Rensselaer Republican, Volume 21, Number 21, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 January 1889 — WAYS OF DETECTIVES. [ARTICLE]

WAYS OF DETECTIVES.

k low Criminals and Jailbirds Unconsciously Betray TbemseiTea -I— \ Boston Record. “ W hat are yon doing there?” The man te whom it* is addressed is a short, thick set mao; there ia nothing about him to attract attention. He ia the moet commonplace man I have met lor some time. He ia simplf leaning against a pile of boxes, trunks and .the like at a railroad station. Upon'■'first glance he looks like a sleepy old ..fellow, who may have drank more than a flagon •f rum, or he may have walked a long ... distance, and, therefore, he is fatigued. Aa any one approached him in the orowd he looked sharply, and then seemed to become oblivious. That man is one of the sharpest detectives in the State of Massachusetts. “Whet are you doing there?” is the question again. Quickly, without moving a muscle, without looking up again, he answers,in a low, distinct voice: “Don’t speak to me now; I’m watching a man.” I moved away. Presently the crowd gets'thicker. The sleepy gentleman bv the trunks becomes suddenly aroused. He moves about very rapidly among the people. What . wili he do? Hardly is there time to walk ten paces when he has disappeared. The train thunders into the station, and the people go aboard. The man was nowhere. That night one of the boldest burglars was arrested and lodged in jail. He was arrested on that train, and by the sleepy man. ■>

The arrest was accomplished thus: As a rough-looking man with a tin pail in his hand walked quickly frpm the depot td the train the detective followed him closely, and, just as he was about to put his foot on the step, he tripped and fell to the platform. In an instant the detective fell on top of him. ■ The two men were assisted into the ear and then the detective apologised lor having fallen upon him. They sat down together in the smoking-car, the old-fashioned detective took out of his pockets a lot of cakes and apples and they began to eat and talk aoout the news. “That was a bad bit of work tho#e fellows done there in Boston. Did you see the evening papers?” “What do you mean?” said the man. “Why that safe burglary last night.” “Was there a burglary?” “■ Yesirdidn’t you hear of it? Why they stole over SIOO,OOO worth of cash securities and bonas from the bank.” “Indeed! any arrests?” “Not yet, but the officers are close on the leader of the gang.” “Are they? Do you think they have the right man?” *‘Yes, they are watching a man in East Bosto . by the name of.Ridgewood, a noted burglar.” Just at this moment a man arose from the seat behind and walked out of the ear. He passed on into the next car. “Thafk our man whispered the detective to his apparently companion. The two men arose and passed into the next car after the jnan who had

arisen. They caught up with the man as he was going out of the next car. The train wa9 stopping at a short station. The man got off. He was-arrasted. “How did you know that was Ridgewoed?” was asked of the detective. “Because, when I mentioned his name he started and left the car. There is something about a criminal that/gives him away’ to a practiced eye. I saw that man on the platform; he was walking up and down. He did not walk more than eight feet before he would turn and walk, back again. At this I became aroused and watched him closer.” “It was when I tripped up my friend, that l wanted to avoid suspicion. The burglar was behind us. The man who fell first is one of the best detectives in Boston. He was dressed like a workingman and carried a pail. When we fell the man whom we were watching did not notice us, but hurried into the cars. All the other people stopped and looked on. “The man went directly to the smoker and lit a cigar nervously, he drew his hat over his eyes and nestled down in 'his seat, apparently' engrossed in his newspaper. The man read the same paper fora long time; he did not seem to be interested in it at all, although his eyes were intently upon it. They were only oh one spot. 1 We sat down in front of him and began to eat apples and talk. When I mentioned the name of Ridgewood he started froorhis reverie. I looked him square in the eye. He got up and left the car. He was our man. “Ob, about the 8-foot walk? Well, yon see. an old criminal who has done time will never get put of the habit of walking up and dojm as he has done so long in his cell. He will only go about 8 feet; that is the regulation length of cells. He does tnis unconsciously, and even' though he may guard himself against it, before he knows it he trill begin to walk up and down. “Of course.” said the detective, “no man gives himself up to justice—no criminal tells the detective ihat he is the man. We are compelled to judge fromour experience. A crimina' has a certain look, a peculiar way of moving

secretly, even in public places—in' hotels, at theaters, all over. Nq one but a skillful man in criminal work can tell the difference, but their actions are readily apparent they become a larger part of the criminal’s nature; he can not cast them off himself” “Then, there are other things; certain well-known criminals have,” he added, “a distinct style of work. The crime is always carefully investigated, and the detectives learn the methods of thCdifterent men. It is a school* I cannot describe it to : you unless you ar e a close observer of human nature. “A criminal walking along the street will unconsciously turn his head and give a quick glance backward, almost ever so often, generally within every 100 steps. I can tell a man instantly when I enter a crowd. That’s why these fellows hide away; they know that if they appear in public they will be recognised.” i