Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1894-11-01
HER EYESWEREBLUE
THE PRETTY MISS WHO WAS NOT
so SIMPLE AS SHE LOOKED.

OO OiMFLE 40 OT1E LOONGOs
How Nellie Scott, the Notorious shoplifter,
Was Detected and Sent to Sing sing-A
Quiet Way of Taking Thieves Into Camp
Employed In a Big Store.
The scene is laid in one of New York's
huge up town dry goods stores. 1t is the
hour of the crush. Crowds of bargain
hunting women surge up and down the
long, sitting aisles. The cry of the sales
people, the chatter of the cash girls, the
noise Of scuffling, hurrying feet. the
hum of conversation, rising to insist up
on bargains here and there-all mingle
in confused, subdued roar.
At one of the busiest counters, where
are piled high rich and costly laces,
holding their own against the elbow
ing, irritated, feverish, ceaselessly NOV
ing throng, are pair of fashionably
dressed women. Both perhaps wear dia-
monds, but they are not conspicuously
displayed. They are quiet of demeanor.
Nothing by look or action would sepa-
rate them, so far as the superficial view
would reveal, from hundreds of others
in that eddying, clamorous mass.
Evidently one of the women is the
purchaser, the other merely accompany
ing her. They consult over possible pur-
chases. These completed, they give the
direction to the saleslady. The price is
high. They consult their pocketbooks
and discover they have not sufficient
change about them.
''Please to send the goods G. o. d.
tomorrow. 1t will be abundant time. I"
The saleswoman is pleased. She bids
her agreeable customers to come again.
They reply with charming smile and
are lost in the crowd. Unnoticed after
them wanders a pretty, blue eyed girl.
She has been standing near them, purse
in hand, at the counter, rather wistful-
ly eying their purchases, wondering no
doubt if she shall have money enough
some day to do as they. Her hair is gold
en- and hangs pendent in a plait down
her neck. Her eyes are big and blue,
with all the innocence of a schoolgirl.
A jaunty sailor hat caps trim and at
tractive figure.
The women from the counter move
toward the door. The little girl is not
far behind. If you had looked closely
something you would have never
thought of doing-you might have seen
sharp, keen eyed young man eying the
girl closely. If you had been an atten-
tive observer, you might have seen this
innocent, blue eyed little girl nod
sharply at the two women as they pass
out, then turn on her heel and go back
among the crowd. Then you would have
noticed that the sharp eyed young man
quietly left the store with the two WON.
en-. He is fashionably dressed, idly
wears cane andhas doubtless been max
ing some purchases himself Half g
block away he taps one of the women OIL
the shoulder.
Madam" he says half roughly, but
politely, ''the woman at the lace counter
would like to see you.
The women look up with astonish
ment. They are quite sure they have left
nothing, but the young man is urgent.
He suggests that they had better moi
make a scene. He blandly suggests thai
it is doubtless all mistake, but return
they must. Otherwise-an officer stand:
at the corner.
Seeing that there is no escape, the
women return. One of them is searched
in the superintendent Office. A roll o.
rich laces, worth probably hundreds o.
dollars, is found, ingeniously slowed
away in rear pocket. Evidently she j.
an expert. She is a queen of the shop
lifters, and she has run against one o.
the sharpest private detectives i'll the
city He knowing her, she not beins
aware of him, he has the advantage
This particular woman, Nellie Scott, "
very wide and generous notoriety,
now doing time in Sing Sing. For year.
she had been operating against tn,
stores, living like woman of wealth
and fashion. 1t is gay life while i
lasts, the work is easy, but always il
the day bound to come when she will
feel that tap upon her shoulder anC
know that she is caught.
Just how she was discovered sh,
probably never knew. Neither do Ions
line of other shoplifters that have beer
sent over the road from a mistaken at
tempt to work this store. Neither Mel
lie Scott nor any of the rest was eve
for moment conscious of the innocen
looking brit watchful eyes intently laiC
upon them by that pretty little girl
with the sailor hat and the golden hair
bound in schoolgirls plait.
This is one of the many means adopt
ed by the great dry good stores Of tn
city to protect themselves from tn
plundering shoplifters which prey upol
them. 1t is very popular means, be
cause tits one Of the surest and mos
effective, and at the same time the pa
irons of the store are not annoyed by tn
palpable presence of detective The,
do not feel under any irritating espion
age, and the shoplifters never know
when these soft, innocent looking paw
are to pounce upon them. New Yorl
Herald.
Discouraging to Burglars.