The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-12-03
LOCAL MATTERS.

ARREST OF AN ALLEGED FEMALE SHoP.
L OF HER PROCEEDINGS IN
RIcHMosD.-The presence of a supposed fe.
male New York " shop-lifter in Richmond
became known nearly month ago to one or
two Of the leading dry goods, houses here,
and TO their regret, too, for only three OF
four days had passed after her arrival
they discovered that their stock of goods
was suffering. But the knowledge of her
arrival was not confined to these gentlemen.
Others heard it, and soon it became sub
ject Of conversation with many of their lady
customers, and it created no little excitement
among them.
1t was perhaps about six week ago that q
well-dressed female entered the store oil
Messrs. Cardozo, Fourq,1rean g. Co., on
Main street near Tenth, with the avowed
purpose of buying bill of goods. While
there she took occasion to display hand.
some shawl, which she told the salesman
who waited upon her she had purchased for
tho stim Of fourteen dollars. The clerk ex-
Rtnined the shawl at once (being struck with
its appearance) and detected the private
mark of Messrs. Thomas r. Price & Co.,
with whom he had formerly lived. He saw
at once that the amount which she said she
was marked. When she had completed her
purchases and gone, the clerk, already sus-
pecting something wrong, hastily left his
place of business and went down to Prices
to make inquiries and to detail his interview
with the stranger. He found to bis surprise
that they had sold no such shawl during the
day, and it turned out little later, when
their stock was examined, that just such a
shawl as he described was missing from their
goods. ...~
The detectives were at once put in posses
sion of the facts in the case and matters
stood about as they are above stated until
yesterday morning. About II o'clock De
tectives W. f. Knox and John Wren ar
rested Mrs. Hart, at No. 1919 Main street
charged with being the individual who had
made these inroads upon Messrs. Price
Co. It may be remarked here that this con
cern had only missed one shawl, but Car:
doza. Fourqurean 81 Co. found that they
too, were sufferers.
When arrested Mrs. Hart had in her pos
session splendid set of genuine diamond:
Of unusual lustre, several shawls Cashmere
and real Iace), lace goods, besides two sill
patterns and other valuable articles usually
found in well-cOnducted and irst-class dry
goods houses. The officers had been on hel
track for about six weeks, but not being
prepared TO make the arrest, refrained from
doing so until yesterday, when, armed will
q search-warrant, they entered the room sh,
occupied in the house the number of which
is above stated, and there found the goods
in value amounting to several hundred dol
lars, underneath the bed. Many of them hat
been put into large packing-trunk. appa
rently with the intention of shipping at once
On Saturday Detective Wren followed Mrs
Hart up the street for considerable dis
tance; but he was not then prepared to brinl
her to justice, and so she was allowed nearl
two days more of freedom. After beini
arrested she was taken to the office of tn
Chief of Detectives, and there acknowledge
her guilt.
Messrs. Price & Co. and Cardozo 6 CO
were notified Of the arrest and of the good
found in her possession, and representative
Of both houses repaired.at once to the FiIs
police-station, and identified number of tn
shawls and other goods which had doubles
been taken from their stores.
Mrs. Hart is a decided brunette, about th
medium height, and apparently thirty year
| Of age not by any means bad-looking, hayin
a dark, piercing eye and black hair; a promi
nent nose, erect in stature, and a pleasant ad
dress.
Additional facts may be brought out te
day, when it is probable the case will
investigated if the Commonwealth is suff
GENTLY prepared with witnesses. How sh
has so dexterously relieved the counters {
these dry goods houses of their valuables
an interesting question, which will.doubtles
be brought out; and how she succeeded s
well in carrying away the articles while tn
ever-watchful eyes of the Richmond me-
chants were upon her is alike worthy sui
ject of engaging inquiry.