Practical Instruction for Detectives: A Complete Course in Secret Service Study

by Emmerson Wain Manning

Occasions often arise when subjects visit theaters while under surveillance. Very often it is desired to know with whom subjects visit such places. When a subject purchases his or her ticket the detective should make it a point to be next in line at the box office so as to see or overhear the kind of ticket bought. If successful in learning this, the detective can ask for a ticket in the same section, but one or two rows behind the subject, or in any other location that will serve his purpose.

Should the subject have previously secured his or her ticket and if it is necessary for the detective to ascertain if the subject is alone while in the theater, he may have to purchase several tickets until he locates the seat occupied by the subject. If a man or woman enters a theater alone, it must not be taken for granted that he or she is enjoying the performance alone. I have known many prominent men and women to meet clandestinely in theaters, although they did not enter or leave the theaters together. This is usually brought about by the man purchasing two tickets one or two days ahead and sending one by mail or otherwise to the woman; then, on the appointed night, they can occupy adjoining seats without entering or leaving the theater together.

When subjects visit railway ticket offices the detective can easily arrange to be near enough to overhear the point of destination, and then if desired can purchase transportation to the same point. In cases where subjects board trains without stopping to purchase tickets, the detective, if he cannot learn the subject’s point of destination from the gate man or through any other source, should be governed by the kind of train the subject boards. If the train be a local one it would be advisable to purchase a ticket to the end of the run and leave it at the station where the subject leaves it. If it be a through train and the destination of the subject is unknown, a ticket should be purchased or fare paid to the end of the first division; then, if necessary, to the end of the next division, and so on.

If it be desired to have a person kept under surveillance for any length of time, it is advisable that the detective secure lodging near the home of the subject. From there it will be possible to observe the subject going to and leaving his or her home. If practicable it is always best for the detective to remain off the streets and away from public view.

In the apprehension of criminals of all classes, records of private detective agencies and police departments in this and other countries show that in most cases more or less shadowing was resorted to in order to effect the arrest of the criminals, and also to establish their guilt. I know of a good many cases wherein careful and diligent shadowing was the only means by which “yeggs,” “hold-up” men, pickpockets, store thieves and others were “caught in the act” or “caught with the goods on them,” which in most cases is essential in order to insure convictions.

Some of the leading private detective agencies and most police departments in cities of any size, maintain and keep up, to a wonderful degree of perfection, photograph galleries which are commonly known as “rogues galleries,” and in which are kept photographs of all known criminals, provided an opportunity has been had to photograph them or to secure pictures of them. Along with these photographs detailed descriptions of the criminals are kept, also what are known as criminal histories which show the date and place of any previous arrest, the nature of crime committed, method of operating, term of sentence, etc. After a criminal has once been photographed his picture usually is well circulated and retained indefinitely, regardless of whether he remains in or out of prison.

We will take for instance a pickpocket, who in detective vernacular is known as a “dip”; or a safe blower, who in the same vernacular is known as a “yegg.” If he has been arrested or convicted at any time for one of these crimes his photograph very likely appears shortly afterwards in the rogues galleries throughout the country, it is reproduced on reward circulars and mailed broadcast over the country, or is shown in police and detective magazines published for the purpose. If, after serving a prison term, the criminal ventures to some large city, the chances are that he will not be there many days until he is “spotted” by some city or private detective, unless he is cautious and keeps under cover.

As a rule, when detectives see and recognize him, yet know of no crime that he may have recently committed, or of no charge that can be brought against him, they shadow him to ascertain where he “hangs out”; then endeavor to have him kept under constant surveillance. I might state here that in my opinion there are very few detectives or police chiefs used to dealing with criminals, who believe a criminal can or will reform. But regardless of this, it has been found by detectives long ago to be a good plan to keep track of the time of release of criminals from prison, and then to watch them closely until they may commit another crime.

I know of a good many cases where by this method detectives were enabled to catch their men in the act of committing a crime, or if they were not on hand or nearby when the crime was committed, as a result of their shadowing they knew just about where the criminal was at a given time and who would have been likely to commit such a crime; therefore they knew whom to look for. A good detective will make a study of the records of criminals and their methods of operating. It is a well known fact that every criminal has a distinctive manner of operating, and these distinctive features should be studied by detectives. Detectives should also make it a point to know, as far as possible, what known criminals are in their city at any time. Then if a store, warehouse, or residence is burglarized, if the picking of pockets becomes prevalent, or if a safe in a bank or office is blown, the wide awake detective can know from the nature of the crime, and the method employed, whom to confine his attentions to.

If for instance a safe has been dynamited, if feasible, arrangements should immediately be made to have all known safe blowers in the city shadowed. In this way criminals have often been caught in the act of either dividing their loot, or in disposing of it. Careful and systematic shadowing has also been the means of bringing to light the identity of many a thief who, until found out, enjoyed the utmost confidence of his employers.