Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1886-05-20
A THIEF DETECTOR.
One Mans Employm ent in a
New York Store.
A Private Detective Who Mingles
with the Throng Of Shoppers.

A tall naughty young woman,
wrapped in furs, with large diamond
earrings, moved lazily through the
throng of shoppers in an uptown dry
goods establishment the other day.
She viewed with Indifference the
great variety of objects exposed for
sale, and chatted gayly with young
and stylish dressed companion, cast
ing naughty looks of displeasure at
the more vulgar shoppers whenever,
as it frequently happened, they were
rude enough to jostle against her.
A handsome japanese leather shop
ping satchel swung from her left arm,
and in harder jostle than any she
had yet received, the spring had snap.
ped and the satchel swung open. In
side lay purse, some loose green
backs, and odd change temptingly ex-
posed to view. The fair owner con-
tinued her elegant walk utterly obi.
vious of the danger threatening her
purse.
A stylish young fellow who had
been darting hither and thither in the
throng suddenly rested bis eyes on
the open satchel. They twinkled for
moment, and then he became very
earnest and apparently very anxious
to reach the street. He forced his
way up to the satchel, dexterously hid
it from view, and slyly stole his hand
into its depths. He was about to
withdraw it again, when he met with
a sudden and unexpected shock. A
stout, heavily built man, with his
overcoat buttoned up to the ears. who
had been moving slowly with the
crowd, apparently Indifferent to every
thing and everybody, had suddenly
taken a violent interest in the dapper
young man, and it was his hand
which had arrested the thiefjust as he
had started to remove purse and mon
ey from the open satchel.
The young lady turned around
with a slight scream, much disturbed,
and there was commotiou in the i'm
mediate neighborhood.
Keep your satchel closed, madam,
remarked the stout man calmly, and
before she recovered from her fright
he had disappeared with the thief in
his custody.
A reporter for the Sun, who had
watched the foregoing, followed the
two men into private Office at one
end of the second story.
Il should think that you would
know enough to keep out of here,
said the stout man angrily to the
tLief.
The latter laughed carelessly and
submitted to being searched without
murmur.
What's the Odds he returned with
grin.
The bosses won't have US arrested,
so we run no risks. Once in while
we strike a duffer when you're off
gallivanting with the daisies. That
was pretty lay you spoiled just now,
though he added regrettully. Won't
you come out and have something p
Not just now,' replied the stout
man ironically, but I'll see that you
get out
Il am the house detective he said
little later, after having conducted
his charge out of side door. Il have
been detective nearly all my life.
and l owe my present place to the
fact that l know by sight every pro-
tessional thief and pickpocket in the
country. 1 get a large salary for do
ing nothing but walk up and down
through the store all day, and am en-
tirely my own master. I have sever
al assistants also, but am RESPONSE
BILE for all. If a pocketbook is lost,an
article taken from a counter, or clerk
knocks down, am held to answer, so
that 1 am obliged to keep my eyes
wide open all the time.
People are very careless. A doz'
en- times at least every day [ have to
warn ladies that their shopping satch-
els are open, or that they have laid
their purses on the counter while ex-
amining goods.
1T is rule of this house to avoid
publicity as much as possible in the
matter of arrests. If [ find a thief,
even in the act of stealing, | simply
take away his booty, search him care
fully for other stolen goods and then