The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1892-06-10
UNDER A " DUMMY" 4"
How a Detective Captured His
First Thief

I was the youngest detective on the
force and was burning to distinguish
myself.
SO far chance had not favored me with
ii st-class murder or robbery, because
the older and more experienced officers
We're always detailed to ferret out those
cases
Sometimes, through the aid given
them by wideawalze newspaper report
ers, these older foxes were successful,
and then, of course, claimed and took
all the credit for superior skill and
shrewdness. If they failed-as they oft
en- did-to bag their game they laid the
fault to the papers for making the af-
fair public, and thus giving the rogues
an opportunity to slip away or cover
up their tracks
One day, while ! was medita:inr- II II
wouldn't pay me TO go 10 England and
catch Mr.. Jack the Ripper, 1 was
called into the inner sanctUm by our
chief and ordered 20 report for duty on
the morrow At one Of the largest and
most fashionable retail dry-goods
stores in the city.
was there 70 see the head of the
house and from him learned what /
was to do.
Although it didn't look like a Job
wherein 1 should run Il risk of life or
gain a great reputation. I was well
pleased at the commission and re-
solved that my part of it shouldn't be
failure. Accordingly the next morn
ing found me IN the private Office o.
the grand store having a strictly con
fidential interview with its senior part
ner.
/ was informed that in their cloak
department many thefts had recently
taken place, and that in spite of careful
watching there was not the slightest
clew TO the thief.
The garments stolen had been fur
trimmed cloalzs OF high value, and
were all taken from the dummies
standing about the floor, on which said
articles were hung to show them TO
advantage and also beautify the sales
room
asked the usual questions concern
ing the mauy and decidedly pretty
young ladies employed in the depart
mcnt. but the firm secuted the thought
that any os them had anything TO do
with the robberies and gave me to infer
that the thefts were committed by pro-
fessional shoplifters-
After = little NOR G talk, which helped
me not at all, l was introduced to the
Gentleman at the head OF the cloak
room and left to follow my own way
4 nabbing the culprit
The theftS had all, as far Is my cloak
manager knew, been done during the
.llsiest part of the day when the
door was throngcd with lady shoppers
The haudSomest and most expensive
!. \ . I
r.ies and frequently renewed each day,
Tor, ewing to their catching the ladies'
eyes by hanging naturally from the
shapcly skeleton forms, they sold
much quicker than if left undistin-
-uishcd among the hundreds Of others.
Taking my position IN the establish
ment as the new floor walker and be-
ing 50 pointed out TO the young lady
employee, l began my rather uneXcit-
ing and too easy task.
In my best suit and necktie, with my
good looks enhanced by tonsorial
artist, and all smiles and bows, l made
out to be tolcrably busy 1t doing moth
ing, and meeting and greeting the styl-
ishly-dressed crowds of eager shoppers
and directing them, as well as my
short knowledge of mercantile bust
ness let me. to the objects of which
they We're in search.
/ also put on airs of authority for the
benefit of the young salesladies so
they wouldn't by their manners cause
any suspicion to the party or parties l
was expecting to capture
| watched every body and everything
noticed that each cloak-arrayed dummy
was generally being examined by one
or more admiring and enthusiastic
female shoppers, who not only used
their sparkling eyes, but also their
daintily-gIoved fingers in obtaining a
knowledge of the garment displayed as
a bait for their husbands hard-earned
money.
noticed, too, that probably half of
the shoppers came there without the
faintest idea OF buying-merely to en-
Joy the intoxication of hunting for
bargains and giving the polite and at
tentive salesladies as much trouble as
possible.
/ saw many more things which
aroused my suspicious and curiosity
during the day, and l never for mo
ment left my station not even for
lunch-till the place was closed for the
night and all the hands had gone.
Then. 10 my surprise and chagrin,
was informed by the manager that
two valuable cloaks had been stolen
right under my nose
The job of catching the thief wasn't
as easy as l supposed, and l began TO
think ! wasn't much of a detective,
after all-at least when there was
woman in the case.
But i dared not show any signs of
not knowing my business, and assum-
ing an albright" manner, | told my
cloak man that on the next day the
bird would be trapped, as it always
took while to make observations and
form theories, and then l arranged to