The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1915-08-06
WOMEN SLEuTHS
new TERROR TO
old CRIMINALS
Burglars and Yeggmen Unac-
quainted With Methods Of
Women Fight Blindfolded
Against Latest Foe.
PRAISED BY OFFICERS

Gotham Police Valuable
Tips Kept Secret Even
From Department Men.
~ OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES.
NEW YORK. Aug. 6.-Crime and
criminals have . new foe to contend
with in these modern days-the won.
an detective. And in matching wits
with her the cunning criminal has
more than met his match. As q mat.
ter Of fact, he 10 fighting at a dis
advantage from the very start-hght'
ing in the dark. with eyes blindfolded.
30 to speak. Why? Because he does
not know her.
Tho regular detective, the real dis
ciple Of Old Sleuth, the bull" as he ia
, called by the underworld, is accepted
by the criminal as q matter Of course.
He 10 an enemy Of society.
Leading Woman sIeuth.
Probably the best-known woman de-
tective In the country Is Isabella
Goodwin. who Is enjoying the salary
and title OF firstgrade lieutenant in
the New York police department. the
only woman detective of 50 high .
grade in any city In the United States.
Mrs. Goodwin was a police matron.
She won her spurs, so to speak, a
couple Of years ago when. becomming
acquainted with Swedish Annie. she
brought about the arrest Of the rob-
bers who held up the bank messenger
travelling in a taxicab from the Pro
duce Exchange bank to the East River
bank, and got away with $4,000.
The robbery occurred at Trinity place
and Church street. and was one OF the
boldest daylight hold-ups In police an
nails. Rhinelander Waldo, put his
best men on the case, but they were
puzzled. There was no apparent clue.
He called in Mrs. Goodwin; who had
previously done some good work IN
the detective line. 1t was her work
that caused the arrest Of the robbers.
and as a reward she was made a
first-grade detective by the commits
sioner. Today her activities are chief
ly directed against the so-called for
tune tellers and alleged physicians, but
she turns into headquarters many a
valuable tip.
Another Clever Detective.
Another woman whom Captain jim
ME Dunn at headquarters regards as
one OF the best sleuths In the de-
partment is Miss Marion A. H. Young,
also a matron. At present she Is de-
tailed at headquarters in the bureau
of naturalization of unidentified dead,
under the immediate supervision OF
Lieutenant r. Grant Williams.
Miss Young is now on thirty-day
detail at headquarters and Will be
kept there longer if Lieutenant Will
liams can do so. she is one OF the
most clever, most intelligent mem
bers of the police department" said
Lieutenant Williams. "She is too In
telligent, has too much inherent abil'
ity as a detective to be police ma
tron. She is wonder. I'd rather
have her working for me than half
dozen men, not because the men are
not good. I don't mean that; but be-
cause Miss Young is an extraordinary
woman"
Endorses Opinion.
And what Lieutenant Williams said
is Endorsed by Inspector Craig and
Inspector Farrot. in charge OF the
detective bureau. Other women, also
police matrons, are called in by the
bureau at intervals to help out the
bulls" Among these are Mrs. Ida
Mcmahon and Miss Adele Priess With
the possible exception of Mrs. Good
win, not one of these women Is known
to the criminal or to the criminals fe-
male associates. Nor if headquarters
can prevent 1t will they be known.
They are too valuable to the bureau.
In diplomatic circles, especially in
the chancelleries of foreign nations,
the woman is often employed to worm
out secrets. Handsome OF face, figure
and gown, educated and clever, she
performs the duties for which she Is
richly paid She knows everybody
in whatever capital she takes up her
residence. and everybody seeks to
know her. This is part OF her bust
ness According to man well up IN
affairs of state, man attached to the
ambassadorial staff Of European ma
ton, woman is necessary for the
service.
ION an average" he said, her ca
reer is but five years. There are
few who double that. but not many.
because their identity becomes known.
If the story Of dozen women l
could name in European capitals were
told, the best sellers of the present
day would never have that title.
Uncle Sans department of state
does not 60 in for the woman detec-
tives, for that is what they really are.
to the extent that their activities are
employed abroad. But in the' secret
service, in the treasury department.
which has to do with the smuggling
problem. and also in the state depart
ment. the work done by women makes
very interesting reading.
Sem nm ARM0RY