The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-07-01
80" 2
THE WiY OFSHOPLfETERE

was asked.
"Yes, O. good manyy but not all, by
any means. We don't disturb Dersons
unless we have the most positive proof
of their guilt. When the article stolen
is trifle we watch tic woman SO as to
remember her face, but usually do
nothing more. Not mlfrcquentiy we
see thelts committed 10y women that
we believe are not habilually trcspass-
ers, but were urged Oh by too strong
temptation and poverty. Such wo,
men we take to q private room. We
tell them our suspicion. Ifthcv con-
Tess and give us what prove TO be their
right names sand addresses we let them
go. But all this isa very delicate mat
ter, aud to make u mistake is very
dangerous. You must know that
shoplllters are generally among the
best dressed and most respectable
looking women that come in Our store.
l stood ut tho second story skylighl
one day looking aimlcss!y down on the
first floor. 1 saw two elegantly dress
ca women putting away rolls Of silk
ribbon. [ watched them, and there
wasn't any doubt about it. I hasten
ed down and told the floor walker.
lie was astounlcd. Ipcrsistcd ana he
spoke to the women. They were vio-
lent'y indignant. AS they walked TO-
ward the door we saw them throw
the rolls Of ribbon among some boxes
between the two counters. We had
them followed. They lived in an Gle
CANT brown stone house in Forty
eighth street.
"Profcssional shoplifters," continu-
cd tho speaker, Every often wear
great clouks. They can put away
good deal Under them. BY raising
their folded arms under their cloaks
they conceal the added size The stolen
articles give them. They have pocI.
et made in the front Of their dresses
big enough to hold u number OF large
packages. why, when we unloadcd
Won,pn here one day we took out of
that pocket all that ~ good sized boy
could carry on his outstrctcllcd arms.
remember how indignant that wo-
man was when accused.
81 WAS walking through TIC store
one day when Il clerk told Inc he
thought a woman he was serving hai
stolen some Trghorn hats. walked
mp TO her and raised one Of her arms
suddenly. TWcnty-tWo hats tri! 20 the
Hoor. lov know what Lcghorn hats
are. They arc made Of Il kind of
grass and folded close together. She
said that she had picked them up On
The floor and was going to put them
where the rest Of the hats were kept.
We arrested her.
"Ihc hands Of an experienced shop
litter work faster than the ewes Of an
observer. a central office detective
standing in tho store one day saw u
woman putting away silk nan6kcr-
chiefs. She'd held one up AS ifto cx-
anime il, and then she'd suddenly pass
ii into her other hand and then into
big front pocket with such lightning
like rapidity that the detective couldn't
tel what she wos doing, but he
thought she was putting them back on
'hc counter. lie mad n study Of the
subject and caught her. Sh0pliftcrs
often steal our valiScs and baskets. and
then go round tho store filling thcm up.
McEnow Il good many in the profess
sion.
"The worst thing shopli(lcrs do.",
rs iyS SSis!tIts u GonGlusion. "is 70 sienl from
taking pockct-books and vnliscs. We
would great deal rather they would
steal from us, for their victims arc
sure TO give store where they arc
Il bad reputation. Not long ago lady
who had 1928 in silver in Il valiSc resi-
cu 1T on tic counter Il moment and il
disappeared. She found an old one in
its place. We believe that the thieves
who took it knew that she had money,
and followed her II long distance"
SWALLOWED BY AN ALLMAroR.-
The Pensacola NFla.) Idrnnce tells
The following: Mr.. John Owens, who
lives two miles side OF Florida Town,
on the eastern shore of Escambia BAY,
related to one of our citizens Yesterday
most horrifying affair. Ills state
mcnt was--and he gave il as positive
fnct-that Oh the 10th instant, while a
party numbering some three or four
were enjoying a sea bath, their attcn-
non was directed to a little ten or
iWclvc-year-old boy whom they had
lrlt on reef in shoal water near the |
beach, the men having vrntrrcd into !
deeper water. On looking in thc di- |
rcction of the child they realized the !
awful fact that the boy was being
swallowed by an alligator. fully hairI
the victims body still being visible |
and then suddenly disappearing in the
iri%httul jaws Of the monster, whose
tremendous mouth was plainly seen
oy each one present. They at once
returned to shore, but not 4 trace Of
the unfortunate lad could bc discover
cd, save the blood which floatcd on
the water.
a LrSUs NATuRAE.-A colorcd
child was recently born at Helena
having but one good eve, the other
being closed. nearly an inch below its
natural position, and connected with
what was intended for the nose bv a
liGamcnt The UyohosciS. which had
but one no"lril, also served for the up-
per lip. which. with Il small TUT of,
flesh ON either side gave the creature Il
singular movement of the mouth when
swallowing its food. An cXcrcsccncc,
the form ofa half grown Guinea
squash, grew out of the crown of the
head. All the fingers ofonc hand
were whipped to%clEcra at the end.
One foot was also dciormcd. The
body, was shnpcly. This painfully
misshapcd being lived but few days.