mannered, pleasant-faced
little woman, with quite CHEEKY smile
and an absolutely motherly air about
her. She dropped an old-fashioncd
courtesy when the inspector introduced
her to me, and seemed quite taken
aback when informed that the dignity
of being interviewed was to be con-
ferred upon her.
''Tye been here some years now, and
the task of searching the prisoners is
so familiar that / hardly notice what
happens" said she. Every female pris-
oner brought in is at once searched.
you know. 1 take them down to the
cells, and they have then to remove
every particle of clothing. Everything
found in their pockets or not neces-
sary to be worn is taken from them
and, of course, returned if really their
property when they are discharged.
Each garment l carefully feel over as
[ take it from them, and il is now very
seldom that miss anything that may
be there. A woman was brought in the
ether day charged with stealing a
watch. Find it l didn't, though I
searched every inch of each article Of
clothing. Just as 1 was giving up in
despair I thought of feeling in the
shoes which she had carelessly taken
off. In the left shoe there was tie
missing watch. The woman had been
walking about with her foot screwed
Up and the watch in the toe of her shoe.
Needless to say, 1 always feel in
their hair. Several times stolen articles
have been secreted in the hair, and
an easy one. Another prisoner had
rolled her hair around five-dollar note.
There are two of us here, and if the
prisoner is at all violent both assist in
the search. But it is very seldom that
women are refractory. They know
that violence is of no use; and, needless
to say, we make the task of searching
as pleasant for them as it can be made.
Bad language, as you may imagine, we
are used to; and some prisoners get in
a terrible rage when you light upon
hidden stolen property. When bustles
were in fashion many articles were Sc
GREETED in them, one woman having a
dozen pieces of jeweiry so packed away.
The weight of the hustle betrayed it.
81 also always look well in their
mouths, making them lift up the
tongue, for some habitual criminals are
very clever at hiding rings and other
small articles in this way. There was a
woman here charged with stealing a
wedding ring. l searched her thor
oughly, examining her mouth, Blu.
could find nothing. The prisoner had
had deal too much to drink; and, as
often happens, I was directed to sit
with her all night. l did. At first she
talked, then went to sleep. Suddenly
she started up, seemed as if about tn
choke, coughed violently and the ring
fell from her mouth to the floor of the
y
/ cannot imagine.
There is no special qualification for
the post of searching at a police sta
ton. If you know an inspector and he
speaks for you when there is va
cancy you may get taken on if you have
a good character. Plenty of applicants
there are always. Most prisoners take
things very quietly, and five out of six
go calmly off to sleep. The drunken
ones are great nuisance, but some VINO
come here often grow to regard me
quite as a personal friend end begin to
tell me of their 6oings directly l take
them in hand. Sometimes they glare at
me and say: Don't lay finger on me, ,
but with bit of coaxing usually man
age to pacify them, and the search
proceeds peacefully" - Philadelphia
Telegraph.