conscientiously as any professor, after which he commissions one of his assistants to interview the applicants, and if he discovers among them one whom he thinks intelligent enough to make a competent general operative, to sound him as to his willingness to enter the service of the Agency.
As there are many salesmen who are overworked, underpaid and on the lookout for a change, the assistant superintendent's only task is to single out that applicant whose appearance and intelligence impress him most favorably; and if his selection develops into
12 The Pinkerton Labor Spy.
a good general operative, it is a matter of congratulation to tile office.
However, to begin with, the new employee is ranked as a special operative, and it is only after he has been tried and given satisfaction on a number of operations ranging from ordinary shadow work to the most complicated investigation, that he is styled a general operative and placed in line for promotion to the Executive Department.
The secret operative is hired in the same manner as the general operative, excepting that the form of the advertisement varies so as to accord with the nature of the work. Thus, if a secret operative is wanted, who is a practical coal miner, the ad is changed to read as follows :
WANTED at once several competent and experienced coal miners. Top wages and steady employment to good, able men. State age and experience. Z-415-Herald.
The ad, calling for several miners instead of one, appears quite natural, and precludes the barest possibility of arousing suspicion in the most watchful quarter.
The assistant superintendent detailed to "sound" a prospective secret operative, until morally certain of his man, exercises the utmost