The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-11-29
HOW THEY WERE CAUGHT.
A Detectives Experience with Female
Offenders.
OA0I4NOI ,.
From the NelC York Sun.


Offenders.
From the NelC York Sun.
There Is no question but that the average
detective had rather deal with five male
than one female lawbreaker. Catch wo nan
breaking the law, and she will resort to a
| score of tricks aud Subterfuges unknown to
men. and if she is not hardened she will
most always manage to invent an excuse
| calling for mercy and opening a way of
| escape And it is very seldom that an officer
| gets any creditin a woman case. She is the
| weaker party, even if wicked, and she will
nave more or less public sympathy, no mat
| ter how clear the case,
One of my first experiences was in Galena
ILL.,, good many years ago. A mere hant
found that he was being robbed in a mys-
ferrous manner, and | was sent down from
chicago 10 investigate. He had three boy
clerks in his store, and it was in the old
DAYS when every clerk had access to the
money drawers. As he reasoned the money
was taken during the day, and by some one
| OF the clerks. For instance a $40 bill was
taken IN at a certain hour An hour or
| two later it would be missing from the
drawer, and each and every one would DENY
| having paid it out. While he wanted to
have confidence in every clerk he was forced
to conclude that one of them at least was a
thief he wanted to go slow until sure,
and he alone knew what my errand was.
In the preliminary skirmish l found that
the merchant had been married only year,
and that he lived in rooms over his store
A stairway ran up from the interior, and on
the first day of my arrival | noticed that
his wife came down three or four times
helping herself to thread, ribbon, or what
ever she fancied or needed. She was a
woman not over22 years old. handsome and
intelligent, and knew all about what was
going On below. Indeed, the husband had
cautioned her to keep her eyes open for a
clew. l was introduced to the store aud
the wife as a cousin of Mr.. Thompson's.
Luckily, he had not told his wife who was
before | suggested my plan. | was from
New hampshire and on visit and was to
be an inmate Of the family for week or so.
This gave me opportunity to sit around and
watch, and felt certain that l would solve
the mystery.
Three more honest-looking boys than
those three clerks | never saw. All were of
good families, all of correct habits, and
after watching them for three days 1 was
dead sure that must look elsewhere for the
thief. 1t might be some one who OCCASION
ally came into the store. Half dozen
people who might be tempted to steal were
pointed out to me, but [ failed to attach
any suspicion to their actions.
At 4 o'clock in the afternoon of the fifth
day one of the clerks took in a $50 gold
piece. | was at hand, and saw it go into the
money drawer on the left-hand side of the
store. took a seat where | could watch
the spot, and at 5 o'clock the gold had not
been paid out. l ascertained this to a GER
tainty by sending the merchant to the
drawer AT this hour | was called out for
few minutes, and upon my return the gold
was gone. The merchant had not watched
the drawer very closely, but he knew that
only young SaxbY had been on that side
since my departure. took the young man
into the store room and told him who | was
and what | was there for. While he was
surprised, he was not alarmed. He offered
to submit to a search, and made it without
folding anything. Then | asked him who
he had seen near the drawer, and he could
remember nobody but the merchants wife.
He readily agreed to keep quiet and assist
me, and two days later the climax came.
The merchant had his dinner at noon, as
also ono of the clerks When they were
through the other two clerks went out to
theirs, thus leaving only two in the store at
once from noon to 80. At about 1890.
when | came down with the merchant, |
fixed it with Saxby, who was to 20 later, to
keep as clear of the money drawer last
robbed as he could until time for him to
leave. | sent the merchant out on the
street, and then TOOK my position 10 Watcn.
l had been there but fifteen minutes when
the wife came down stairs tripping along
and humming tune, aud she went to box
and got a paper of pins. On her way back
she stopped at the money drawer, took out
two bills, and then hurried upstairs. l at
once asked the clerks what bills we're in
the drawer, and they agreed on two S. and
81. When they looked the SIS were
gone. | went out and told the merchant
what 1 had seen. He could not believe it,
of course, and suggested that he send the
wife out and give us a chance to search.
In the course of an hour he got her away,
and together we began a search. In an old
album in a trunk we found $720, including
the $40 gold piece, and there was no longer
room for him 70 doubt. My work was
finished and | went away. How they settled
it | do not know. There was a separation
for a few weeks, but they got together again
and are still man and wife for all l know
to the contrary.
Almost the next case had was in
Chicago. A firm employing young lady
as forewoman in its cloak department. was
missing goods from that department. The