The Topeka state journal., 1913-07-19

Others will pile ties on the track and
then signal the train in time to prevent
an accident, seemingly wishing to be
acclaimed heroes and rewarded. Still
others will stand behind a tree or a
wall and shot at a passenger train as it
may kill. The special agent may have
to hide for days in an unhealthy
swamp to catch his man.
The agent must be an expert in re-
covering stolen property from pawn
shops, and at the same time retain the
goodwill of their proprietors. He must
know how to handle juvenile offenders
boys who endanger life and property
ignorantly and without thought of
malice. He must see that these boys
are taught such a lesson that they
will not repeat the offense, and yet do
so without unduly displeasing their
parents. He must preserve the best re-
lations between his department and all
other departments of the railroad. He
must maintain a helpful cooperation
between his department and the local
police departments on his division.
No Pay for Overtime.
The special agent must be ready on
the instant to jump into the breach for
any duty, no matter how delicate or
dangerous. Frequently he will work
twenty-four or forty-eight hours at a
stretch. When his life is in danger he
not involve his company in civil suit
His Investigations and his conduct
must be so guarded that his company
is protected from damage suits.
The wages of the average special
agent are not large. There is no fixed
scale among the various railroads. AS
a rule, the salaries of the rank and
file of the department do not amount to
more than 800 a month. The salaries
of the heads and assistants vary with
each road. Some receive as little as
$125 month; others draw double that
sum.
Each road organizes it's special
agents department in it's own way.
There is no standardization in the
methods of the service. Local cond1-
tions vary, and the object is. with
every chief. to see that he and his
men deliver the goods.
Some of the roads operate an agents,
or detective department, and a police
department. While these may be under
one head, each is separate and distinct.
Other lines have only a detective de-
partment.
Eliminate Gard Sharps.
One of the most difficult tasks of the
special agents was the elimination of
the card-sharps that infested the rail-
way trains. A lot of persons, then and
now, like to while away the hours of
travel by playing cards. The special
agent had to be absolutely sure he
was right before he could take any
action. The man who allowed himself
to be drawn into a game of cards for
money with strangers always resented
the imputation that he was a victim to
a professional He usually protested
against any interference OF the rail-
road detective. Seldom would a pas
senger appear against a card-sharp IL
one was arrested.
Month after month the railroad
specials Travelled to and fro, familiar
izing themselves with the faces and the
methods of the crooked card-players.
In most cases they actually engaged in
card games with them. Finally, when
all the evidence was ready and the
cases complete, they swooped down on
the sharpers. 1t was a remarkable
cleanup and extended, almost stimuli
taneously, over every railroad from one
end of the country to the other.
The harvest was particularly heavy
on the western roads, where the
gamblers Travelled in groups of four
1t was exciting work, but the trains
were cleared and have remained SO
ever since