Detectives of Europe and America, or Life in the secret service : a selection of celebrated cases in Great Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Russia, Poland, Egypt, and America ; a revelation of struggles and triumphs of the most renowned detectives on the globe for the past twenty-five years / edited by George S. McWatters.

Date:
1878
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Detectives of Europe and America, or Life in the secret service : a selection of celebrated cases in Great Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Russia, Poland, Egypt, and America ; a revelation of struggles and triumphs of the most renowned detectives on the globe for the past twenty-five years / edited by George S. McWatters. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, Harvard Medical School.

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    one scoundrel in his power, could never use him as state's evidence to criminate another, his confederate, and a more dangerous person than he ; for there is certainly honor among thieves, as among other business men. There must be a certain degree of it, else business itself would die out or go into anarchy. Honor enough to preserve the integrity of his business every thief has. The detec- tive could not afford to have less than the thief. He is a sort of prince, in the thieves' opinion. He is the only man for whom they have any real respect. With the detective the thief usually keeps faith, if he plights him his word and honor as a gentleman! (Strange words to fall from a thief s mouth, but after all a most appropriate source; for a true man has no need to indorse his yea or nay with an oath of honor.) The de- tective is a power among the thieves; his are the laws they obey. They fear only him. He is a necessity, then, for protecting society against the frauds, [s] peculations, and robberies of these irregular business men. He governs the cities, and protects them, so far as controlling the ra- pacity of the irregular robbers is concerned. But few people resident of a city like New York, and but few strangers coming to the city, consider or ever know how continually they are under the protection of the invisible detective ; invisible to them, but seen and known of all men in the irregular vocations of business. The detective is ever about in public places, exercising his calling for the protection of the thousands who know him not. For example, strangers from the country visit- ing New York generally attend the theatres, more or less, especially if they are very puritanic at home, and some such play as the Black Crook is ruling at Niblo's, for instance. Of course the country gentlemen, whether deacons, or what not, in their respective rural districts, must see the sensations. What else do they come to New York for, to be sure ? On business ? Yes, the detective who knows them all, and can tell at sight from what parts of the coun^