The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-12-28
FAME is NOT
HIS PORTION
The Private Detective EndeaYOrs to
Avoid Publicity.
CWashington Post.O

washington Post)
The work of a private detective is one
Of the most peculiar means of earning
a livelihood in the entire category of
avoeations pursued by civilized men.
What is more. doubtless not one person
In a thousand has the remotest idea of
the character or significance of this
most singular outgrowth of ultra
civilized conditions The detective con-
nected with the police department is
complimented by the press whenever
ne captures gang of thieves or dis
covers an incendiary, but with the
private detective the case is different
Long before he embarks in the bust
ness he must, above all things, learn
TO deny himself the sweets of praise
and the joys of fame He must Law
aside personal vanity, for his success
lies not in forcing himself to the front,
but IN remaining as much as possible
in the background. He need have no
fear that customers will forget him, for,
like a six-shOoter, a private detective
is one OF the things that, when needed,
IS required instanter, p. d. Off any,
thing, d trifle sooner.
A modest sign, which the average
well behaved and well conditioned per-
son might pass every day for years
without noticing, but which looms up
as big as barn to the jealous wife
who wants her husband shadowed is
all the advertising he needs. He need
not be alarmed for fear his clients will
not find his room, and take a suite of
large and conspicuous apartments in
the front of the building he occupies,
for when the man who is being bled
and blackmailed starts out to hunt up
a private detective he will find him if
he has to get out q search warrant
What the wise and prudent private
detective needs. and generally has, is
a suite of modest rooms in the REAR
part of the building, neatly furnished
and with the walls and floor full of
dummy and trap doors, so that in the
event hubby should call on the same
errand that WHEY is then counseling
upon. all the detective need do is to
open a section of the wall and allow
her to depart via the alley entrance. A
veteran detective who has been a
member of the district force since the
civil war and who doubtless under
stands better than anyone in this city
all the ins and outs of the business,
in describing the work of private de-
tectives to a Post reporter recently,
said.
1.-The principle upon which the pri-
vate detective operates is that nearly
every person, in fact, almost without
exception have al some time in their
lives done something which, if not
downright criminal III lis nature. IL OF
such a character that the parties stand
ready at any time TO pay large sums
of money or make great sacrifices to
prevent its becoming public property.
That is one phase of the business.
Looking a the matter in another
light, it is easy to see that the private
detective became. and viii continue to
remain, an established feature in the
life of every great city by reason of
the fact that there is a vast deal of
work which the regular men of the
police force cannot and viii not handle
you see, when case is turned over
to the detectives of the department ii
must be Of a character that when the
right time comes it can readily become
public property. A certain mans
goods are stolen, and he reports the
matter to US. We apprehend the Gull
prits and recover the property The
facts are given to the reporters. and
the matter appears in the newspapers
the day following. giving the name of
the man who lost the material. who re-
covered il. etc. In q case of this sort
the man who lost the stuff has no oh
jections 10 having his name appear in
print He has done nothing and has
nothing to be ashamed of. and if he is
q merchant. nine chances out of ten
he is delighted over the fact that he Is
mentioned in the matter. as it gives
the world 10 understand that he is a
person of subsistence and well enough
off in the goods OF this world to at
tract the cupidity of thieves
But there are other cases-cases Of
blackmailing. family troubles. etc.
where no crime. IN fact not even a
misdemeanor. has been Committed. but
which the person requiring the serv
ices of detective is unwilling should
become public property. Such cases
we cannot handle and so thew 90 -
the private detective. who conducts
his business after the manner of an
attorney. charging retainer at the
start and a certain amount in the
event Of complete or partial success in
the undertaking.
''The manner in which the private
detective operates is quite Interesting
and at the same time little known.
viii Illustrate the matter thus: Young