New-York tribune., 1902-12-28
THE WOM.4N DEI'ECITpE.
Her hys,1o,1ty to Man-What q
Successful One Must DO.

"yes r suppose it's a matter of temperament. y
/ said a woman detective yesterday Ihere are
born detectives as there born poets and prime
ministers. I've been In the work for twenty years
now and wouldn't be happy in any other.
I'VE women have to be awfuly hard hearted
sometimes II we're loyal to clients and our
ca plain. One great trouble with women is they
get so interested in their case chats what We
call the individual we're after for the mnute) that
they simply can't follow the thing to the bitter
end. and they give a tip that let's them out
Somestimes, too, women sell out. Our agency
employs more women than other in the city
or even out of it. probably and our experience Is
that women haven't. as class the same business
sense or business loyalty as men in this work
Yet have now in our employ women VINO are
between fifty and sixty years of age and have
been with all their lives, al least since they
twenty-five. Women are rarely employed as
detectives under that age And few. almost none
of them, take it definite profession. as they
do sewing teaching or typewriting, for instance
They fall into it. practically Circumstances draw
them into it, and then, If they have natural apti-
tude for it. they stay, because there really is more
money to be made in it than in anything else, al
most that take
eyomen come almost daily who sure
they would make good detectives; in reality, they
are after the salary and the perquisites, but.
said. there is scarcely in hundred who has
the slightest aptitude for the work
MAJORITY IN STORES.
"No couldn't give you definite figure for the
number of women detectives employed in this city.
as it isn't clear profession. For instance. the
great majority of the at this work in
department stores and similar places, and ten to
one they have grown right up into the business
from cash girls and clerks. They are fine for
their especial line but they would make failure
on divorce forgery cases, for instance.
Then have women in employ who under
take oply special lines of work-suYnmer hotels.
etc. Some work for at night and their
livings in other ways. We pay them only when
we use them, and we don't consider them as really
belonging our force. 1t is the woman who Is al
ways on tap who gets sent to Kamschatka
month and South Africa the next.
"Oh, yes. I've been TO Cape Town. A New-York
womans husband died there and left her nothing
and naturally she wanted TO know why. Yes I've
heen to Europe several times. But perhaps the
funniest transatlantic trip the one l didn't
take. An old man rushed into Office Fri
day morning, threw down 500 in bills as retainer
and wanted some who could take first class
passage on a steamer sailing the next day. He
would call early the next morning. We never
him for two weeks. Then he rushed In again. with
another 500, and said he didn't want to give his
name, but l must be down at certain pier the
next day. and he would then give me all the de-
tails with letters of credit etc. Well, waited there
all day, but he appeared. The next week he
sent a messenger with still another s2oe and the
same message. For eight weeks that thing kept
up just regularly as Friday came around, and