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

XIII u10 10 10 dCCuS6Q Vi committing SuCl
au act The professionals are full OF
tricks. They frequently, at the first scent
of danger, drop their booty on the floor
and insist that it fell off the counter. These
female professional thieves do not confine
their operations to the counters nor to the
pocketbooks of the customers. They take
whatever they can lay their hands on
belonging to the buyers. In fact, l even
think they would carry off the very
clothing from their backs if they could
Not long ago lady-a relative called to
do some shopping. While she was exam.
lining cloak she laid her hand bag, con.
tanning some valuable jewelry and several
hundred dollars in money on chair.When
she went to look for it the bag was gone
1t was unquestionably taken by suspi-
cious looking wo nan who was seen loiter-
ing near by. The woman also stole seal
skin sack at the same time. Of the unpro-
fessional shoplifter l may say that some of
them are known to be so wealthy that an
account is kept without their knowledge
of what they steal, and when the bills are
sent in the articles are charged for. The
bills are paid without a murmur. l am
| familiar with one case where a bill for
$1,000 worth of goods was promptly
paid"
THE CAUTION NECESSARY.
4 presume the greatest caution is neces'
sary IN making an accusation"
Yes, have already referred to the dan
ger that might arise through mistake.
Every merchant feels the extreme peril of
arresting the innocent. The instructions
to all the subordinates are never to arrest
anyone where there is the slightest posi-
bility of an error. We even let people go
when we know they have been stealing
rather than run the risk of making an
unwarranted arrest. Every salesman and
saleswoman is ordered to watch the stock
carefully and to avoid any possible mis-
take of this kind. When it is
clearly established that a theft has
occurred the detective we employ is
ordered not to modest the perpetrator until
she arrives at the street door. Of course,
as unjust arrest excites great deal of pub
lie feeling, and very properly. So strong
in this feeling that one such arrest will i'm
peril the pros perity of great business.
One extensive establishment suffered two
entire years tn oUgh misstep of this
kind. 1t would seem that the theory of
kleptomania was mistaken one if these
non professionals stole for the value of the
articles they had taken-if they did it to
make money or to save their pocket
money. But their thefts are almost uni
formly of an extraordinary or unique char
acter. Why, for instance, should wealthy
lady carry off two do ZEN tooth brushes!
What reason is there in a woman in good
circumstances pocketing bottle of hair
dye when she never dyes her hair under
any circumstances How can the theft
of package of stove polish by person
worth 100000 be accounted for? And
yet all these things have occurred, together
with others quite as surprising. Every well
regulated business house employs de-
tectives, and they are as a general thing,
the highest men in their profession. In
New York the police commissioners some
times assigned their own officers to the
stores, and the merchants paid the amount
of their wages to the city"
''To what extent do thu employees of
these stores practice thievery:"
''Well, l am happy to say that the pro-
portion is small when one considers the
number of persons engaged in extraordi-
nary temptations to which they are ex-
posed. But, as have previously observed,
the dishonesty crops out in such unexpecr
ed directions. Here, for instance, was
man who had been connected with our
business for many years. His salary was
$1,800 per annu1n. He was trusted by
everyone. He managed his department
with rare success. But during this period
he was robbing the house. Whenever he
opened case of rich goods he would take
a quantity and hide them about his per-
son. All this time he was dressed modestlY
and was supposed to live quietly. He was
never suspected of theft until he wen
]lome and died. Then in his room
were found articles value at thousands of
dollars. He was enjoying every luxury
from the proceeds of his crime. He owned
the wardrobe of a prince, having sixty
suits of clothes made by the most fashion
able and costly makers. He had been
keeping up his thefts for many years, and
the house felt the loss but was unable to
discover the leak.
Il could go on Indefinitely with these
of thsfts by professionals, by
professionals and by employees, but 1
think have outlined my experience pretty
thoroughly, and the subject is not very
pleasant one. But it will give great many
people something to think about, and con-
vince them that the lives of merchants are
not entirely free from care"