The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1890-12-19

jcEcIry stores. although the big whole
saEe-d-y-goois establishments that sell
ieyvelry arc compelled to exercise more
than usual vigilance in that depart
merit Thor ways OF working are
pretty much alike" said a sUperintcnd-
ent % floor walkers in one Of the large
Chicago stores. The professional
shoplistcr seldom makes a purchase
She goes from one counter 20 another.
generally choosing a busy day for her
operations so that she can glide out
into the crowd after getting what She
wants. Some of them are handsome,
distingJdshcd-l looking women, who
would not be taken for thieves if seen
on the street Generally they are well
dressed and bavc a number of capacious
pockets IN thcir skirts, into which val
liable silks can be easily dropped. Soma
Of these pockets are large enough TO
conceal an entire roll of silk without
giving any external indication of the
roll"
do you employ private detectives to
watch such porsons?' asked a reporter
Of the Chicago Herald.
mo; our own employees look after
them. We have three young men here
who know every professional shoplifter
in the city, and when one comes in she
is immediately put under close survcil-
lance. They seldom escape with stolen
goods Some of our saleslalies are
quito as. expert in detecting these
women as the young men, and we have
frequently caused the arrest of per-
sons Oh word FROM them. In fact,
may say that several of our lad 3 en-
ployes= are very successful detectives in
this line, and IL must be an accom-
.,1f
lance. While the operations Of shop
lifters are very similar. their conduct
when caught differs in almost every
case. Some OF them indulge in mock
Mysteries and create a scene that gives
their arrest a great deal Of publicity.
These are generally professionals
Others fall in faint and are carried to
the searchiBg-room. Quite q number
pretend that they are under the infu-
ence OF morphine or some other opiate.
and say that they did not know what
they were doing. Occasionally we get
one who assumes an air OF dignity that
would do credit TO a queen, and who
fairly boils with Indignation when told
OF the charges against her. But
wo seldom make a mistake, and gem
orally recover the stolen goods. One
week we caused the arrest Of three wom-
en- one OF them was evidently an
old worker at the business. for on the
way 10 my Office she slipped the stolen
goods from her dress and threw them in
a waste paper basket OF course, in
that case, we could do nothing, for the
articles were not found on her person.
Such cases are very rare, as our en-
ployes generally watch the fair thieves
so closely that they can not dispose Of
the plundcr."
What do they do with the stolen
goods?"
That depends upon the character of
the thief Professionals have regular
places TO sell what they steal Pawn
brokers get most OF the stuff "a ken by
that class. professionals steal
only what they want 20 wear, and many
women get enough in that way 10 dress
themselves handsomely. They will take
any thing from a pair of shoes TO trim
minEs for hat or dress. We make it
a rule 10 prosecute every person de-
tccted in stealing, no matter who il is.
Neither tears nor money will shield
anybody caught shopliftipg in this
house. We are first careful TO make no
arrests without conclusive evidence of
guilt and with that at hand prosecu-
tion invariably follows. II is the only
way We can protect ourselves against
this class Of criminals"