Democratic Sentinel, Volume 16, Number 44, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 November 1892 — An Electrical Detective. [ARTICLE]

An Electrical Detective.

A clever piece of detective work,which, must appeal with sad and crushing suggestiveness to the crook fraternity, has been done in Toledo, Ohio. A barber for some time missed cigars from the case in his shop. At first only a few cigars were taken, but presently the thieves became bolder ana took whole boxes. A watch was set aud detectives were employed, but all in vain. At last the barber struck on the idea of having an automatic detective fixed in the shop, and ho called in an electrician. A camera was arranged so as to cover the cigar case, and a flashlight apparatus and the camera were connected by wires with the sliding door of the cigar case, so that when the door was opened the wires could be brought together. The circuit thus formed would produce a flash and secure instantaneously a picture of the thieves. For twelve days the cirgars were unmolested, but on the morning of the unlucky thirteenth the thieves were prompted to try their hands again. The plate was taken from the camera and developed, and on it was seen a unique and interesting picture, containing the likenesses of two juveniles wjjo were in the act of stealing the cigars. Every detail in the shop was distinctly seen; the clock showing the time at which the youngsters’ little operations were interfered with, and the mixture of cunning and caution on the face of the boy who was evidently taking tho active part in securing the booty was intensely amusing. The boys were nt once recognized, were arrested, tried and sent to a reformatory, and tho judge commended from the bench the ingenuity of the means of detection employed.—[San Fran* cisco Examiner.