Thomas County cat., 1889-10-31

sum, perhaps five hundred dollars rather
than appear in court. Two thousand dol
lars was the bail fixed for woman Wit
recently stole several rolls Of silk. Nothinf
Is too valuable, naturally, for these people
to steal, and at the same time nothing il
too small or triflinR Whenever theil
homes have been searched, articles o1
every conceivable description have been
found. All is fish that comes to their nets
The organized gangs have their head.
quarters at some place down town. They
go out by the dozens every day, and then
report at night. Some Of them when they
start out on their days expedition 60 down
to the ferries or to tho Grand Central de.
pot and station themselves there until they
spy q victim-soms lady possibly with .
well-dlled pocket-book. who is bound on q
shopping expedition. This person is fol-
lowed from store to 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 rule these people are not well
dressed, for whatever money they may
make in this way they spend in drink and
carousals. II they steal o dollar article
and pawn it they seldom get over ten or
fifteen cents for it. At tho holidays all
stores double their force OF detectives, or il
they are not accustomed to 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. It is seldom that male
shopllfter attempts to ''work'' retail store
alone, and the instances where women are
assisted by men are not frequent. Male
Nn l.
stores. They 60 in couples and generally
drop into store soon after the porter has
opened the doors, and while one Of them
engages the attention Of the porter the other
makes OF with q package Of goods.
Tho usual pretext given BY this class Of
thieves is tnat they have '.just come to town
and thought they would stop on their way
to 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 |
and now depend upon their skill |
and luck to escape detection.
The increasing experiences Of the store |
keepers and the improved facilities for |
have driven the bunglers out |
Of this branch Of the rogue's profession.
and it is now an even match between !
sharp and experienced detectives and smart |
and ingenious thieves. There are plenty |
of evidences that ''the smart and Ingenious
thieves are numerous and that they operate
in all the large retail stores with Q fair |
average Of success.
Kleptomania is an evil familiar to all, and |
it is regarded variously by different shop !
keepers. Those who profess to have con-
fidence in medical science, or who possess
charitable natures, frankly avow their be-
lief in the theory that kieptomania is Q dis
ease Of the mind which its victims can not |
resist or throw OF. To such kindly disposed
kleptomaniacs are objects Of pity
and tender consideration; but to another
tive Of wrath. It Is generally conceded that
is . standing complaint, which
is constantly manifesting itself In moder-
ate degree. 1t does not appear to increase
or decrease, but remains about the same
from year to year.
There is a lady who often comes in
here, I" they said TO me at one store, ''whom
we know to be q kleptomaniac. She Is well
known by all our clerks, and the bill Of the
goods she takes is sent to her family, who
pay it without . question"
Some Of the people afflicted with this dis
ease are women, but occasionally men who
are able TO show that they move IN respect
able society are caught stealing. Instances
are narrated where men of wealth and high
social prominence have been detected con-
cealing about their persons articles for
which they could have NO possible use. Not