Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-05-19
Women and Men who Steal. ana III,
Reasons.

i es~ N.SW VINO Sse0ls ana the
Reasons.
| RESPECTABLE WOMEN As sHoPLIFTERs-sToRR CLERKS
| WHO GET INTO FAST CoAPANY-A PROTECTIVE
/ AGENCY FOR MERCHASTs-How PoRTERs STEAL
l PROM THEIR EMPLoYERs-DIsHoSEsr sxRyASrs
| why is 1t that SC many persons prefer stealing
| 70 making an honest nving?" asked a STAR re-
porter OF detective the other day.
| Ihere are various reasons" replied the detec-
| i've. "some persons steal because they can't help
| IL; others because they ind 1t easier than work
Ing, while still others steal simply because they
| nave an opportunity. There are some persons who
steal thousands Of dollars worth OF property before
tney are caught often they are ladies, the wives
OF respectable citizens who would never for a mo-
ment be suspected OF anything wrong. some OF
them, as said before, do 1t simply because they
t tnsIts because they like to dress well and
| 1ashlonaDly, and are not allowed enough
money Ior that purpose by their husbands
| nave enough money to spend for ordinary
wearing apparel, but not enough to keep pace
| with the fashions They usually connne their
tneir shopping in such few stores that their pur-
| Gnases AT eacn amounts TO considerable in year:
| Ihey become acquainted with the proprietors and
clerks OF the stores, and are regarded so highly by
| them that they are given full sway, and can go
Ssy
| notice would be taken OF them. In THIS way they
manage to secure considerable property. They
are not always SATISFIED with r0bDing the store,
| but VIII sometimes pick up a stray purse, care
leSsly placed on the counter by another customer,
who Is making some purchases, or who is being
fitted TO cloak or trying on a bonnet. Then when
the purse is missed complaint is made, but she, Of
course, Is not suspected. The only other persons
| and sometimes such clerks are closely watched
and sometimes discharged, and the suspicion
hangs TO them forever afterward.
| THERE Is ANOTHER CLASS OF PERSONS"
Il 40 hafn fiyo sxvbn f1ar 10
watching. Young men who are employed as clerks
In the stores at salaries ranging from 8 to so per
week. They are frequently from fifteen 70 twenty
| years old. After hours when the time is their
bad habits soon follow They will visit question
able places and soon become the Companions Of
some last young men and women, who are always
ready TO accept them They have to pay board at
home and after that amount is taken out OF their
weeks earnings they have but very little left.
With that small sum they cannot hire buggies,
put up champagne, and go about like others, and
the consequence is they soon begin to knock down.
Besides the money thus obtained their companions
large purchases, and pay less than half the amount
the goods originally cost their employer. In many
cases where business houses fail the failure might
De traced 10 the theftS OF dishonest clerks.
PROTECTIVE AGENCY.
''To avoid so much OF this class OF stealing he
said, 81 think 1t would be q good plan for the
merchants TO organize a sort OF protective agency
or society, and have in their employ detectives
who would watch the scores OF clerks after busi-
ness hours and note the habits OF each. Monthly
reports OF their conduct could be made and the
merchants would then be able to know or at least
have an idea OF how the clerks conducted them
selves while not attending to business Take q
case for instance where a clerk receiving small
salary would visit houses OF ill-fame, saloons and
otner places where he would spend money freely
and spend more in night or two than he actually
earned In week, his employer would certainly
know that there was something wrong and could
then take special notice of the particular indi-
vidua- In this way he would not only learn who
was robbing him, but would have an idea of who
were his best clerks, and could In that way avoid
suspecting his honest employees II it ever became
necessary to suspect any Of them.
POR1KRs AS THIEVES.
"Another class Of persons who steal for the same
reason, or probably only because they have an CD
portunity, are some persons who are employed as
porters They usually open the store In the morn
store they feel as though they are owners of ali
they survey. Then there IS ample opportunity for
them 10 wrap up bundles and Secrete them In the
cellar or other convenient place, and when they
start out TO deliver goods they carry the plunder
with them: Frequently such persons are caught
out not before they have succeeded In making sew
eral good haulS sometimes a porter in a dry
goods store will cut silk dress pattern and pin it
To the lining OF his coat He can then put his coat
on and walk out OF the store undiscovered. Then
there are some persons who steal on account OF
poverty. such persons, however, are very few and
their tnefts amount 70 but little.
DISHONEST sERvANrs
n
the careiessness OF persons in employing ser
wants" continued the detective. "Householders
frequently employ servants who come as perfect
strangers, without any recommendation, unless it
be the recommendation OF some unknown person,
which any servant can get from some One They
are often employed and trusted about the house
without their employer even knowing the name
except to call them Liza or Saran They stay
sometimes a week or so, and then make some ex-
cuSe for leaving, probably TO take care of sick
member OF their family. They receive their pay
n NJ M fhGU aGE llnffnr
recommendation. Before such servant has been
gone any length OF time a theft has been discov-
cred and the police are called In to investigate the
case. The name or residence Of the girl cannot be
ascertained, and the chances are that the thief
has escaped for good, and that the property will
never be recovered. Now, II persons in employing
servants would be more careful there would he
fewer robbertes OF this kind, and IL might have a
tendency to make more honest servants.
FOR wHIsKY's SAKE
"There Is another class OF persons who steal for
nothing else than TO get money for the purchase
OF whisky. This class OF persons travel about IN
the guise OF tramp and 60 from door to door
asking for something to eat There are very few
persons who will refuse such hungry-looktng in
them tell them to wait at the door until thew
return. In the former case they usually MANAGE
TO pick up some tritiing ornament which Will get
them drink, and In the latter case they will step
in and clean the hat-rack, ana when the charita
bic persons return they have disappeared. Hats
and coats thus obtained can easily be disposed of
at the low dives where cheap whisky is sold and
the THIEF can get enough for his plumber to get
drunk with at least once.
DISHONEST SONS.
"Then there are persons who have dishonest sons
From time TO time they miss pieces OF silverware
or clothing and the servant is suspected The I'm.
suspected member OF the family continues his sys
tematic robberies until the matter is reported to
the police and an investigation follows The OF.
fcer soon learns the places frequented by the son
and when 1t Is shown beyond doubt that he and
not the servant Is the guilty party there trouble
| In the family Such cases frequently occur and
servant thus suspected is sometimes wronpfuIly
accused OF the thefts and discharged. She Cannot
get recommendation from her employer and in
this way an honest girl Is often placed in the posi-
ton OF u thief and her character Is ruined per.
sons who ROB their parents In this way usually do
II because they have fallen into bad company or
are addicted TO the use OF intoxicants or some
other bad habit that there is no doubt but thai
innocent persons are often suspected OF theft and
their reputation Injured"
BOOKS OF THE WEEK.
SHOPPELL'S MODERN HOUSES: collection NJ
the Architectural Periodicals known as Shoppeli,s
Modern Houses" Numbers ), O. z and III pro-
napiv afAd I'm