East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1912-03-09

New York. March 9-"I do not
/ care for the distinction of being the
/ first woman to become a member of
The detective force. But I hope my
work will be SO successful that will
! be known as one OF the cleverest de-
/ tectiyes in the department"
I This was the statement of Mrs.
/ Isabella Goodwin, who was made a
/ detective sergeant at a salary of $2,-
/ 250 year because she succeeded in
obtaining the evidence that led to
the arrest o fthe taxicab bandits who
committed 5000 daylight rob
| berry in the heart of the financial dis
| trict, And if the success that she has
already met with is any criterion,
| Deputy Commissioner Dougherty says
the male members of the force will
have to look to their laurels if they
do not want to be eclipsed by wo-
man.
Mrs. Goodwin. the widow of a po-
liceman, was acting as police matron
at the time of the taxicab robberies.
She had some experience in detective
work in running down clairvoyants
and other takers. When the police
failed to make much headway on the
taxicab robbery case, Inspector
Hughes pressed her into service The
detectives had learned that Edward
Kinsman and Jess Albrozo, two of
the suspects, were sweethearts OF
Annie Hall and Myrtle Hoyt, in
mates of a dive. Mrs. Goodwin went
to the resort disguised as a woman
of all work, and secured employ
ment. Today she told the story of
her adventure as follows:
Even my own people did not know
what l was doing. 1 stayed in that
dive for a week and during that time
1 did not get more than 10 hours
sleep. I was obliged to drink strong
coffee every hour to keep awake. l
knew that l might miss the oppor-
tunity to the information 1 sought if
1 was not constantly on the alert.
II wore a kimona of double fresh
ness and put shuttle into my walk.
did not have anything to say to any
of the inmates of the resort and they
evidently did not think 1 knew en-
ough to be anything but harmless
"Often 1 would tiptoe to the door
of Annie and Myrtle's room and lis
ten to their conversation. If 1 heard
one of them make a move to come
to the door, 1 would knock and ask
to borrow a needle or make some
other excuse.
The language that came from that
room was dreadful but 1 just closed
my ears to their vile remarks and
prayed that they would talk about
| the robbery. Finally I heard one of
them say:
Well Eddie, the Boob turned a
great trick, didn't hep
Then Annie began to boast that
she would soon have so many fine
clothes that her friends wouldn't
kno wher. At another time she COM
planned that Kinsman had failed to
call her by long distance from Al
bany.
"At the various times would
sneak out of the place and telephone
to Commissioner Dougherty. 1 had
TO be on the lookout constantly for
fear some one would follow me.
Finally. however / got the infor
IidtIoh Ildl was iecuSu anu hillS-
man, Albrozo and the rest of the
gang were caught.
''Now that they have made me a
detective sergeant 1 expect to earn
my salary instead of accepting it for
the work 1 have already done. l hope
| that 1 will be detailed to work on
cases similar to that of the taxicab
robbers I love the excitement and
! want to show just what woman
can do when the chance comes her
way"