Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-07-25
A QUEEN AMONG THIEVES.
MRS MAspELBAUps BUSINESS
Buyius stolen silks by the Thousand Yards
pepots In Many cities matchmaking De-
fNcw York Tlmes.l

New York Times.I
In New York city there are not over
| eight or nine men and women who are
known as professional receivers 81 stolen
goods. First IN the list and standing ut
The head OF the country az the largest deal
] or was Mrs, Frederika Mandelbaum, who
kent small dry-doods store az the corner
| Of Clinton and Rivington streets, and oc-
! cupied the two houses adjoining on Clin-
| ION street. and whose arrest by Fullerton
| detectives on Tuesday has already been re-
ported. Mrs. Mupdelbaum Is woman
! with large. coarse features, almost
masculine IN appearance restless,
/ black eyes. and dark norid com
| plexion. When she first came 10 tnls
| country she peddled laces for liv-
| ing. Mandelbaum, whom she married,
was n well-known receiver OF stolen goods,
/ and has brother In the city, lilrsch Man
/ delbaum, who is also known to detectives
| n fence" Mandelbaum belonged to a
/ ring ~ thieves. among whom were such
/ characters as " Nose" Enrich, Harris. and
General" Greenthall-the last named
now serving twenty-years' sentence at
| Auburn. From him Frederika learned
! the business. Her training as seller OF
| laces had partially fitted her rs Judge oil
/ material, and by study she soon became an
| expert in determining the value OF jew
elry, silks, and any plumber secured by
| thieves. Added 10 this she was remark
| ably shrewd busincss-woman, so that when
! her husband died, about nine years ago,
| she took charge Of the business, AMI had
| carried 1t on with marked pecuniqry gain
until her arrest. She has accumulated a
fortune. and is the owner OF several tene-
| mentS.
.'For twenty-five years." said Mr.. Rob.
ert Pinkerton TO Times reporter yestcr
! day. "Mrs. Mandelbaum has carried on q
| most successful business. a a receiver OF
| stolen gOOds-siks, diamondS--in Tact, she
would buy the whole 'swag Of n burglar.
| She is known, at least by name, to every
thief and detective in the United States,
and has received plumber from nearly
| every city in the country. secured by
travelling gangs Of professional thieves.
About n year ago she became little
frightened, aud stopped dealing in jewell
~. In the last six months she has not
dealt with burglars, but confined her
dealings to shop-iitcrs. All the noted
tbicves-burglars. sneak-thieyes, shop-liit-
ers, second. story climberS-havc been con-
npctCd with her At one time or another
tina; is. all lirst-cllss thieves in their special
branches. Whenever thieys, wanted ready
money they applied TO her, for she
always had it. She had ROOMS for storing
goods IN New York, Brooklyn, lIOb0kcn,
Passaic, and other towns. Often she would
nav the rent OF an entire Hat for a man aad
wife. t. have the Use OF one or two rooms.
Many women whose husbands were serv-
ing ferns in prison for burslaries were So.
cured 10 occupy these places.
"Who were her customers ~
"Thcy were everywhere. Many small
dealers in this city bought OF her because
they could secure the goods cheap. though
knowing where they came from. She sold
to dealers and jressmakcrs in Trenton.
Albany, Buffalo, Cincinnati. She had
agents everywhere. Before goods like silks
were sent out 10y her every mark was care
fully removed. Some dealers put on a
bogus stock number and wrapped the
Iacka0cs as original. She was known q,
The Old Womam,' Madam, and Mother
Baum by thieves al over the country.
Professional thicyc, held her IN high es,i-
nation. owing 10 The power she claimed
10 possess with the authorities. Some Of
the best thieves she would stick 10
vixen they were under arrest until all
chances OF acquit;al or escape were gone.
She selected counsel Tor them and fur
nishcd AL the money required. |! her
efforts were successful. she always taxed
them double the expense. She Is very
yindictiVe rOnian, and Is said never to fDr-
get wrong. She has made il practice
for years TO visit convicted There, with
whom She bad Ge9iings Just before the time
their sentence expired, and She i web
known on DlackWeil'S Island, at sing sing,
Crow lljll, the Eastern penitcntiary at
Philadelphia, and other prisons. With
these prisoners she was very persuasive
and generally got b3ch their business. >lc
i perfectly familiar with the law, and
,..nows how much evidence il takes 10 c9u-
Wet, she Knows. TOO. that an acc,mplic,'s
testimony cannot be taken unless cOrrObo.
rated, and so was always cIrciIl to deal
with one person alone whenever posi-
be-"
The only person who had the entire con-
fidcncc OF Mis-. Mandclhaum was llc1nln
stout. also under arrest. He wa, born In
SaXony, and in appearance l. by 10 means
propossesoing. lle was known a. the
"StOOl- pigeon" and was never liked by
thieves. His wife died about cigh, years
ago. and he began ~ hangcr-on at HrS.
:.
Mandelbaum took him into her entire con-
fidcnce. and he always accompanied her
when she went 10 look at pIIndcr. The
couple was always followed by son or
daughter Of Mrs. Mandlebsum TO see TIA,
tNCy we're not watched 10y detective.
She would 90 wherever the plumber was
concealed il il was rot considered slie
10 bring it To her store. She offered ab)ut
ore fifth Of the wholesale price OF the
goods. Onsiks worth 80 yard she would
pay e. cents; for sealSkin sacqucS whic.
retail at $500 she would pay so, AMI on
camel s-hair ShaWls worth $1,000 or Sl,2oD
she would pay Sl00. On these aGd other
lines Of goods she had established prices
known generally TO professional thicyc'.
) bargain concluded. the goods were cur
ried by Stout and another employed - oat
q her many places o. c0ncc3mrut. The
Thieves IN the mean time wtr, not allowed
10 leave her presence. and She only paid
ior the goods when they were entirely in
her possession.
1T is sid ~ thieves" remarked Mr..
pinkcrton Yesterday, &" that the old womln
always drove Il hard bargain. In 1876.
when Billy Porter and Johnny Irving
robbed Clalllin " Go. Of 10000 yards OF
silk, they had it hidden in a stable. Mr..
MaudcIbaum PIT them of until thcy were
So anxious TO get away that they sold tfor
,lu.ot nothing. The money for the De.
fence Of Billy Porter, who shot Walsh IN
Diapers saloon about ycar ago, after he
had killed Irving, was furnished by thl,
Queen Of Fences When Porter and lr-
wing committed the Patchcl-lNenuc bur
glary she furnished their means OF escape,
crd found them "A refuge in Patterson. She
never allowed any OF her four children T.
carry stolen property for fear OF trouble.
1t is known that she very recently directed
thieves not TO operate in New York, Is sh"
suspected that she was being watched, AMI
iiarrestcd she thought she would have no
influence with the District Attorney"
Mrs. Mandelbaum invariably refused to
give money to wives Of thieves unluckily
caught and sent to prison, telling them 10
60 to work il they wanted money. II Is
also stated that she had arrangements
often with clerks In large dry-goodS
houses TO allow shopliters 10 work at
their counters, promising them a certain
percentage.
did she always keep her wOrd!" was
asked OF Mir. Pinkerton,
Always in this respect" he answered.
"When robbery Of this kind was to be
committed she would send a shopliiter to
the store to locate the silk, estimate It's
value, and gauge its bulk. Then, il II was
worth while, r bag was made and somebody
dispatched for the plumber. These bags
lit in the fold Of dress like a pocket,
and will hold shawl or roll OF silk very
L m. I. L.. IL.