Telegram-herald., 1889-05-31


sum, perhaps five hundred dollars. rather
than appear Ia court. Two thousand dol
lars was the bail fixed for n woman who
recently stole several rolls OF silk Nothing
IS too valuable, naturally, for these people
10 steal and At the same time nothing is
TOO small or trirlng Whenever their
homes have been searched, articles OF
every conceivable description have been
found. All is fish that comes 70 their nets.
The organized gangs have their head
quarters a. some place down town They
go out by the dozens every day, and then
report al night. Some OF them when they
start out on their days expedition 90 down
10 the ferries or 20 the Grand Central de-
pot and station themselves there until they
spy yicum-some lady possibly with
wei -flled pOckCt-b book, who is bound on
shopping expedition This person is fol
lowed from store 20 store until the pro-
fessional has either possessed herself OF
the pocket-book or found out that she has
met some one who IS too clever for her
wiles.
As a rule these people are not well
dressed, for whatever money they may
make in this way they spend in drink and
carousaIs. II they steal a dollar article
and pawn il they seldom get over ten or
fifteen cents for H. AT the holidays all
stores double their force % detectives, or II
they are not accustomed 10 employ one at
any other season OF the year they usually
engage one or two then
Fully nineteen-twentieths of the shop
lifters are women II is seldom that male
shophfter attempts 10 work u retail store
alone, and the Instances where women are
tod htyrr ara Nf Nll
shopllfters operate mostly in wholesale
stores. They 90 in couples and generally
drop into a store soon after tho porter has
opened the doors, and while one Of them
engages the attention OF the porter the other
makes of with package Of goods.
The usual pretext given by this class Of
thieves is that they have ''just come to town
and thought they would stop on their way
10 their hotel" One OF the men carries a
hand sachel, into which the stolen property,
OF course, finds its way.
Professional shoplifters were formerly in
the habit Of affecting tho "kleptomania
dodge" when detected, but since the store
keepers have become so exacting in their
demands for proofs of good character in
such cases the thieves have abandoned that
subterfuge and now depend upon their sfill
and luck to escape detection.
The increasing experiences of the store
keepers and the improved facilities for
thief-catching have driven tue bunglers out
OK this branch OF the rogue's profession,
and IL Is now au even match between
sharp and experienced detectives and smart
and ingenious thieves. There arc plenty
of evidcnces that 1.-The smart and ingenious
thieves are numerous and that they operate
in all the large retail stores with a fair
average Of success.
KIeptomania IS an evil famiilar TO all and
IL IS regarded variously By different shop
keepers. Those who profess TO have con-
fidence in medical science, or who possess
charitable natures, frankly ayOw their be-
lief in the theory that kleptomania IS dis
ease OF the mind which its victims can not
resist or throw of. To such kindly disposed
merchants kleptomaniacs are objects OF pity
and tender consideration; but TO another
class of merchants they are simply prOvoca-
tive of wrath. II is generally conceded that
kleptomania is a standing complaint, which
is constantly manifesting itself in moder-
ate degree. Ii does not appear TO increase
or decrease, but remains about the same
from year 10 year.
There is a lady who cftcn comes in
here" they said to me at one store, 'whom
We Know 70 tc a hAc klAbtA4fhili4t QUO - Wei
known by al cur clerks, and the bill Of tho
goods she takes il sent to her family, who
pay il without d question"
Some Of the people afflicted with this dis
ease are women. but occasionally men who
arc aoie 70 show that they move m respect
able society are caught stealing Instances
are narrated where men OF wealth and high
social prominence have been detected con-
ceaUng about their persons articles for
which they could have 10 possible use. Not
long ago man was caught in bungIng
attempt 20 steal couple Of cheap cotton
hsndSerchiefs IN q Broadway store. His
gentlemanly appearance and unfei gned agi-
tatiou when accused of the theft prompted
the managers Of the store 70 invite him
into a private room and ask fer Az eXp.ana-
ti0B. He Acknowledged with much chagrin
that he was periodically seized with an un-
ControIIs0ie impulse % steal something He
Insisted that while subject 70 the mania he
had 10 realization Of where he was, or what
he vas stealing Ne easily established his
identity ss prosperous business man. and
displayed a wclLdlled poo xet- book In con
sequence re was allowed 20 depart. and no
publicity vas gwen % bis case ~ I. Maj
s1d Express