Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1891-05-08
TRAINED INTO rHIEvERY.
An Incident In n Store rs Narrated By the
Catcher OF the Criminal.

Catcher OF the Criminal.
A tall squaro-shouldered man. with
"a ilorid face. dropping black moustacho.
and shrewd eyes was walking lesurely
about tho floor OF "A large silverware
establishment in New York. taking
quick glances ut the faces of the crowd
trading at the counters. a close OBJ
server might have seen MIN stop shOr
in his walk at one point. and fix hi
gaze upon IA boy who stood with lady
before one OF the showcases. Then
he dropped back into the shadow of
staircase and stood watching the pair
What he says he saw was as follows:
The lady was looking ut silver
spoons. She was elegantly dressed
handsome, and possessed the air OF ond
occupying an enviable social position1
The boy at her side. who might have
been 10 years old, was also expensive1
ly dressed, and his face resembled that
OF the woman sufficiently enough to I'M
dictate that the two were mother and
son. The boy, however, had IL sharpI
wicked expression OF the eyes, and
there was hang-dog droop to his head
quite remarkable in one apparently sd
well born.
The man watching him from behind
the staircase emerged presently from
the shadow and advanced TO the moth
er Of the boy. When he had got the
lady's attention he said: Madam, Il
| this lad here your son?'
Yes" she replied
We'll am detective and | shall
have to ask you and him TO come I'd
| the managers Office. The boy appear@
to be dishonest. p"
The boy had heard the words, and
/ his sharp eyes were upturned TO thd
face of the detective.
'She didn't have nothing to do with
it, said he, indicating his mother by
nod OF the head. She's only been md
mother for little while Big Slim
will tell yer who i am"
The face OF the lady had turned al
pale as death, and the detective looked
perplexed. He saw that the case wa
mysterious one. and when he repeat
ed his request that the lady should
accompany him TO the private office o
the manager he remarked that perhap
matters could be explained. Trembling
the woman followed the detective and
with them went the boy, To the Ofiic'
designated. There the detective in
formed the manager That he had dis
covered the boy putting silver spoon
in his pockets while the mother wa
examining the wares; that the lad
seemed innocent and might wisely b
| Ill OF Of ho
sons conduct. The manager looked a
the diminutive thief and then at tn
high-bred woman.
We'll, well, said he; ''this is mos
extraordinary Madam. what possessed
your boy to do this thing?n
The lady told the manager OF the es
tablishment who she was, the wife of
reputable and wealthy broker, and SAID
that the boy with her was her son
Owing to circumstances which it woul(X
be impossible to explain, the boy ha
been placed in the hands of a woma
| who had been the mothers nurse, am
from that moment until q month az
this woman had reared him. The wd
man was thought to be honest and re
| spectacle, but, AS was learned by tn
real parents nearly ten years after sh
took charge of the child she had mar
ried IA notorious criminal, who as til
adopted father OF the boy, trained hin
to the profession OF thief. The lad
begged her confessor TO believe tina
only the most desperate circumstance
had compelled her to forsake her chile
during its tender years, and rs soon
she was able to acknowledge il as he
own she had gone TO the city where
was living and taken it home. The boy
she said, would change. He was onl
doing what he had been taught from
his birth was right
The manager listened attentively t
the lady's story, and when she ha.
finished he advised the detective 4
allow her and her child to go. Tn
boy turned over the half dozen spoons.
he had appropriated, looked sulienly
at the detective and took his mother
arm with the air of having made al
the restitution that could be expected
! of him.
When the detective had told tina
story, he added: That's the first tim,
| ever thought thieves were made and
not born. just think of it,"