The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1890-05-08
A sHoPL1FTTR's {ExP'IRIENcE
Three Incidents rr6n4 the Life of
, - skillful Female Thief.

From a curious, source, two or three in
cidcnts in the life of professional thief
may be set down here They might be
termed confessions of shollifter.
Stores in both Allegheny and Pittsburg
have suffered by the deFedations of
remarkably skillful thief, who is woman.
She brides herself on hcr'skGl in shop
lifting, and it is from her mouth that the
following narrative on ginallJ came.
Once she visited large store in ALE
gheny and asked to be shown some ex-
Dcnsivc cloaks. The goods were brought
out, and the stylish looking shopper took
off the jacket she wore and put on
cloak. She was not entirely satisfied
with it. she said, and the saleswoman
who was waiting upon her went Oft to
another part of the store to get some
moro cloaks. This was the chiefs chance.
She walked away, leaving her jacket as
a token Of her regard. On the stairs
the cloak department was on the second
floor--she met one of the owners of the
store.
"Havc you been waited upon3" he
asked politely. :,
eyes, thank YOU, and I am very we'll
satisfied with this cloaS," she replied,
and sailed Oh. She escaped.
Another time she visited a shoe store
in Pittsburg 1t was no easy matter to
please her the affable young salesman
found. The stock Of fine ladies shoes
was ransackcd to suit her taste. 1t was
all in vain, for she departed without
buying anything. Urder her dresss were
two more shoes than a woman can wear,
however.
When she looked at the stolen shoes
after arriving home she found that they
were not mates. She was very much an
noycd; in fact, the discovery took away
her appetite for supper.
The next afternoon found her in the
shoe store again. "Thc shoes you sold
me the other day." she :aid to the sales
man, who was not the one who had trled
to suit her fastidious taste the day be-
fore, 'arc not mates, and will you kind
ly exchange thema"
The store was crowded-shoplifters
seldom vcature into an empty store--and
the young man hurried off at once with
out further inquiry. In another minute
he returned with pair of shoes properly
mated and gave them to the supposed
customer. She did not stay to give
thanks for the gift.
Once only did her confidence, some
would call it impudence, desert her.
She visited e store ono morning with
the intention of appropriating some
ostrich plumcs. As usual, she was par
ticular about the quality of the feathers !;
she would look at none costing less than
sc or 81 apiece. But, although the best
feathers in trt s.ore were brought cut for
her inspection, she found none tina: were
long enough, heavy enough, or black
enough to suit her. She apologized
sweetly to the young woman behind the
counter for the trouble she had given her,
and promised 20 call again when the new
consignment-which, of course, was CON-
ing next wcek-should arrive.
As she was leaving the store sae be-
came aware that she had dropped some
thing, and she looked behind her. A
fine ostrich feather lay on the floor; it
had slipped from under the cloak where
the thief had concealed it, or, to be more
precise, it had not gone into the deep
pocket of the cloak specially designed
for its reception.
She hcsitated for a second, losth to
leave her prey, and yet afraid to stoop
down and take it. Her assurance was
not great enough to carry her through
the second theft, and she left the store.
The feather was not noticed till she had
gope.-[ Pittsblrg Dispatch.