The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-12

agent knew that the other would have good
cause for action, and the matter ended in
the gambler getting his ticket. In this way
the identification method came into use on
most roads.
Pickpockets work a crowded suburban
train, card "sharps' and "fakirs' wait for
the local express trains, but the fly crook
tries to secure a berth on the Chicago
sleeper. Many of the regular steamer gam
by an occasional transcontinental trip by
rail. The sleeping car people have an easier
time to evade him and still keep within the
law. There are no berths to be had. 1t is
a matter of regret to the conductor, but
they are ali occupied. Unless each passen-
ger present intends to occupy two sections
it would appear that there was a diScrep-
ancy somewhere; but If the applicant is wise
he will waste no time indulging in audible
reflections. This particular kind of operator
is quiet and unassuming, and rather than go
through this ordeal again he boards the
next train at a smaller station.
In case of an actual robbery on a train the
conductor at the next stop wires report
to the division headquarters. SO far as pos
sible the exact time of the robbery is noted,
and each person leaving the car thereafter
is seen by the station agent In case II is
small station, or by the police at large
one. In this way the thief or his fence
often can be located approximately, ana the
local police called into requistuon. AFTER
robbery is reported the terminal detective
detains and searches any crook coming from
the train. ..,o a. ms
sengers the service is entirely gratuitous
on the part of the company" said we'll
known railroad man recently. we insure,
limited by certain rules, a passenger SaIe
conduct to the point named on his ticket.
We are in no way responsible for the loss
of valuables in his actual possession. VI
course, il is to our interest TO lessen tne
chances of this kind of loss, but we assume
no more moral obligation In the matter imam
a theater management does in the case OF d
person Gnjoyng the depoirarb Inv mo means
spends all his time in protecting passengers:
Each night thousands Of dollars worth OF
merchandise lies side-tracked IN 1relgnt
cars in the wards at the end of each d.
vision. Frequently nothing but a piece OF
soft lead wire seals the door of a car con-
tanning local freight. Fast freight and per-
ishabe matter does not suffer much, be
cause nowadays it goes across the country
at about passenger train schedule. But pill
fering Of the local freight goes on constant
ly. and here it is that the line detective,
usually one to each division, makes hlmsei1
necessary to his employers. The class ana
standing in the community OK some OF th tIse
pilferers is astonishing. This refers TO the
occasional thief. The real rallroad tnlei
is a caste as distinct as the shoplifter, and
will steal anything from the brasses OF an
engine to a barrel of oil.
The line detective is usually a special po-
lice officer, and as such his JurlsdlctlOn "oeS
which he has his headquarters. although his
duties call him over from nfty 10 one nun
dred miles of road. He is acquainted with
the tough joints and dives in all the towns
along the route for there IS where he most
often locates his man. There. also, most or
the dickering is done with the fence lie
works up understanding cases, and goes cut
with the wrecking crew to protect property
scattered over the tracks. One Erie Getec-
tive has adopted with success the Small-Doy
system of reporting inaugurated by Mr..
Sherlock Holmes.
The average life of the railroad detective
is not very romantic. For days at a time
he does nothing more picturesque than
prowl about the great yard at the end OF
the division where he is stationed and chase
coal thieves, arrest tramps, and scare bad
little boys for stealing rides on coal dumps.
Sometimes he is borrowed by the attorneys
to serve subpoenas and work up cases. But
although the terminal men come in for all
the more important railroad jobs, the man
on the division sometimes is able to stumble
upon something of Importance to some che
elsa band of counterfeiters, or along the
coast and Canadian border. gang of su1ug-
glers. A matter of this kind he will work
up in odd moments, and when he is sure of
his game he sends for a federal secret serv-
ice man and comes in for share of the
reward.