Omaha daily bee., 1883-05-10
sHoP-LIFrERs' TRICKS.
Women Who Put Soalskln Sacques
In Their Pockets Sneak Thieves
and Their Methods.
IN laI lphil Evening Bull,un.


$40 you sco that woman over
ther,l' was tho question which was
suddenly put to a Bulletin reporter by
u detective with whom he was csn
yetsing this morning, uponsome minor
topics in a large retail store not far
from Nle center Of tho city. G,auc.
tDg In the direction indicated by the
detective, the rep ,rter a q woman
apparently about 10 years old She
was neatly, If not elegantly, drossed,
aud hor gray locks were smoothly
brushed back from her forehead. He
informed his questloner tina; the lady
had met his vision.
"Watch met the detective said
with a twinkle in his eye; then, walk
log up to the lady and laying his hand
politely, bat authoritst!vely, upon her
shoulder, he said: 81 beg your par.
don, madam, but I'll thank you for
that silk"
"what silki' said the woman, with
q startled expression, and q tone Of
voice that attracted the attention of
other customers Ia the store.
II don't Intend to psrley about this
matter, madam" said tho man who
wore the star; "take the silk out OF
your pocket and you will fare bet.
ter"
II really do not kaow what you
mean" and the m began to cry
piteously.
Sans old gamsl Same old camel
muttcred the detective, and then In q
louder tone he again commanded her
to give up the material which he 40.
cused her of trying to steal.
The woman, however, continued to
whimpsr, and By her tears succeeded
in gaining the sympathy of the major
lily of the %bystsndsrs, who poured a
torrent of abuse upon the detective.
He bore 1t all calmly and without com
plant, until the woman, encouraged
by the sympathy che had enlisted,
started to move away. He again
caught her by the arm and Informed
her that she was under arrest. This
enrsged the bystanders more than
ever, and what the result might have
been is not known,f for at that moment
a cool.headed old gentleman came for.
ward and advanced the opinion thai
the woman ought to be searched, and
If nothing could be found upon hei
abe could, by legal process, indemnity
herself to any indignities to which she
had been subjected. Strange to say,
although the detective was not only
willing, but anxious, to accept these
terms, the m rebelled.
She had never been subjected t'
anything of the kind, she said, anc
would rather die before allowing suci
a thing She was finally, however, b!
force compelled to submit, and by
dexterous movement the detectlv,
pulled from a skillfully concealed
pocket a piece of valuable silk, an,
held it up triumphantly to the aston.
ished crowd. A rapid examination O
her dress showed a series of dee
pockets concealed In the folds.
she wss handed over to an employ
Of the store, who took her before tn
proprietor to know whether or not h
desired to prosecute, and when tn
crowd had dispersed the detectiv
turned to the reporter with the re
mark: Didn't l tell you 500"
"Dld you know herr was the inter
rog alive reply.
"No," said the detective, "she Is
new bird In these parts, at least to III,
l never saw her before, but l hap
pened to see her crib that piece {
|, goods, and therefore l cribbed he
See!"
TIE reporter nodded assent an
asked: sd You have many of th'
kind aroundl" "Lots of them; bI
) you see we soon come to know then
They are a diversified crowd, 30
speak. Now, that woman, for II
s~tauce, she was nicely dressed, an
would pass for a lady anywhere, viii
may be In ten minutes you'll see a
old woman with a basket on her ar
come in here on the same errant
They dress In styles from the worst
the best. The worst dressed on,
come In and loiter around and ste
/. anything they can lay their hands OF
whether, 1t Is worth 10 cents or 81
but the we'll dressed ones come with
more specific object In view. The
can tell the real lace from the init
ton, with the judgment of an exper
They never take tho trouble to ste
anything except 1t be Of nome valu,
and as l said before, they kno
r how to discriminate. Sometim'
J. thay go In pairs, and while one tall
to the shop keeper or uslea. person u
u other doe, the stealing. This is the
more successful way"
t "From the way you talk" ga
his listener, zone would think tn
there we're no men thieves. VI
q haven't mentioned them 30 far"
r "Well, that Is 30, but the WON,
give US the most trouble. TIE m
:. jorlty of sneak thieves are women, b
Q cause, you see their very manner
? dress affords them facilities that Il
men do not possess. Male snel
thieves generally prowl round Il
streets watching for an open doorwi
with a hat rack within reach, but tn,
do at times annoy the shops with the
!, presence. Book %s.oros, for instanc
y are troubled with them. If they a
experts they know the value OF ra
books, and they enter a store to pa
:. chase a magazine or something of +
fling coat, and If any book of value
, within reach, if the sizs permits, 1
side of their vest 1t goor, and there
!" is likely to stay until they get safe
away. Sometimes they conceal the
J in their hat, and / believe the late
. arrangement is the bundle trick.
"That Is a box wrapped to resent
a bundle, with an opening in the 81
into which thep put any thing tn
N can got their hands on. There 9
u