The times., 1899-05-21

may be said to their credit, that they have
always done their duty in the best posi-
hle manner and have deserved the com
mendatiou they do not receive. Big cases
often come in bunch and some times one
man has a great deal more to do than he
can attend TO. For instance, only recently
a decomposed body was found in an old
building in the heart of the city. Rumors
were rife to how it came there and
almost any theory was applicable 10 the
case. At the same time several rohberies
occurred in the southeast and excited the
police TO a great extent. One detective was
detailed on both of these cases. either Of
which would have required his entire time
to clear up. But he was very lucky. The
burglar was arrested on suspicion by a
policeman after midnight on the very day
the body was found and a coroner's jury
decided that the corpse had been placed
where it was discovered by resurrection
lists 1t very seldom happens that the
sleuth is as fortunate as this, however,
as they are often compelled to work with
out good results. They cannot give their
whole time 10 any one thing, not because
of any nefficiency the part of the men
who assign them cases. but because the
force is ridiculously small
One of the greatest burdens of the de-
tectives' existence is the well-known jeal-
oUsy that exists between the detectives
and the regular policemen. There is
great deal of cause for this on both sides
although II has been denied both by the
Inspector of Detectives and the Superin-
tendent of Police. In the case of the bur
glar cited above. a detective was assigned
to the case and he worked hard and faith
fully TO catch the Offender. 4 policeman
arrested the man accidentally, it may be
said. The policeman mad no idea that
the man was the burglar wanted, and ar
rested him simply because ne was acting
suspiciously. In the Police Court next
morning the policeman received the cred
il for the arrest. and the detective, who
had done most of the work in securing
evidence against the man. was left out
of ii entirely.
Then it often happens that the police
have eases reported to them personally
I and make arrests before lie matter has
been made known to the detectives. In
this event the man is sant to headquar-
ters to be examined, aud whan he is taken
to the Police Court the detectives get all
the glory of making the arrest. 1t can
readily be seen that rIVa,rv doCs exist
between the two branches of the FOlice
/ Department, despite the frequent denials
of the officials in charge.
The detectives of the illustrated story
book were all private detectives who scorn-
ed the regular police methods and refused
10 De udllpSIetl DN lHe ThltS Oi tue uepdIt-
ment. AS a matter of fact. the detectives
in the police department have less restrie-
tions than the private detective, and the
private detective very seldom gets any
thing to do that amounts 20 anything.
When a man hires a private detective he
does so because he does not want the mat
ter which is to be investigated made pub
lic and he wants all the work done 'on
the quiet" as il is called. These cases
never amount TO anything, and while the
men working on them labor necessarily,
they do not acquire any great renown or
add to their laurels. The detective is pic
tured going about the city with dark
lantern. secret pockets in his clothes, and
all the paraphernalia for Disgusting him
self II is related in the story how ''Old
Sleuth" stepped into a dark doorway "a
well-dressed man of the world and came
out Chinaman with an opium pipe in his
hand and then changed himself into j
negro laborer instantaneously. A little
thought would show the readers of these
remarkable tales that II would be necessary
for the detective to carry a trunk around
with him TO make all these lightning
changes, and they cannot be made in the