Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-02-06

1 10 dQODb Iu0 duCkOAlb pan VI cStSA6
thief to catch thief" He accordingly re
tanned the service of a well-known pick
pocket and shoplifter-a woman who hac
many years experience in this line. But
before he trusted her to begin operations
he required proofs of her skill. She was
willing to undergo the ordeal, declaring
that she could steal goods in his presence
without being detected. A room was fitted
up with counter, goods were placed upon
it, and Stewart, one of his business asso.
ciates and an experienced detective
mounted guard. The woman was so ex
pert that she purloined articles while they
were watching, secreted them III false
pockets, and could have gotten away
had she been so minded. She showed them
how easy it was to go up to silk counter
and make away with whole piece OF
silk measuring one hundred yards
concealing it so that no one
would imagine that she had it.
The female thief was engaged to hunt
down the dishonest employees of the
house She was only there single week
when she got on the right track and thor
oughly ingratiated herself with the cul-
prits. She discovered that there was in
the store regular ring of thieves, COM
prised of some of the most trusted male
and female clerks, who had succeeded in
extracting articles valued at many thous
ands of dollars. The thieves were arrested
and the proof of their guilt was conclusive.
Crime, in these cases, often crops out in
the most unexpected places. 1t is some
times enough to destroy ones faith in hu-
man nature to see man or woman, whose
uap4t1- - hnrAt,d fHa cba1
ow of suspicion, turning out the worst kind
of thief. Why, We have had men who
have been in our service for years, detect
ed in stealing something as petty pair
of gloves. OF course dismissal invariably
follows discovery, but we rarely prosecute,
as the thefts are paltry, and the value can
rarely be recovered"
FASHIONABLE KLEPToMANIAos.
''Are most of the robberies committed by
outsiders the work of professional
thieves?"
''Oh, no; it is an amazing but neverthe-
less established fact that nine-tenths of the
things stolen are taken by women who are
not professional thieves. Why the revela-
tions that could be made in regard to this
matter are so startling that they would
hardly be credited without actual observa-
ton. So common has the presence of what
is called 'kleptom1nia' become that The
largest and wealthiest dry goods house;
we have are compelled to adopt a definite
line of policy in the treatment of accused
persons. When woman of respectable
standing is detected she is taken to
the Office and examined; the proceeds of
her thefts are taken from her and She
is required to sign a confession that she
has stolen such and such articles that she
is liable to prosecution and that she ex
poets to be prosecuted if she ever enters
the store again. In the possession of our
own establishment are several hundred of
these documents. disclosure of their
contents would carry CONSERVATION into
some of our most fashionable social cir
Giles, and people would stand aghast by the
disclosure of the names that are upon the
roll of guilt"
WHY THEY ARE NOT PROSECUTED.
''Are these fashionable shop lifters never
prosecuted?"
Rarely, if ever. 1t does not pay to
prosecute them. 1t would create scandal,
carry ruin into the families of those &C
cused and prejudice the interests of the
house. The system of compelling con-
fession almost invariably prevents the
from ever stealing again. 1t is |
a matter of policy to follow tic
course 1 have indicated. Do I think
there is really such thing as KEEP |
.omania? Beyond a doubt there is. [ !
will give you clear illustration of it. A
woman, we'll known iii society, the wife of |
a conspicuous citizen, came into our store |
not long ago. No suspicion had ever been !
regarding her, but by the |
merest chance a floor walker discovered |
that she acted strangely and the attention |
Of the detective employed by US was called |
to her queer conduct. He kept an eye |
upon her until she had gone to dozen diff
ferent counters, stolen articles and con-
cealed them. Just as she was passing out
of the store door the detective said: |
Madam. they wish to see you i'll the of
fce.' She Immediately became very much |
agitated. 1t seemed as if she was par
alyzed with fear. When she reached the
office member of the firm said: Madam,
you have articles upon your person which
were stolen from this store. You have
been seen in the act. You
must show us what you have
TAKEN anu give IL up Oho mduo III dG-
tempt at concealment or denial, but she
was pale with fright and overcome with
shame and modification. She searched
her pockets and took out what she had alb
stracted from the different departments.
She had three dozen pairs of kid gloves,
several pairs of hose. large quantity of
some fancy jewelry and some
tooth brushes. The wretched woman, in
paroxysm of grief, fell upon her knees and
in agonized tones implored mercy, naming
her husband, prominent citizen, and
that exposure meant the ruin of
herself and the lasting disgrace of her
family. She said that she had plenty of
money, was willing to pay for the articles
and also to pay out any sum that might
be named to compromise the
matter. This woman signed an ad
mission of her guilt and a stipulation new
er to enter the store again. To-day she
occupies conspicuous position in Brook
Ign society, lives in splendid style on a
fashionable thoroughfare and none of her
friends-not even her husband-k lows of
the occurrence which I have descIi bed. So
it is in most of these cases. The women
don't mean to steal. They gene, ally are
we'll brought up, surrounded by home in
fuences and have abundant resou zee at
4La;- oor,,oopd Tbav ora euddapIv sa;1ad