The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1922-10-26
FIGHT ON CRIME /
Resolves Itself Into Duel Be-
tween the Principals.
Good Teamwork by Detectives Relied
On Mostly for the Successful
Protection of Public.

If every detective were as skillful
as Sherlock Holmes in ferreting out
crime crooks would have sorry time
or 1t. Unfortunately, every detective
cannot be a Sherlock Holmes, and, be-
sides, even granting that truth is
stranger than fiction, solving them in
real life are different matters. De-
tectives, when it comes to skill, are
not unlike men in other professions;
some are better than others, and the
real brilliant fellows are not numer-
GUS.
In modern detective work good team
work, after all, counts more than in
dividual effort. A pack Of dogs pur-
suing a wolf is better than lone dog,
and the same is true in running down
crme-collective heads can accom-
plish, as a rule, more than a single
head. When a murder is committed,
two detectives are assigned to the case.
They belong to the precinct in which
the crime occurred. After they have
made themselves familiar with the
facts, they are often able to tell with
certainty who the murderer is. This
knowledge is obviously Of great ad-
vantage to them, since they have only
to get their man and build up a case
against him. Naturally, it often fol-
lows that to know the assassin is one
thing-tO get him another. He may
lead them merry chase before he is
finally captured. But few known as
sassins escape altogether, and detec-
tives are content to know that some
day the suspect may fall into their
net.
There Is another type Of murder
which presents an entirely different
problem. This is case like the Ed
well murder, in which the identity Of
the assassin Is unknown. Like the
former case, two detectives are at first
assigned to the "squeal." When it be-
comes apparent that the police have
real mystery on their hands, other
detectives are set to work. AS the
mystery grows and deepens all the
precinct sleuths are striving to dig
up clues, and detectives considered
as the "best brains" of the department
are assisting in the work.
1.-THE successful detective today"
said a veteran in the service, lis not
necessarily the brilliant, brainy fellow.
There are men in the bureau who use
their heads to good advantage. They
belong to the analytical type, and they
study problem from every angle.
They often make valuable suggestions
which, when followed lead to good re-
suits Undoubtedly without them the
service would be badly crippled. But
If they have place in the unraveling
Of crime, the same may be said Of an
other type.
'"This type is the fellow VINO, though
not brilliant, is a silent, persistent plod-
der I have known these fellows to
accomplish wonders simply because
they worked hard. When man feels
that his life is at stake, and he is
making every effort to throw you off
his track, you are not going to catch
him If you are not as active in going
after him as he is in running away
from you and covering up his tracks.
ANN navy w WIN lltIu " CdLCll IL
clever criminal. He knows that he is
being hunted and he becomes tired
and discouraged when he realizes that
you are giving him no quarter
GAS detectives 60 today, would say
that the most valuable are undoubted-
ly those who have the best sources of
information. The detective who has
what we call good information is
bound to accomplish results where
others fail. TO have this valuable
possession a man must have been in
the department long time. He may
receive his information from stool
pigeon, or from others who know many
underworld secrets"
Detectives who have worked in GER
tain neighborhoods for many years
have rich fund Of knowledge Of con-
ditions past and present in these Sec
tons. They are familiar with the
haunts of underworld characters, and
they know by sight and by name many
residents of good and bad repute in
the neighborhood. When a crime oc-
ours these detectives know where to
so to get results. There are scores
of men and women who are ready to
assist them. Such people hesitate to
talk to a strange detective. but they
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