Omaha daily bee., 1883-02-14
Fashionable Women Thieves.

FaShtOnaDle women Inl6Ves.
A prominent manager Of one OF the
greatest dry goods stores In Brooklyn,
In couversation with q writer for The
Eagle about the subject Of thefts ir
stores, said:
1T is an amazing, but nevertheless
an established fact, that nine.tenths
Of the things stolen are taken by
women who are not professional
thieves. Why, the revelations hat
could be made in regard to this matter
are 80 startling that they would
haldly be credited without actual
observation. So common has the
presence of what is called klepto-
mania become that the largest and
wealthiest dry goods houses we have
are compelled to adopt a de.
finite line Of policy In
the treatment of accused persons.
When q woman Of respectable stand.
ING 10 detected she ia taken to the
ofi,e and examined: the proceeds of
her thefts are taken from he's, ar.a rha
Is required to sign a confession that
she has stolen ouch and aaeh articles,
thai she Is liable TO prosecution, and
that abe expects to be- prosecuted II
she YER enters the store again. In
the possession Of our own establish.
ment are several hundred of these
documents. A disclosure Of their CON
tents would carry transformation into
some of our most fashionable social
c~ircres, and people would stand aghast
by the disclosure Of the names that are
upon the roll of guilt"
"Are the fashionable shoplifters
never prosecuted"
Rarely, If ever. 1t does not pay
to prosecute them. 1t would create
q scandal, carry ruin into the families
of those accused and prejudice the In
terests OF the house. The system Of
compelling a confession almost In.
vsrlably prevents the woman from
stealing again. 1t Is a matter of
policy to follow the course I have indi.
Gated. Do I think there Ia
really such q thing as klepto,
manis2 Beyond q doubt there Is. !
will give you q clear illustration of II:
A woman, we'll known In society, wife
of q conspicuous citizen, came into our
store not long ago. No suspicion has
ever been entertained regarding her,
but BY the merest chance o 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 on her until she had gone to q
dozen different counters, stolen arti.
Giles and concealed them. Just as she
was passing out Of the store door the
detective said: Madam, they wish
to see you In the office She imme-
diately became very much agitatsd.
1t seemed Of 1t she was paralyzsd with
fear. When she reached the ofioe a
member of the firm said: 'Msdam,
you have articles upon your person
Sh!sh were stolen from this
store. You have been see at the act.
You must show US what you have
taken aud give 1t up" She made no
attempt 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 distracted from the
different departments. She had three
dozen pairs Of kid gloves, several pal
of hose, q large quantity Of ribbc
some fancy jewelry, and some T.
brushes. The wretched woman q
paroxysm of grief, fell up y
knees, and In agonized tones IN
mercy, naming her husbani tmplo
nent citizen, and pleadiu' i apro
eure meant the ruin Of that Q,
lasting disgrace of J .er@lf and
said she had plen' family.
willing to pay for the OF money,
pay out any SIN thu articles and
to oompr' mise II mignt Do ma
woman signed g. % matter. =,
t.e .tora saain htion never to Q
ia consniopons To-day she occr
a~oc;atv lives position in Broo
fasbIonsbls In splendid style
her friends. .Aoroughfare, and no
knowa 90 mot even her husba
described he occurrence which l
cases So 1t IL In most OF
steaI r lhe women don't mea
up, ~ they generally are well br'
and lrrounnded by home intiue
cor ,.va Abundant resources ut