Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-12-12
TWO FEMALE SHOP LIFTERS.
Arrested With Stolen Goods Worth More
Than 81. 900 In Their Possession.

Today was busy one ut police headquarters.
Two women, alleged to be the cleverest female
shop ifters who ever operated here, were
under arrest and goods found in their posses
sion estimated TO be worth more than q 900
were on exhibition. All the morning there was
| Q continual stream of merchants going into and
| out of the detective Office, looking at the goods
for the purpose of identifying them. The
women are entire strangers to the police here,
but it is evident from their investigation, the
officers say, that the prisoners are adopts in
their business.
HINT FROM BALTIMORE.
The detectives first learned through their
chief, Inspector Swindells, that the women were
in this city. Inspector Swindels received q
letter from Baltimore yesterday giving him the
information and a partial description Of the
women. The inspector detailed Detectives
Raft and Carter TO investigate the report. The
officers visited several hotels and finally located
the women at the Howard house. They regis
tered there as MRS. Clark and friend. Phia-
delphia." When the officers arrived at the
hotel the females had gone shopping" and the
officers waited several hours for their return.
1t was nearly o'clock when the women reached
the hotel. The detectives
FOLLOWED THEM TO THEIR ROOM,
and Mr.. Raft said: "Good afternoon, Mrs.
Thomas"
"You are mistaken, sir" said one of them.
"You are speaking to the wrong person."
They were both fairly loaded down with
goods. They denied that they had ever been
in Baltimore but when closely questioned they
admitted that they came over on the $40
train the night before, and one Of them asked:
What of it?''
where are you from3" questioned the
officers.
Its none Of your business" answered one
OF them, land we don't intend to tell YOU"
WANTED TO BUY THE DETECTIVES OFF.
"What do you want to show us up for2" one
OF them asked. Heres two sealskin coats, "
she said. Each of you take one for your
wife and We will leave the town"
They were then placed under arrest and
taken to police headquarters. where one Of the
police matrons searched them. Each had a
false pocket in her dress and there was a slit in
the dress through which the stolen goods could
be put. When searched some handkerchiefs
were found secreted under one of their dresses,
and each had an empty flour sack which they
used to put their plumber in.
STOLEN GOODS OF VALUE IN THEIR POSSESSION.
Among the goods found in their posse on
were two seal skin coats large pieces of costly
silk, valuable diamonds, jewelry, handkerchiefs,
laces, &c. One Of the coats, worth $4OO, was
Identified as having been stolen from Slime
pairs OF diamond earrings were identified as
having been stolen from Harris 4 Skaters, and
two diamond pins that we're taken from Galts
jewelry store. Some of the dry goods were
identified as having been taken from Lans-
burgh's store, while there is some that still re-
mains unidentified.
WANTED IN ROCHESTER.
Detective Conner o.. Rochester was at police
headquarters this morning and he stated that
the women were wanted in Rochester for steal
ing two lace shawls. There was one lace shawl
among the goods recovered.
DETECTING TO HAVING THEIR PICTURES TAKEN
Mr. Campbell Darlington, attorney for the
prisoners, interviewed his clients this morning.
As their counsel. he advised them not to allow
their pictures to be taken for the rogues GAL
lery. The officers went with the women to
Nephew's photograph gallery, but ON account
OF their resistance the photographer was unable
to obtain good hkenesses Of them.
LOCKED UP.
The women were finally taken back to the
first precinct station this afternoon and locked
up They gave their names at Katie Friday
and Sarah l.. Lewis. The former is about
thirty years old and the latter IL ten years her
senior. Both are neatly dressed. Their every
action indicates that they ars not novices as
they claim every legal right that an ordinary
lawyer could think of.