SECRET SERVICE IN BUSINESS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1623, 11 December 1905, Page 1

SECRET SERVICE IN BUSINESS.

For somo timo.tho groat Araoricfln companies liavo maintainod highly offitiont staffs of dotectivos, and now a plan is on foot to establish a national secret service, to bo maintainod by a pro rata assessment, for tho bonofifc ot' all firms that care to' avail thomsolvoi of its advantage. This step lias been rendered necessary by tho continual increaso in the swindles which are worked at tlio oxponso of the great companies. For instauco, a swindler recently took 13,000 dollars from snven accident insurance companies by what is known as tho “ bath tub

gamo,” Ho would take out a policy, and soon afterwards slip on a piece of soap in a bath and sustain alleged iutornal injurios, a doctor who was in tho plot helping him with a certificate. With a consolidated secret'servico the history of the first claim would have gone to all tho companies, and tlo career of tho ingenious individual would probably have been cut short. Swindles on transportation companies are practised to a very great extent 5 A gang of three—a man, bis wife," and a motorman have just been laid by tho liools, so wo aro told by a Now York paper, after making a tour of several cities, and having an “accident” in each. The motorman would run his ear gently into tlio one ahead, tho lady would tumble off lior seat

with a groan, and the man. instead of seeing to his wife, would take the names of witnesses in view of proceedings for damages. But a still more ingenious and daring trio were three acrobats, who operated in New York, Philadelphia, and other cities. After studying the movements of the. cars in a city, ono of them would throw himself from a moving car, or fall oil when it started suddenly, and be dragged for somo distance, while

;he other two acted as witnesses. This

trick was played for several years, There are said to bo hundreds of al-

leged mechanics who travel about preying upon omployors, by gettiug hurt in somo way and collecting damages from tho employors and money from the insurance • companies. But tho great trusts omploy secret service men in othor work. Tho Standard Oil Company employs fifty-five detectives all over tho world, men who liavo learnt to observe everything and say nothing. It is their business to know what every employeo in an important position is doing. They are ever on tho watch for labor agitators, and that is tho chief reason why the Standard Oil Company has never suffered from strikes. The Tobacco Trust employs men whoso principal work is to find out the weaknesses and resources of independent dealers. These men aro secret service men, in fact, as well as name. They liavo no regular office, their pay goes under miscellaneous headings in the books, and they communicate with only ono or two people in tho.concern.

Horses sometimes do tho -unexpected, as a Waipawa motor cyclist found out when returning to that place ono Sunday afternoon. Near the Waitangi Bridge tho cyclist overtook a horse and trap, tho driver of which made room for him to pass. When abreast of tlio cyclist the horse suddenly dashed round, and collided with tho motor, threw the cyclist several feet along the road. Contrary to the expectations of those who witnessed the affair neither the rider nor the machine was much the worse for tho mishap.

A rather amusing story reaches us anent a certain local preacher who resides not many miles from Wanganui. Leaving his suburban residence the other day on a bicycle, he had not gone far on his road before he by some means had a capsize into a croc k and received a thorough ducking. Keturning home, ho got into his best Sunday-go-to-meeting clothes, and set off again on his way to town. Strange to relate, just on reaching the identical spot where he came to grief before, the tails of his overcoat became entangled in the wheels of his machine, and once more the rider was pitched fair into the creek. A most astonishing coincidence in connection with this story—which is absolutely true in point of fact - is that a lady who had- witnessed the first mishap while driving towards town, just came on the scene again on her return in time to witness the cyclist get his second ducking. Needless to say, she could not resist the temptation to laugh, though the cyclist did not appear to see much cause for merriment.

It was in a Scots kirk, and the collection was being taken. One of tho congregation from whom the bawbees were boiug gathered was. notorious for his stinginess. When the stern elder reached this closefisted gentleman’s pew with the bag, Mr Craig —for such was his name —reached out liis closed hand towards tho bag to deposit his mite. The elder drew back and said, loud enough to bo hoard by those in tho immediate vicinity, “ Gi’o it to me, Mr Craig, ane has just corned aff ma weskit!” Once again one goes from home to learn news. Says tho “ Sydney Miming Herald” :—“ A visitor from New Zealand was with some Sydney cousins. Ono of them said, ‘ Now, wliat do you waut to see firstr" 110 expected to hear “ The Harbor,’ or : The Bluo Mountains.’ ‘An ant!’ was tho reply. Thoie are no ants in New Zealand.”