The Grenada gazette. (Grenada, Miss.) 1885-18??, 1888-05-26
SHOPLIFTERS.
"A Detectives Interesting Account
of How They Operate.
III ow Stolen sealskin sacques n Other
Goods Are Carried On-How the Pill
ferers Are Sometimes Detected
and Property Recovered.

"A richly-dressed lady of command
ing presence and gracious address. at
tired in long, loose raglan of glossy
scalskin, aheavy black silk dress, and
a stylish. close fitting bonnet. entered
a large New York store and fitted
about from counter to counter In a de-
-suitory manner after the fashion OF
lcisnrely shoppers. occasionally pnr-
chasing some small article, for which
she paid from a we'll filled portmonnaie;
but frequently she tossed over a
profusion of rich laces, silks and vel
vets, apparently seeking something
she could not find. for she made no
purchase. For some u~naccountable
reason a small, quiet man, apparently
q floor walker or curious salesman,
followed the lady for a little way, and
presently. at a sign from him. a sales
lady suddenly put on her hat and cloak
and went all about through the store
making purchases at whatever counter
the handsome woman tarried.
They finally passed down TO the
main entrance and were about leaving
the store when the quiet, inquisitive
floor walker detained them and invit-
ed the lady to step into a little retired
room and relieve herself of various
articles concealed about her person
which did not belong to her. Arrived
at the room the lady fell on her knees
and called on all the saints in the
calendar to attest her innocence, threw
her arms about the girls neck who
waited TO search her. pleaded with her
with tears and sobs. kissed her and
;stroked her hair, tore the diamonds
from her W ears, neck and fingers,
piled thom in n heap on the table to-
,gethor with a diamond studded watch.
and offered them to the searcher II she
would only believe her and not SUBJ
init her to the disgrace Of public
search; told her Ct a husband who
would kill her, and of little children
who would learn to despise their
mothers name; she dashed her head
against the brass work of the radiator,
beside which she kneltin supplication.
and called for poison 10 end her mis-
cradle existence.
The supposititious poison was in
@stantly procured and handed to her,
whereupon she promptly rallied from
her Mysteries and submitted to the
search, which resulted in recovering
sne hundred dollars worth of goods
md in finding beneath the lady's over
Skirt a long, large bag Of silk which
covered the entire front of her dress,
with an opening at the side large
enough to take in n roll of silk or a
piece of velvet. The woman also wore
five skirts. in each of which was a
pocket which opened into the pocket OF
the skirt beneath. Her long. loose
stockings contained several articles OF
value, and in her bosom were con
.cealed many more. At the prosecu-
ton which followed her much feared
husband appeared and seemed not Mt
all disconnected. He had secured for
her able counsel, and promptly paid
her fine. Roy
A devoted little mother. with q two.
months old baby on her shoulder. re-
Gently entered an uptown store. Over
the baby's embroidered robe a long
double cloak was wrapped. and the
child seemed to require agreat deal OF
attention beneath this cloak. oil OF
which was given by the mother with
many smiles and caresses. As she
was about leaving the store she, too,
was quietly invited into a retired
apartment, and beneath the baby's
cloak was found secreted something
like thirty dollars worth Of goods.
She began on shoes and finished on
Easter eggs. eight chocolate eggs be-
ing slowed away together with hand
kerchiefs, dolls. ~ratltes, some velvet
and a piece of lace. OF course she
cried and the baby cried in concert,
and altogether a damp depressing
scene followed.
At tho close of a dull day, as the do
tective in a large store was about
leaving, he saw a prettily dressed lady
take from the candy counter two ten.
cent bars Of molasses candy.
Il didn't want to prosecute Inc
woman" said the detective, flor
surmised that she had a baby at home
or an unusually sweet tooth herself,
50 l summoned my woman assistant
and said loud enough for the lady to
dcar: That woman will have to g