The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1901-10-11
NO MORE "0LD SLEUTHS."
DISCUSSES ARE NOT USED IN MOD
ERIN SECRET SERVICE.

"ootiing Close 10 the Criminals" tho
chief Aim Of the Detective How he
Ingratlates Himself with Men Of the
Vicious Glasses - Hereditary Crime.
In the government secret service
"Aake-up' wardrobes have gone their
way to the old-clothes man, and the
wigs and mustachios of the venture
some agents" now find the limit OF
their usefulness at masquerade balls.
The "lynX-eyed" sleuth, whom yellow
covered literature was won't to picture
always hot on the trail" is usually
found, these days quiet and composed,
behind roll-top desk in an easy arm
chair, with a telephone at one hand
and push bells at the other. Here he
transacts most of his work without
moving from his seat. He will tell you
that stories like Sherlock Holmes, the
development of the police columns in
the daily newspapers, and their devo-
ton of so much space to the rascals
and the catchers of rascals have broad
ened the criminal mind, as well as
educated" and the leading public and
Smashed the theory of DISCUSSES to
smithereens." This has revolution
lied the whole business.
William p Hazen, who has just be-
come the head of a private bureau,
after twenty years in the government
service, said today that agents in run
ming down criminals have to depend
for their disguise solely upon their
own ability to be 'one of them" Often
times their careers do not vary much
from the life of a commercial traveller,
inasmuch as the object of each is to
ingratiate himself in the good will of
the tradesmen in his particular field.
Decoy letters and judicious use of the
coin" have superseded the bulls-eye
dark lantern and the six-shooter.
THE working force of the secret ser
vice up to date" said Mr. Hazen, lis
picked from ali classes in which crime
exists. This includes men and women
of all nationalities. Some lead a no
madic existence over the length and
breadth of the country, under assumed
names; others do not change their
residence or their names. They live
the life of the people they hunt; they
make them their friends the resorts
of those wanted are their resorts;
their friends are mutual, and they even
share each others bread. When a case
is made against a law-breaker, the
secret service agent has been known
to be the first to extend his sympathies
to the man whom his wits have placed
within reach of the law. Unless it can
not be avoided, the secret service man
does not reveal his identity by testify
ing for the government at a trial.
= That is left for others, for just so soon
as the fnformer' gives himself away,
from that period begins his uselessness
to the government, and also his dan
ger of being removed by friends or
members of the family of the man he
has run down.
Z There are those in other walks of
life who look down upon the secret
service agent on account of the work
that he performs. They say it is filled
with hypocrisy and deceit, which they
think would make the calling lOath-
some to any man Of principle; but
those well-meaning persons know lit
tie Of the people that the government
is pitted against Violators of the law
lay great stress on trickery and deceit
To many of them a human life is OF
little account, and to match this des-
perate cunning, nothing has proved sc
effective as the very same methods"
Chief Wilkie, who is now at the head
of the secret service, says that New
Z York maintains an unenviable pre-
= eminence in the counterfeiting Of
coins. During the twelve months just
closed, he adds, there was less counter.
feiting of notes in the United States
than during any similar period since
the adoption of the present system o.
currency. 1.-THE counterfeiting of coiT
has decreased all over the country
with the notable exception of New
&ork City and vicinity. In that dis
II trict are made more than Is percen
of the dangerous all-silver counterfeit
coins in circulation in the United
States" This opinion is APPARENT!
shared by ex-Chief Hazen, who says o
the maker of bad money:
"Counterfeiters give the service it
hardest trials. The making of tn,
queer will probably never be stopped
as long as the system Of legal tende
notes exists. Up North here it seem
to be done mostly by foreigners, Blu
in the South it is distinctly a habi