St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1888-05-19

appropriate any thing except sealskin
cloaks, pieces of silk, velvet or lace,
and iewelry. They usually wear a
long fur-lined circular III winter 'and
carry muff and an umbrella, and al
ways travel in pairs, one watching the
floor walkers and the other covering
the shop girls. If piece of silk, lace
or velvet is selected worthy Of their eff =
forts. they ask the shop girl for an
other piece not on the counter; while
her back is turned in search for the
goods. they slide that which they have
selected under their cloaks.
"Another scheme is to push some
thing off the counter in such way as
40 scatter or unfold it, and while the
girl bends to pick it up they appropri-
ate what they desire. Sometimes they
lay dainty handkerchief carelessly
down over valuable jewelry or laces
and carefully take up the object with
it. A shoplifter slides her muff on
her lift wrist, quickly passes the small
article she desires into her left hand,
then slips the hand into her muff:
Umbrellas are favorite plac' for con-
cealing small articles. aid another
favorite scheme, particularly i'll sum-
mer. is to carry OH the arm shawl or
wrap, which is carelessly thrown down
on the counter over a piece OF valuable
goods and afterward picked up with
the goods inside.
"Sealskin sacques are usually
hooked on large hook fastened for
that purpose inside shoplifter' rs cir
cular, near the neck. Recently a de-
tective, watching lady board car,
saw, as one foot was lifted to the step,
a scalskin cloak hanging from be-
meath her dress, and he kindly relieved
her of it.
"A lady came down the stairs of a
large store with sealskin jacket car
ried boldly over her shoulder She
was seen tearing the tag off, suspicion
was aroused. and she was detained.
She claimed to have brought the cloak
down to show to a.friend, but as the
friend could not be found, she was
rough Swallowed about the city
through the day. and seen bringing
handsome cloak out of one store and
valuable shawl from another, in the
same way, which she gave to her ac-
complete outside.
''Pilferers will take any thing they
can lay their hands on, and seem to
steal for the mere sake of stealing.
Perfume, handkerchiefs, hose. even
goblets, butter dishes and crockery,
lambarquins, and fancy articles of all
kinds. In their pockets they carry
paper and cord, and when an article
is taken they repair to the retiring
rooms and do it up in parcel. Some
times they take them into other stores
and ask to have them wrapped up.
telling some plausible story. A wom-
an was caught stealing plano cover.
was followed by one of the salesladies,
who allowed the thief to pick her
pocket at a CO unter, possess herself of
a good stock of merchandise, and go
into another store where she asked to
have the goods done up When
brought before the Judge she proved
to he an old offender and his honor
Well. Isee you have taken
the spread, Isuppose You will steal
the piano next. Umbrellas are q
popular article for confiscation. They
do not need to be concealed
Two little children conceived an
method of stealing ribbons,
which consisted in carrying a little
basket with holes in the bottom,
through which an end of ribbon was
passed, and pulled until they had
taken the entire roll.
Two skilled detectives agree in the
theory that the disease known as
does not exist. When a
rich woman steals fifty dollars worth
of goods she has KEEP omania.' said
one of them. and when poor woman
steals fifty cents worth of bread to
feel her starving children she is a
thief Show me q pauper with a real
bad attack of kleptomania aud I will
believe that there is such disease. for
if there is why should not the poor be
as susceptible to it as the rich? My
at present is that people
are born thieves. as they are born
musicians or singers-it is gift,
though a deplorable one, and is ac-
companied by great cunning and
Another fact which dis
proves the kleptom ania theory is that
never in my experience of many years
have goods been returned or paid for
by the friends of people afflicted with
this imaginary malady is only when
discovered stealing something that
they and all their friends call them
When q woman comes in here and
buys q new bonnet aud walks off
boldly with it on her head without pay
ing for ii or takes waterproof off %
figure and puts it on herself before us
all know she is victim of mental
alteration and treat her accordingly.
II, however. there are klepto-
one of the best known
remedies for them is found in police
cour 1t is almost a sure cure