Connecticut western news., 1888-01-18
{ BORN DETECTIVE.

A BUKN DElECIlVE. A Young Woman in Big Store
 Who Makes No Mistakes.
 Her Chief Occupation is to Look
 Out for Shoplifters.
 2 The New York Sun has an interesting account of young lady employed in one of tho largest retail stores in the city. This young woman is born de tectivc. There has not been a case of shopifting in the store in question for ten months ii which she has not been either complainant or witness upon trial. Of the very many thefts discov- cred but not prosecuted, few have es- capped her. She is not employed as detective; but her bright eyes have been used SO often in the interests of her employers in this line, simply be- cause she saw the opportunity, that she has drifted naturally from the work of saleswoman to work of this peculiar nature. She still retains her place be- hind certain counter, but at her own discretion leaves her work to follow a suspected thief or to patrol the store in crowded hours. She is likely to be called at times to any part of the store to catch up thread of suspicion. On these occasions she drops the handling of her goods, turns over her customer to another, and promptly dons her hat and cloak to hover about the doubted person, make pur- chases at her side, and follow her from counter to counter.
 A neatly dressed, attractive girl, with knowing bonnet and au innocent smile, examining the quality of cambric or buying spool of cotton, is not an object of suspicion on the part of the shoplifter This is the secret of the girl detectives success. The name of this young woman is Barbara Fleischhauer. She has been eight years in her present employment. She is Jewess, of medi- um height and good figure. She ap- parently weighs 125 pounds, but in reality has s4 pounds more slowed away which is pure muscle. She is pleas ant-faced brunette with very black hair, strong, regular features, and large black eyes. To see her fitting from counter to counter no one would for moment suspect that her whole heart was not engrossed in the selection of new gown.
 When she has satisfied herself about a shoplifter and has managed to get a salcswoman or a foorwalker as a wit ness, Miss Fleischhauer goes straight to tho goal At the first movemen. on the part of the offender the young detective is at her side. There is no scene. The challenge is given in low collected tone, Tho straightforward determined glance of the black eyes does the rest. The offender, of course, declares her innocence but marches quietly up stairs nevertheless. Mir. Morrison is always at hand in case of trouble, but black eyes rarely need assistance.
 This girl detective is known to all the east side police and they havea mighty respect for her too. One of them in tho Eldridge street police station said:
 "Whenever see that girl come in here, I know we've got clear case. She's cool one. I've never seen her confused, and some pretty good lawyers have had their turn at her too."
 The amount of shopliftin g done in g large retail establishment is enormous. Probably not more than one case in g hundred gets into the courts. Only old offenders or people who are evidently thieves by profession are dragged to the police station. Miss Fleisch hauer is an adept in all the tricks of the trade. The woman who fourishes huff unduly is very apt to have something in it that has not been paid for. The handkerchief counter is great place for thievery. One large handkerchief spread out and thrown carelessly over a folded lot of others forms cover from beneath whicf the others can be pulled. The shop-lift. CTS own handkerchief, dropped careless | ly on bric-a- brac counter is not always picked up alone. Wide sleeves are fa vorite devices of the shoplifter. Al enormous pocket or bag under the dress and reached through fold in front, t i convenient receptacle for stolen goods. An umbrella loosely closed is an ex cellent device. Four or five bits of jew elry may drop off a counter. If { couple fall by mistake into th' folds of the umbrella no on, knows the difference. All these sort of schemes are absolutely unnoticed b. the ordinary observer, even if he is o. the lookout for them. The detective like the poet, i, born; and Miss Flei schhauer's case goes to show that, lik' the poet, he cannot escape his natura
 profession.
 U~k