Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1881-01-01

BOSTON LADIES ARRESTED.
Falsely Accused Of shoplifting and Sub
jected to Search.
Accased of Stealing In Large Dry Goods
Houses ana Arrested with ContImeIy
-Keleased A fterward with Pro-
fuse Apologies.
New York Sun.
All through the holiday season and par
ticulary during last week, there has been
an almost unprecedented rush of shoppers
At the retail stores of Boston, and the
large dry goods establishments especially
have been thronged. With the hundreds
Of ladies who have preplexed dry goods
clerks with the customary shopping ques-
tions there has been moderate sprinkling
of sh0plifters. Several OF them have been
detected and punished liz the courts, but
in one instance at least the officials made
q serious blundcr.
One day during the height of the busy sea-
son the wife of a wealthy busniness man
who lives at the Highlands, entered one of
the principal dry goods stores to make
her Christmas purchases. The store was
thronged, and the clerks hurried with the
demands of impatient customers. The
lady, in her tour of the establishment,
paused for several minutes before a
counter where some expensive laces were
displayed. She spent some minutes in
examining the delicate goods, but made
no purchase, and moved away to another
part of the store. Before she had taken
many steps through the throng, however,
an officer in the employ Of
the firm confronted her, and in
formed her that he must take her
into custody on the charge Of shoplifting,
at the same time lifting up piece Of valu-
able lace which hung suspended from a
button of her outer garment. In vain she
protested her innocence and affirmed her
ignorance of the presence of tho bit of
lace. She was taken into private room
and searched, and then conducted to a
more secure place. Nothing of a suspi-
cious character was found upon her per-
son. The lady was expensiyely dressed,
and had considerable sum Of money in
her parse. She gave her name and ad-
dress freely, hoping thereby to establish
claim to responsibility, but to no avail.
1o. -band, on being informed of her ar
Her h.- q took measures to have his
rest, at oh. N custody, and as near as
wlIe re!easeu IT, stormy scene with
can be learned, had the arrest was
the firm in whose store
"a~e' T .. .,o ,,,,, .,, =" into
court in due course, but no one appeare.-
to prosecute, and the action was dismissed. |
The presence of the lace upon the lady's |
garment was easily explained when an ex-
summation of the buttons was made. |
They were of peculiar rough pattern, and |
in handling over the pile Of laces spread
out by the salesman for her inspection, |
one piece, according to the theory, was |
brushed against button as she leaned |
against the counter and clung to it.
When pointed out to her by the officers it |
was hanging conspicuously, with no at |
tempt at concealment. 1t was said that |
the lady's husband, in his anger at what
he considered the insult offered to his wife, |
instructed his attorney to institute suit |
against the firm. The affair was quickly |
hushed up, however, and all parties to the
case suddenly became extremely re ticent. |
correspondent of the Sun through trust |
worthy channel, and the lady's husband |
was called upon. In reply to questions
he said that he wished to make no state !
ment for publication. as the case had been |
amicably settled.
81 never knew how many friends my |
wife and 1 had" he continued, until
this affair happened, for although it has |
not as yet got into the newspapers, some |
how or other the news has spread among |
our acquaintance, and my wife has had
many expressions Of sympathy" In re-
ply to q question as to whether he had |
placed deposit of $40, 900 at the disposal |
of lawyer with which to fight the firm,
he smiled thoughtfully and replied "Wen |
did put the case into the hands of my
attorney, and fancy that if l had seen fit |
to proceed with it there would have been
no lack of money; but have said that
would give no information, and cannot"
Here the interview closed.
The prominence of the parties, both So
cially and financially, has caused it to he a
leading topic of discussion in the circles
where the facts have been known
The most startling story of holiday
sh0plifting is told as having occurred at |
another large dry goods house. The wife
of leading jeweler was pointed out by a
cash boy at the establishment in question |
Is having been seen by him to take goods |
from counter. Her denials of the accu- !
sation had no effect, and upon beng |
searched two or three handkerchiefs were |
found in pocket Of her sacque. She de- |
MED all knowledge of how they came |
there, but her story was not credited. |
Like the other lady, she sent for her
husband, who promptly demanded of the
them, % Of hIs 0o %fss gst shsy Ths RUsSssssa easS
boy was brought in, and when closely
Questioned began to snivel, and
finally confessed that he himself put the |
handkerchiefs in the lady's pocket in the |
hope of thereby obtaining tho reward Of |
ferA6 nv the firm for anv case Of theft do |