RAILWAY POLICE.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 9 May 1925, Page 14

RAILWAY POLICE.

PP OT'EOTTNG PASSENGERS IN ’ AMERICA.

Card, sharks sometimes get away with gambling tricks on railroad trains, burb often a» -qutet man ‘vvxbli a searching glance passes hack and forth and the gaming party dissolves, withered by bis scrutiny or baited by liis admonition. He is the railroad’s special agent, and bis job' is to rescue the innocent (istates the New York Times). The arm of the law cannot easily reach into the moving train. The police force is too busy elsewhere. on iai trtain, 'Sis in tilio streets, citiz-otfis ne-Gcl protection from the operations of pickpockets, confidence men, gamblers, and other species of crooks who find in the leisure of travel a golden chance. The larger trunk lines employ from one to three hundred men in then police departments, ranging from a. chief and bis assistants through district and division .special agents to ttalu riders, yard patrolmen., and shop and warehouse watchmen. The department miay cost from 300,000 to .500,000 dollars' al year, _ but, according •tot varying estimates, it saves many times 'that snim to the company and its patrons:. This man who halts the gambler is not concerned! solely with the individuall’s 'affairs. He looks out lor tampering with equipment or attempted or .atcitiMli wrecking of trains. Even the .small town hoy who hurls, locks at moving passenger trains; will find the .special agent on li.i.s trail. He

lias the railroad’s property to protect. He is a railroad mall with a fairly good idea of operation and a. policeman versed in .all that pertains to that Being a railroad policeman is* often a hazardous job. lie. has sometimes to do with the most desperate type of criminal, heading at night for the railroad and stopping at nothing to make his "el away. It is the special agent s job to halt all trespassers on railroad premises, and ask aii exp}antalfeion for their presence there. Alone in a railroad yard in the dead oif night, he may encounter •&] g'ciol-^brea.lvel’, burglcir, or murderer who. refuses to he qiiestioned or delayed. Modern oriminjal methods Jiave .added to his difficulties. Twentyfive or 30 yeans .ago it was not liard to deal with, hoboes and vagabonds who cribbed a, few articles of clothing, cigars, or whisky from standing box cars. A:s soon. a,s the theft was discovered the special agent sent word to local authorities. The thief, as a mile, wE.s Quickly and readily located, usually in; a coiner saloon,, spending the proceeds of the .sale of < his loot. But the box car thieves now operate in gangs, clear-headed and heavilyarmed, making away -with entire shipments from moving trains 'and escaping by automobile. Special agents are now more and more frequently placed as riders on trains, 'and, in armed squads, they are assigned event to patrol hard-surfaced roads to prevent hag-scale thefts.