The times., 1899-05-21

value This is one of the most erroneous
ideas that a citizen can be possessed of.
The whole force it not ouly not put to
work on his case, but very small por-
tlon of ii devotes very little tine TO 1t.
Ihe sleuth detailed on the case makes a
thorough investigation of the affair
though in that time and is generally able
to locate the article. great deal of work
is done in the office. When an article is
reported missing and there is reason to
believe that the thief would pawn or sell
1t, the inspector of Junk anG pawnsbops
is called upon and given a description of
the property
Reports are received at the detective
bureau each day from every second hand
dealer in the city and a glance at these
will show every article that has been sold
within the last twenty-four hours. These
reports are often a great help to the police
as they are enabled to find without going
10 great deal of trouble whether the
article has been sold to a licensed dealer
II the reports do not show that the prop
erty has been disposed of and the case
Is not of very important nature the de-
tective waits until the next day when he
will be relieved of Office duty and then
makes personal investigation of the case
Often ii has occurred that after walking
two or three miles and spending much time
the detective is met at the door OF the
mans residence when he goes to make
his investigation by the loser of the article
and is told that everything is right. My
wife thought she would put the pin away
for safe keeping you know, and forgot to
tell me. | am very much obliged 10 you
for your kindness in looking up the case.
though. Good morning" And the patient
hardworking. and sorely disappointed
u n Iaff
would hardly appear well in print The
sleuth does not complain, however. 1t all
comes in a days work and he goes off
merrily to the next case. This class of
persons who misslay things is very large
and the worst phase of it is that when
they find that Mary has put the article
away they never think OF notifying the
detectives and the case remains on the
books at the Office and stares the detective
in the face every time he thinks his record
is cleared up.
Then there is another class who give
the police a great deal of trouble These
are the people who will allow their valua-
bic canine possessions to run loose in the
streets. lady with a poodle is a very
well known parsonage around the detec-
tive bureau. She always has a woebegone
expression on her face as she tells how
I little FidO has strayed away from his
nome ana cannot De round. sometimes fIdO
has gone under the house for glorious
roll in the dirt and SCOT. a slight cessa-
tion from the milk and water diet he is
subjected TO by his careful mistress, and
oftener still Fido has found a more com
Portable home to dwell in. 1t makes no diff
ference to the mistress, however. The
doggie must be found and brought home
and the detective must find him. If the
sieuth has a murder case or is watching
some well known thief to make sure that
he does not practice his calling in this
Jurisdiction, he must forsake these and find
Fido. else there will be a complaint lodged
against him and he will be called upon by
the Superintendent of Police to explain why
he did not find Fido right away. II the
dog is not forthcoming within twenty
four hours the mistress commences imme-
diately TO call the detectives names and
launch forth a TRADE against the whole
police system generally.
There are very few important cases, or,
rather, cases of much moment reported to
the police. Washington is very good
city, as a rule, and the commission of
great crimes is not generally practiced
here Occasionally the police have a
chance to distinguish themselves, and it