The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-11-06
CROOKS WHO ARE ACTRESSES.
NERVE DISPLAYED nj CONTTDENC CT
WOMEN AND sHOPLIY1ERs.


the latest bonnets. Tho customer was about
30 years OF ago. tall and we'll developed. and
with a strikingly handsome face. although her
expression was rather cold and harsh. Sho
was expensivoly dressed and woro q great
deal OF jcwclry She showed very critical taste
in judging tho bonnets. and the clerk had
to bring out great many before she
was satisfied. She finally selected one that cost
$50. and asked to have some slight altera.
tons made In it. Usually the clerk would have
asked for deposit from stranger when tho
bonnet had to be altered. but this woman was
so very naughty and aristocratic that the clerk
feared to offend her. and promised to have the
bonnet changed and sent to her residence
Il will call for 1t in an hour" said tho GUS
toner Jelly. putting her card upon the coun-
ter. and swept out OF the store with magniH-
cent airs.
The card rend: Mrs. De Witt Alexander.
Hotel Plaza
Exactly an hour later a cab drove up to the
door. smart-lookng coachman In livery sat
on the box. with his eyes fixed upon his horses
head. The boy who attended the door saw
woman lean out OF the window OF the cab door
and beckon to him. He ran out and saw that
1t was the woman who had boon at the store
shortly before.
Il have called for Mrs. Alexander's bonnet"
she said. by the way" she added. opening
ner purse, you might DTlnS out tne cnang0
for hundred.dolar ill at the same time"
The boy rushed back. hunted mp tho clerk.
and delivered the message. With visions OF
future patronage from this magnificent Gus.
toner. the clerk hurriedly put the bonnet in q
box. wrapped 1t neatly. secured SOS from the
cashier. and gave them to the boy with in.
| structions to be quick. The latter rushed out
on to the street and thrust box and
money In through the window. No sooner
had tho woman secured them than she
pulled down the shade. AS though this was
u signal. the hitherto motionless coach
man brought his whip down cruelty on the
horses back. and the animal dashed of at
great speed. The boy stood dumfounded for
some moments. and by the time he had recov-
cred his presence OF mind and had rushed
after the carriage the lattor was several
blocks away and lost amid the crush OF sim.
| liar vehicles. Swell stores don't complain to
the police about small swindles. and after
fruitless investigation through private dc.
tectire agency the manager OF this one ac-
cented the loss philosophically and said no
more about it. She never saw the woman
| again. and probably never will. The detective
who was employed to hunt for her told the re-
porter of some other novel instances with
which il he had become C, NJ; acquainted s
and 1 think ali detectives viii agree that that
when a woman starts on a career Of crime she
from. and show much greater fertility in de:
vising new schemes. Some months ago l had
another ca from millinery shop: This one
saa and wHn The
Went there one morning and looked at some
| the clerk treat ed her with great care. She was
fa,tidious and spent over an hour in making
most expensive hats in the store ana asked to
have 1T sent TO her residence. Just AS the
Ss to hSr che said
why. | am going right home. and you
might send one OF your messengers right UP
in 9HHs and s the Tie s1 e Tfs
$40. al thu house, The woman and girl rode
aud M there oil and walked over to f bs
Nat house. Wien they GO; into the yestibule
tine w S"d than SS '0r some
k ksyS g sSf e 9 aa y there is nSbGds sas
~ ss IA; thSs gil was starting out the woman
back and forth; 1t might he crushed: IN take AXE
The Shld .thhouEntlpssy Left the DO box and
wS S' any myth The Oats we're smpty and i' ths
woman had never lived there | hunted for
her for some time. because the owner OF the
store was ang"rcd and anxious to punish her.
But she had disappeared and left no trace be-
hind her; " ,
a clerk in San Francisco. She came there from
| the last about ten years ago and manaGed to
figure for by msprsd men
her victims threatened to squoal. she an
as 81; I'll" MAD Slua
them give her many gilt edged references. and
through these she secured a place as sales
lad been there short time the proprietor l,i tor
missed some OF his most costly articles. Still
owing to her recommendations and previous
clerk. aud even conferred with her about the
thef,s She apparently took great interest in
ingly excellent schemes for catching the thief
After several thousand dollars worth OF arti;
my services she knew that nt too. v and seemed
thrown OF NY guard. In fact. am not sure
watched mo closely that she would have
skipped rs soon as got on her track, had 1t not
on another case. learned that this woman
vas stu extending some Of the social affairs
Eor %, OF Ssr hs %aS
fortunes. The person who told me this won
dered how the girl could continue TO dress SIS, 50
| well. now that hor money was ali gone. With
| that clue the matter became easy. saw her
go to u reception one night logged out in
great style and among tho ornaments she
wor" were some OF, tho very things she had
stolen from her employers, She was cool as ~
| cucumber when arrested her and said she
would never, CO to ,al She didn't. either. for
she made her former victims come around
town then; but she didn't go empty handed
| III" hen was doing detective work In ono OF
tn" VI & Sixth avenue dry goods stores fire.
| Iueniiy ran across ncrvy women. remember
| one WHO was caught red-handed with some
| stolen laccs. She was yerv tony looking
| woman and looked As fine as amy woman yon'il
| see on With avenue in n days walk; took.
her, ur to the searching ROOM and ther" She
| broke down and cricd bitterly. Sh. told me
touching story about her having been forced
to tax. tho things by som" mystsrions in IE.
was perfectly unconscious at the time OF ev-
crything but the spirit that 9yercam9
| her. She claimed to bo respectable and
sai,i she was married to u wealthy broker IN
Wall street, ana lived in East Orange; didn't
| believe her. but ono has to be careful IN big
mercantile house. and so reported tho case
to one OF the firm. This man was about as
shrewd a business man as eyer saw but he
was taken in completely By this woman. She