The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1908-05-09
|lsk HALLWAY Men TO
PAY sLEUTH's WAGES.
Important Conference Being Held
in 81. Paul Compulsory Bond
+. 49,. ing is Issue. a.
Methods Resorted to By Detec-
tives in Making Good" With
Bonding Companies.

L
sentatives of the Order of Railway
Conductors. and the Brotherhood of
Railroad Trainmen from every divl-
sion on the Northern Pacific railway
system are in conference In this city
over an order from the railway off,
cials requiring all trainmcn to furnish
a bond with a bonding company desig-
mated by the company, the premium
to be paid by the employees.
The railway brotherhoods do no;
take kindly to the proposed plan, and
are insisting upon a modification OK
the order. They have no objection to
the bonding Of men who handle
money, but they do strenuously OPP
pose paying tribute to bonding COM
pany that will use the premiums paid
by the men to employ private detec-
tives to hound them.
1t is the contention of the represent
tatives of the railway brotherhoodA
that the private detective is a menace
to any railway employe, no matter
how honest he may be. Private de-
tectiYes must make Il showing to war
rant the continuance Of their employ
ment, and when they can not find a
real offense against an employee, they
have no hesitancy in manufacturing
one.
Cases are of record where charges
of theft have been lodged against a
railroad employee, when the detective
making the charge was miles away
when the alleged crime occurred. "A
case in particular is known where a
sleuth was an inmate Of a. Jail when
he filed his report making a charge
against an employee of long service on
a railroad.
AS an illustration of the methods
employed by Especial agents" of the
bonding companies the following from
the Daily Muscular of Missoula.
Mont, ought to be an "eye-opener":
Zone Of the most remarkable official
documents that ever came to light is
what appears to be a letter of in
structions to the men in the special
detective service. It is not signed, but
attached. to 1t is the card of Frank
Thomas, special agent Of the Northern
Pacific at Livingstone. This card is
fastened to the letter In such a way
that there seems to be no doubt that
the letter is from him. Ordinarily, it
would not be matter of public in
terest, but some of it's contents stamp
it as so remarkable a production that
it is worth the perusal of all men who
are Americans and who love thej-
country. The letter came into the
possession of The Mlssoulian in a
manner that leaves no room for doubt
as to its authenticity; it is as follows:
Livingstone; Mont, May 1, 1908.
TO Special Officers: S. H. Remission,
H. Pelton, Arthur Wilson, Sherlock
Kolar, T. Blakeway, H.. Kluge.
Any railway special officer worth
his salt should within three months
get to know: by. sight all the local
Chief Officials, General superintend-
ent, Superintendent, Agent, Dispatch
ers, Chief Clerks, Master Mechanics,
and Foremen Of all Gangs, and should
know by sight and by name all em-
ployes working out of his Terminal.
Every Conductor, Engineer, Brake
man, Fireman, etc., where they room
and much as possible about their
character, habits, and expenditures,
whether spending twice as much as
they get from the company, or how
they are running things. A Freight
Brakeman or Swftchman who IS
spending SO to $50 at time in the
Red Light District, and frequently do
ing this, must be swiping company's
stuff. How much do each Of you
know about these things? I am anxi-
To 31I, - T., 3
serving Of increased salary. I enclose
herewith for your private information,
copy of report recently made by a
single st. Paul Officer after "a hours
stop-off at Butte.
How Is it that single officer sent
out from Head Offices can see more
In "a hours than these Montana Spe-
cial Officers can Sc in "A years?
There are hundreds Of N. p. Fire
men today only making $40 to $50 per
month, and -Four Engineers at Liv-
ingston have turned Bankrupt in the
past week. Your SIS is very easily
earned, what are you going to show
for next months check?
It is practically certain these Spe.
ctal Officers recently sanctioned will
NC Cut OlA "AcIcVSI tAc I1IOlll1l re-
port fails to show results.
will issue to each Officer a month
ly statement, showing cases had by
| each man, and I sincerely hope eacf
?? day during the month will show
! something real accomplished.
A Report as to a Drunken. Switch
+ man, Brakeman, Baggageman, etc., OF
crews allowing coal to be swipet
wholesale from their trains is worth
more to the company than conviction
of 5000 Hoboes.
: Those I find have power of quick
and accurate observation with scholar.
ship enough to intelligently describt
what they have seen will be frequent
]y on the road for such business, ant
, those who exhibit frequent signs O.
general wooden headedness will 500,
:, be looking for Job on the section Q,
as Boiler Washers somewhere. ~.
A really smart, active. intelligen;
reliable Special Officer can, after
year or so, get Pass almost any.
| where. - '*T
At many places the Foreman O.
Freight Sheds permits cars half-load.
ed or half ,1n1oo dod "a NJ e1,,,%oh - -,