Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-05-15

the precautions large establishments are
obliged to take to protect themselves from the
forays of shoplifters AMI kleptomaniacs.
At the time OF the occurrence the empioye Of
the house who subjected Mrs. Ragiand to a
search was taken to the Police Court on her
complaint and fined for assault The grounds
upon which the suit was based were explsined
to the jury by Mr.. George Z. Hamilton, OF
counsel for Mrs. Ragland. TO be as
follows: That on January go, 1891. the plain
tiff, who was then Miss Fannie c. O'Hare,
was making preparations for her mar
riage, which occurred the End Of the
following month. TO make some purchases
she had made an appointment with her sister to
meet her in the reception room of the Boston
House. She met her sister and they went
looking at articles on that counter, they were
rudelv taken by Charles E. Flinders, private
detective in the employ Of the firm. to
small room, whore he accused her
Of stealing diamond ring and passing it to her
sister. In their room they were called thieves
and rudelv searched, first by Finder and then
by the matrou Of the place.
Her dress was opened at the BOSOM and
Flinders inserted his hand in pretended
search for the missing ARTICLES. The man also
attempted to search her underclothing.
Mr.. Hendricks. the superintendent, was
called i'll. lie told them he had nothing to do
III the matter. and then the matr on was called
in. Mr.. Hendricks left. but Flinders renamed
while the matron made a more thorough search
of them.
MRS. RAGLAND's TESTIMONY
Mrs. Ragland who was the firs. witness called,
made statement substantially like that Of Mr..
Hamilton in opening the case. She said that
the missing articles were not found
upon either witness or upon her SIS
ter, and after being detained in the
room for ~ hours they were allowed to go.
They were tod that the affair would no. be
made public, but that they must never enter
the store again.
Witness and her husband now resided In
Richmond. and once che was addressed on the
street there by Flinders, who ;old her he was
sorry for the trouble that he had caused
her. She, of course, never took the alleged
missing articles. She had been made
very nervous. accounts of the affair
had been published, and the matter
had been discussed by her friends and ac-
quaintances aud by the public, greatly to her
annoyance. While de aimed In the room they
were not allowed to communicate with any Of
their relatives or friends. To Mr.. II. +. Davis.
for the defendants. Mrs. Ragland said she had
when she wen, TO the Boston House, some arti.
cles she had purchased else where--toilet bot
ties. stockings and writing paper.
Miss Laura O'Hare. the sister OF Mrs. Rag.
land. was next placed on the stand and was
proceeding the testimony OF her sister when
the court, at 1880, took Il recess until o'clock
MISS o'HAIE's TESTIMONY.
Miss O'Hare resumed the stand after recess
and gave testimony like her sister. Aftor the
mstron had searched them to the skin Flinders
loft the room. and the mntron said mistake
had been made.
After that Flinders and Hendricks came back
and the room was searched. The nackagcs she
and her sister had with them were also
searched.
Both Mr.. Hendricks and Flinders said tho
affair wonld not be made public. Her sister on
reaching home, she said, was extremely ner-
vous and almost prostrsted. She had
since remained In very nervous
state. Whenever the subject was mentioned
her sister was made very nervous. She did not
steal anything, nor did she see her sister take
anything