The Anaconda standard., 1898-02-13
SECRET is WELL GUARDED.
Statesmen of Jewels Conceal Their Call.
ings From Public.

From the Chicago Chronicle.
How do the travelling statesmen of
the great diamond and jewelry houses
protect the valuable samples which
they carry around the country con-
stantly, cases of diamonds and iewelry
sometimes aggregating $4,000 in value :?
How do they guard against robbery
on railroad trains and in hotels in the
small cities and towns they are obliged
To make" while on their trips?
These are the questions which the
managers of the diamond firms and
which the Pinkerton detective agency
refuse to aswer. They assert briefly
that an exposition of the safeguards
thrown around diamond statesmen and
OF the system employed to prevent
robbery and to capture thieves when
the prevention proves inadequate would
open the door to hold-ups and robber-
les of statesmen all over the country
and set at naught the system which has
been perfected by years of work and
trouble. The men who represent the
big jewelry firms of the country carry
with them on all their trips valuable
gems which are the especial prey of
thieves, since they can be SO easily
converted into cash. Diamonds,
watches and rings aggregating SIS, 900
to $4,000 in value are being constantly
transported around the country in sam
try towns, kept in hotels over night,
and 1t would seem exposed all the time
to the hands of the despoiler Yet
reports Of robberies of statesmen are sell
dom heard. 1t is not often that one
of the men entrusted with these valu-
ables is waylaid and assaulted or that
sample case is lifted" with its store
of jewels.
All of the principal jewelers. of the
country belong To one of two associa-
tions. the wholesalers being allied in
the jewelers. Protective union and the
retailers forming the jewelers. Secur-
ity alliance both of which have head
quarters in New York. For mutual pro-
lection and that the ferreting out of
crime may be made easier they are
thus organized and the Pinkerton de
tectiye agency does their detective
work. What the system is the jewelers.
forming the union do not know. 1t is
known alone to the management of
the William Pinkerton detective
agency.
When a salesman is robbed any
where in the country his firm at once
notifies the headquarters of the pro-
teetiNe union and the machinery of
the agency is set to work To recover the
property and capture the thieves
When that is accomplished as ii is in
a majority of cases. the firm is noti-
fled of the result through the union
headquarters, but no detailed report
Of how Il Was done is made To the firm
most Interested. That is one of the
secrets of the detective agency.
All the statesmen on the road Tor the
big diamond houses are known To the
agency and watch is kept on their
movements around the country hilt
what methods are taken la prevent
The assault and robbery eft The trusted
drummcrs Is one af tEe things no man
can tnd out kobhcF.es of this nature.
as matter Of fact, are very rare.
Sometimes one occurs almost incident
ally. as when a drummer ca-cle-slv
leaves his sample case for a mameut iu
a depot or hotel and il is picked up bv
a sneak thief Who has no idea NJ the
value " the booty he Us securing. Dc-
cas.onally, OF course, a salesman X