New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-11-29
A TEST OF WO1IAN'S HONESTY.
PILFERING FROM BARGAIN. COUNTERS

A RULE FOR TELLING A SUOPL1FTER FROM AN
INNOCENT CUSTOMER.
do you never make mistakes in accusing peo-
pie in your store of shopiftng? ?" asked reporter
Of the manager of big Sixth-ave. dry goods house
the other day
." Never" the reply e" You may think that
sounds rather boastful, but it is not due to any
superior detective genius; it is only the result of
our determination to let hundred thefts from us
go UNPUBLISHED rather than risk insulting single
innocent customer Again and again our de-
tcctive has felt morally certain that women were
robbng us, but neither he nor any OF our
clerks had actually seen the theft he has let them
so unmolested, well knowing that the loss TO us
would, ten chances TO one, be less than would re-
suit from an illegal arrest d public scandal, and
the consequent frightening away of many custom
eT who would not feel comfortable in a store
where people accused of theft on mere suspi.
0ion'
You lose a good deal, then, don't you, by
these light-fngcred visitors?'
Yes, n good deal. The great crowds which
throng our counters and the lavish way in which
w have to display goods to attract custom
and to compete with our rivals make our stores
In the busy an easy hunting-ground for pro-
fessional shoplftcrs and puts temptation in the
way of silly women who steal, they don't really
know why, and are the class most generally caught
7ed handed. 1t is curious question how many
respectable and moderately well-to-do women in
this city strictly honest from principle and
how many from fear Of the consequences Of dis
honesty. How many would shudder at the pos
sibility of their stealing anything and how many
think it rare sport TO steal where there is dan
ger. or they think there is none of detection"
Then women the only shoplifters ?"
Practically, yes What is taken from us by
men or children in year is of no consequence.
Few children bold enough, and men don't think
it worth their while. There are some precocious
little girls, however, who are trained and sent DUB
to steal, and are numerically beaten il unsuc-
cessful. These generally are not tall enough TO
steal easily from the counters and they work
principally upon customers, stealing from
their teticulcs catching up parasols that laid
down for moment, and sometimes picking pock-
cts of people who are sitting. They find poor
field in the larger stores, however, for our de-
tectivcs keep sharp eye on children who como
in alone. and generally turn them right out and
If they come accompanied, the face of the woman
with them is generally known to the detective who
details girl TO follow them. When they see
they are watched our bargain-counters speedily
lose their interest for TINT pair But we do not
suffer alone from the outside Many OF our own
clerks rob us constantly. Not Of much at time
but succession of triaing offerings which in
the aggregate is serious consideration. Our
detectives have TO keep Just rs sharp
watch on those behind the counter on
those before. During the holiday season
the big stores engage from 100 TO 500 extra
clerks, and many of them come TO us fully de-
termined TO make all they can out Of us before
their engagement ends. They cannot take much
out Of the store themselves, but there many
ways difficult to detect of allowing an accom-
plicc, in the guise of customer, to carry Off
laces and other valuable goods in small parcels"
What do you do with those you do catch?"
That depends upon crcumstanoes-a clerk or
professional shoplifter is prosecuted to the ut
most-but many women, whose friends are re-
spectacle, arc spared for the sake of their
relatives. This class generally take little things
Of smol value, and are overwhelmed with morti
Gcation when discovered. Many really agonzed
appeal for mercy have heard in this back Office
from the wives and daughters of men who would
have been thunderstruck at the revelations ]
threatened with stony GOODNESS but had really
no intention Of making good often
knocks this silly vice out Of their heads alto
gether, and they always want to pay twice over
for what they have taken. I never allow this,
however, but always insist on their going and
putting the goods back just where they got
them"
How do they act when first accused ?"
In as MANY ways there are women, |
think. Our detective generally says: Madam,
Will you follow me TO the managers office, he
wants TO speak with you Now professional
knows what that means Sometimes She refuses
knowing that would suffer ANYTHING rather
than have II row In the store. In such a case
she is allowed to roam around at her will and
IS not arrested TILL she steps out the sidewalk
Often she drops her booty before leaving the
store, and then sometimes we have difficulty in
proving the theft. An amateur is generally over
come at once by her guilty conscience and goes
along, trembling and meckly. Sometimes She
breaks down and confesscs at once more often
she makes poor attempt at feigning surprise or
makes number OF ridiculous cAcuscs. She
was just taking the article over to the iight-It
got caught in her drcSs-She thought IL WAS her
own parasol-She saw "A friend at the other end
OF the store, and was going over TO show the
goods TO her-She had picked 1t up in mistake
Tor her purse and had never looked at IL or
noticed the difiercnce-She will pay for 10 very
gadly-Some one who hated her must have slipped
10 IN her pocket, etc, etc. generally ending in q
eoou cry ana promise never to do again
Some get very angry and scold and threaten, and
some assume such an air Of respectable injured
Innocence that II II were not FOR the positive
evidence or our eyes we would not dare search
them. IL requires nice tact and discrimination
to deal with this class OF people, and there Is
perfect safety only in our invarable rule to
suffer any amount OF loss and never to make an
arrest, except where we have actually seen the
theft committed"
-----------------