The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-11-23
DETECTIVE WORK.
sous Details Of the Occupation That
'' Are Not Altogether Pleasant.
BARDSHIPS AND ADVENTURES.
Telephone cranks and Angry wo-
men yellow Journalist Often
Claim the Ylg End Of Praise for
Msritorious Work-small Boys
idea Of the Detective.

ace small boy draws his ideas as to
what detective really is from the var
iops thrilling books he has read in a
sprreptitIous manner either after he
has gone to bed or under his desk at
school. He pictures the detective as
lightning change artist. II hissidea was
true the detectives could possibly lead
a life of less hardship by obtaining a
position on the "continuous.s stage,
The routine work OF a regular detec-
five on the police force OF New York 10
full OF hardship and sometimes exciting
adventures, but it is the work done be-
hind the scenes. Of which the public
never hears anything, that is the
grind" of his life.'
A little insight into what Is going on
in the Brooklyn Office will give a fair
idea of what detectives have to contend
with. 0mc
Captain James W. Reynolds, who is
in command Of the bureau, will have
been on the police force twenty-seven
years on February u next. His record
for faithful and excellent work speaks
for itself. All that is necessary to say
here is that he was a detective SER
geant for fifteen years. and in 1895 sue
ceeded the present Deputy Chief, Mack
ellar, in command Of the detectives. /.
Under Captain Reynolds are about
forty regular detectives. This means a
very few men to cover an immense ter
ritory the area covered by the Brook
Ign force being more than twice that
covered by the Manhattan men, OF
whom there are nearly two hundred
Coney Island alone, in season, is twice
as active as Manhattan's famous Ten
derloin and requires more work. 1t
comes under the Brooklyn bureau.
A line of work little heard of outside
Of the detective bureau is the investiga-
ton of inquiries. These are requests
from out-of-town police authorities to
look up certain people or hunt for GER
tain property supposed to have been
stolen. Sometimes 1t is to trace a miss
ing friend; again 1t is to rescue an err
Ing son who has been attracted by the
glitter of city life and has wandered
away from home.
All Of these inquiries have to be care
fully looked up and answered. as in
tine captain Reynolds may desire in
formation from some outside source,
and reciprccatory treaty is absolute
essential. when-it is considered that
nom l5OO to 1000 of these inquiries
reach the Brooklyn bureau every year,
4 peisol can form some idea Of the
work involved.
"cIanks" form 40 sman item in the
work Of the bureau, These "cranks"
are people with delusiong that they IRE
being pursued by some enemy. 1t is
really surprising how many there are
n Brooklyn who have this delusIon,
am Visit the detective bureau. there to
demand protection from their invisible
enemies.
Oae day, not Ing ago, three men, one
Of whom was in business. called on
Captain Reynolds-all with the same
idea. They were impressed that their
enemies were following them every
where. They all had the idea that
these invisible people had arranged TO
have telephone connections with them
wherever they went. One of the men
had AN attack of the telephone" while
he was in the captains Office. and held
a conversation over an imaginary wire,
telling his enemies that he would so
from there and have a body guard of
detectives. This man. as well as the
others, demanded that two detectives
be detailed to remain with him day and
night. The 'cranks" are perfectly
harmless, but they are annoying.
Some people have an impression that
detectives can instantly accomplish the
impossible, and II their request is not
at once complied with and their work
done, they forever after crItlcIse the
bureau.
sample of this class is q recent Wis
itor at headquarters. This one happen
ed to be woman, although mer are
Just as bad. She sailed up to the desk
at which Sergeant Metcalf presides.
and said:
II have come to make complaint,
Some one has stolen my diamond pin.
want to see the captain right away
and have him recover It,"
Captain Reynolds came IN ut this
point, and the woman explained that
she had missed the pin the evening be-
fore. when she wanted to wear 1t, and
sic knew some person had stolen 1t,
DO you suspect any persona" she was
asked.
"oh, no." was the reply. II only
know les gone. and want you to'visit
all the puwnshops and see If you can
find IT,"
You told me your maid was the only
person in the house who had access TO
the place where yor kept your Jewels;
do you think we had better watch
herr" asked the captain
Good gracious, MOI" exclaimed the
woman besides ! had the key 10 my
jewel casket, and she could not get at
It."
We'll. II you had the casket locked,
and 1t was not disturbed. is 1t not pos
SbIe that you mislaid or lost the pin
and that 1t wns not stolen?"
Al this the very Indignant woman
arose from her chair ana in few cut
ting words told what she thought of
detectives in general.
Captain Reynolds, calm and unruf-