The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-11-14

house. the dupe was shadowed to his
or her home by tho man in question.
BY careful inquiries in the neighbor-
hood he would secure mass of in
formation, which was then revealed"
to the dupe on the occasion of his Sec
ond call on the clairvoyant.
BlacknsailinE u Father.
\ recently popular dodge Of the dis
honest agency is to select some
wealthy family and then lay informa-
ton that plot is on foot to kidnap
one of the children. Anonymous let
tiers plant the seed, and, In view of the
many recent attempts at kidnapping,
the parents are usually distracted ami
only too glad to retain the detectives
VINO bob up SO opportunity with
knowledge of the supposed plot. The
case Is investigated" and a guard kept
until the parents tire of paying out
money.
Not long ago the residence of a
wealthy man was robbed under pecu-
liar circumstances. and in order to
avoid premature publicity private de-
tectives were brought in. They easily
discovered that the supposed burglar
was really the dissolute son of the
house. and when this was proved to
the father the sleuths were retired
from the case. But, knowing the
father would make any sacrifice to
avoid the disgrace OF publicity. the de-
tectives resolved to turn this to &C.
count. They informed him that two
newspaper reporters had gained
knowledge of the facts and would un-
doubtedly publish sensational story
unless subsidized. The supposed
bribery was arranged by the detectives,
and although the father afterwari
learned that he had been victimized
he was in no position to punish the
blackmailers.
4 private detective retained to gath
er divorce evidence against woman
separated from her husband had be-
come guest of her hotel in the hope
of securing proof of an discriminating
correspondence she was supposed to
be carrying on with man who lived
in Buffalo. The reward promised was
large and the detective resolved TO
win it by fair means or foul. A con-
federate was stationed in Buffalo, and
from there, during a period Of weeks,
letters were mailed to the detective
in the hotel. all of them being address
family in lead pencil. From each
envelope the address was then care
fully erased and the woman's name
and address substituted in ink. Of
course, these letters we're properly
stamped and postmarked, and bore
every evidence OF having been received
by the woman. Letters to suit the
case were written and inserted in the
envelopes, and the detective then pro-
ceeded to sell the proofs, which he
claimed to have stolen from the
woman's room. When the case came
to trial handwriting experts easily
proved that the letters had not been
written by the man supposed, and BY
microscopic examination discovered
how the game had been worked. BY
this time the detective had disappear
ed. and there was no redress.
In one Of the greatest of our strikes.
that involving the steel industry, over
two thousand armed detectives were
employed supposedly to protect prop
erty, while several hundred more were
scattered in the ranks Of strikers as
workmen. Many OF the latter became
officers in the labor bodies, helped to
make laws for the organizations, made
incendtary speeches. cast their votes
for the most radical movements made
BY the strikers, participated in and
led bodies Of the members In the acts
OF lawlessness that eventually caused
the sending Of state troops and the
declaration Of martial law. While do
ing this, these spies within the ranks
were making daily reports of the
plans and purposes of the strikers.
To my knowledge. when lawlessness
was at Its height and murder ran riot,
these men wore little patches of white
on the lapels of their coats SO that
their fellow detectives of the two
thousand" would not shoot them down
by mistake.
In conclusion, in advocating state
or national supervision and inspection
of private detective agencies, l believe
am but voicing the desire of every
honest detective. Rigid inspection laws
are needed. the books of all agencies
should be open at all times, reports
should be filed of the cases and the
fees collected. and heavy bonds pro-
vided for operatives as we'll as heads
of agencies. In fact. as much atten-
ton should be paid to the calibre of
the men and the work done as is exer-
cised in the government detective bu-
reaus. When this is accomplished,
and not before, will the public be pro-
tected from these inscriptions insti-
tutions and their nethods.-From adj
vance sheets Of Appleton's Magazine
fer October.