The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-02-10
SHOP GIRLS THAT STOLE.
The PitifuI Conspiracy Un-
earthed in a Big Store.
MORE THAN A SCORE IN The pLoT.
The Large Drygoods establishments
and Their Protective systems-An
Appalling situation That Is Ever
Likely TO Confront the Employers.

Once upon time, when the Australian
ballot system was first introduced into
Rhode Island, the agent OF patent, self
registering, automatic and non-cheatable
voting machine, appeared above the local
horizon and exhibited his ballot arrange
ment TO a number OF prominent poll
ticians. After listening to his disserta-
tion one Of the politicians wanted 10
know at what point in the process man
would have TO handle the machine. The
agent assured him that only such and
such an official touched IL, and then only
at such and such time and IL was made
impossible for him 10 monkey withit.
ats not impossible asserted the in
quisitive politician. 81 don't care what
your system is~y0u show me at what
stage OF the game the human olement
comes i'm and I'll show you how TO beat
the machine!"
Yesterday, in the big dry goods estab-
lishmcnt of Shepard and Company, con-
spiracy was unearthed which involved
more than 20 OF the young women en-
ployed there in organized th:eyery. And
the thicvery has been going on Tor three
years despite system and constant vigi-
lance.
There is no business on earth that de-
mands more systematic handling than the
retail dry goods trade. Its methods are a
marvel OF apparently intricate detail,
wheels within wheels, all carefully organ
lied and constantly watched TO secure TO
the concern the moneys received, in
amounts varying from one cent to thou
sands OF dollars, by hundreds OF clerks.
The cent or the dollar which you pass
4 AZ
reach the Golfers OF the house In safety.
IT starts on its course accompanied by
check in the shape OF a bit OF paper on
which its denomination is scribbed, and
Il leaves behind another record in the
shape OF a "stub," exactly duplicating the
cheek. The clerk who received. that cent
or that dollar il known and ii is known
also what the cost OF the thing
purchased was and how much OF the
amount you passed over the counter is
profit. Ii the purchase amounted TO a
cent and you gave a two-cent piece, for
which you received change, that Is known
too. III you got a discount on your pur-
chase from regular price, that is known
and why you received this favor. II you
had your purchase charged, or IL
you took the goods home for
examination with view to
paying for them in case they were satis-
factory, or if you asked the salesperson
to hold them until you should call again
for further consideration, these transac-
tions are elaborately recorded with view
TO knowing all about you and the goods
and the prospective money and the
honesty and the accuracy OF the represcn-
tative OF the concern with whom you di-
rectly dealt.
And yet, despite all this elaborate sys-
TEN, the human element is a big factor,
and you have got to trust to its honesty
Mt some point.
Then every six months an inventory is
taken in the big store, and il humanity
was infallible the result would tell
whether any of the pennies or dollars had
been lost, strayed or stolen As a matter
of fact, however, this check on the tran
sections can only be approximate. The
money is usually more nearly all right
than the goods. A pretty good
percentage OF the goods has disap-
pcared, and the loss has TO be charged
to shrinkage (which term covers a
multitude of natural causes OF loss and
waste which can never be fully guarded
against. A good many goods may disap-
pear from q big establishment without
exciting suspicion of dishonesty or inn
plying undue carelessness or wastefulncss
in care Of their stocks on the part of en-
ploycs.
Keeping Track OF the Goods.
Accordingly, while it is comparatively
easy for the system to keep track OF the re-
csipt and safe keeping OF money IL is no
easy matter except on the books TO keep
track OF the merchandise. To be sure, in
the big establishments the bundles which
the employees may take out ut night have
to be properly checked before they can
get out the door, but this device is often
times too likely to lapse into a perfume
tory process and iH-n4est- ef tife stores
there can be no check on the employees
passing out at the noon hour while SO
many customers are having their en-
frances and exits.
IL is difficult thing except with the
smallest class of articles for clerk to steal
directly. The argus eyed autocrat, known
as the floor walker. or some one of the
/. fellow clerks ell about is likely to observe
the fact il clerk seeks 10 smuggle an
article of the counter aud conceal il.
There are TOO many eyes about fo- that.
But the Wholesale thievcry at Shepard's
illustrates how it can be done for time,
2: least, successfully.
The Conspiracy at Shcpard's.
Suppose the girl at the glove counter
goes over 10 the girl at the handkerchief
counter. The two are confedcrates. The
gloves counter girl selects a handkerchief.
II she is not watched particularly, rs she
is not likely to bc II she is an old and
trusted cmployo, no notice is taken OF the
fact that the clerk from whom the
purchase is made receives no money.
makes out no check, and no cash ball
or box IS sent spinning to the cashier at
the further end OF the store And IL there
is watchful eye on the transaction the
purchaser may even place money in the
hands OF her confederate who sends il
with check 10 the cashier, but no one
can krow whether the amount paid is
sufficient TO cover the purchase or not.
Twenty five cents may be the price OF
the handkerchief. The price may
be paid, proper scribbling done on the