The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1886-02-06
A DETECTIVES STORY.

r
iomos police court a tall, fine look.
Ing woman of about thirty-five was
Tpght in. charged with shoplifting
ohe was dressed in what was evil
gently the remains of better days, land
iier appearance, on the whole, was
NOT unprepossessing. She seemed in
nowise embarrassed by the position
In which she was placed. She an.
sWered in a clear, unfallering voice
aliihe questions that were asked her
xiying her name as Alice Brown land
her residence No. - East Fifteenth
street.
She's an old offender" said Detec
tive B., who happened to be standing
fymy side, land she's sure to be sent
up9'
svou know her ?" inquired.
~ w, yes. Sne was at one time a
kIeptomaniac. It's queer, isn't it,
that What is shoplifting in the caseof
poor woman becomes kleptomania
when the criminal is a millionaire's
wife? / know dozens of these klep-
tomaniacs, and they are nearly all
women. I'll sell you a little story
about one of these the first chance |
get."
Two or three days later | met 3.
again and reminded him of his prom
ise,
"Ah, yes" he said, "I remember.
The story is not very remarkable
one. but it has the merit of being
true; and, as it illustrates a phase of
New YORK society which is usually
kept shady, it may interest you"
Zone morning, some years ago,
Mrs. Clifford, the wife Of old Darrell
Clifford, the millionaire, had her
pocket picked while she was shop.
ping at Stewards. Her purse, which
contained nearly twelve nundred dol.
lars. was taken. Mrs. Clifford was
unable to tell exactly where the theft
had been committed. She had been
in the store some twenty minutes
when she discovered her loss. All
she knew about it was that the purse
had been stolen while she was in the
store she was certain that it was in
her possession when she entered. OF
course the police were notified, but
there did not seem to be much prob
ability that the money would be re-
covered, until a valuable clue was
furnished by Mrs. Clifford herself.
"On her return home from Stew.
arts after the discovery of the theft,
the lady found solitary diamond
ring in the pocket from which the
purse had been stolen. 1t was very
handsome thing. and was worth a
couple Of hundred dollars. Mrs. Cliff.
ford had never seen it before and was
at a loss how to account for its pres
ence in her pocket until it occurred to
her that it had dropped from the fin.
ger of the thief who had stolen the
purse. Old Darrell Clifford saw that
the ring might be the means of the
detection of the pickpocket, and the
recovery of the stolen money. He
directed his wife to say nothing about
it to anyone. and brought the ring to
me. The next morning the following
advertisement appeared:
"FoUND - A diamond ring on
Broadway. The owner can have it
10y proving property and paying ex-
penses. Call at room 3S, - Hotel
this afternoon between four and five
o'clock.
"As you have already guessed the
occupant of room SO that afternoon
was no other than your humble SER
want. 1t was nearly five O'Clock, and
| had begun to fear that my scheme
was destined to prove failure,
when there came low tap upon the
door.
"'Come in 1 cried. and a hand
somely dressed woman entered.
"I have called in answer to this
advertisement she began.
"Ah, yes said. You have lost
diamond ring?'
"'Unfortunately, yes. SIR she re-
piled.
"'When did you lose it?'
"'Yesterday morning.
"And where p
"'I cannot tell exactly. I was out
shoppoing all the morning. l did
not miss it until l was nearly home.
l think l must have dropped ii some.
where between Stewards and my res
idence on Twenty.fourth street. 1t
was too large for the finger upon
which wore it, and slipped off with
out my noticing it,
Exactly, madam. Please describe
he ring
"Well, she described it minuteIy.
When she had finished 1 took the
ring from my pocket.