Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1894-01-04
NOTED SHOP LIFTERS
enouId Preachers, Doctors or LAWYERS Ire It
the Malady of the Fair Thieves


the Malady of the Fair Thieves !?
The governmental system in our large
New York stores has been brought to
immature perfection. Each big house
has Its executions, it's police, it's laws
and Its people. There are penalties
ana pun shments, rewards and promo
tlohs, Whlle every penny is accounted
for to the powers which mete out
recompenses to the just and the unjust
BY appeals to personal interest, it be-
comes the object of every employe to
make money for his Governmental
rulers and to aid them in withstandinr
those whom like the ottice-seekers we
have always with us.
But each year thousands Of dollars
are lost from the pockets of the firm
despite the legislation, brides and
adroit detectives. For what avail all
these things against the half crazed
half cunning or wholly professional
trickeries OF a class of women who are
interesting to the doctors, moralists
and lawyers? AS a class, these women
are the products of feverish, unwhole-
some mental and physical life in our
great hysteric trade centers, and they
are little understood by even those who
have to deal with them. Shoplifting
is profession and a disease; less pro-
fession than it used to be, perhaps,
because of the detective systems, and
more disease, as we dash with high
pressure down the fn dc steele slope.
Or, so the detective said when this sug-
eestion was offered, the professional
shoplifter poses as a kleptomaniac,
knowing that it is her one sure means
of escape. And if her haul is not too
big, and if too elaborate preparations
are not found upon her, her CHANCES OF
escape are excellent. The kleptoma-
MAC acts with wonderful cunning and
without any precautions save those OF
insane cleverness in binding the eyes
of detectives, floor walkers and en-
ployes not three feet distant.
The business-lhe shoplifter is thor
oughly equipped, with every trained
sense upon the alert. and her eyes On
the goods only when their guardians
are at reasonable distance. The KEEP
tomaniac seizes small articles, often
valueless. The shoplifter is out for
"big-pulls," and can make OFT with 500
worth of merchandise in a morning.
A few days ago, clerk in one OF the
best managed shops Of. New York, laid
three rolls of silk, V Aued at $3.50, upon
tle counter t. s. 90 ssnbut of town, lie
'yo1u sopuf1ed to thether end OF the
,@>,,..t< - fa1lo1n ~, and returned to
discover, ) the carr board from three
bulky roll! IT silk was all that remained
Of his shipment. There was no dis
turbance in the room, which was not
crowded. Floor walker, shoppers ana
employees had suspected nothing as
SOME woman slowed sixty yards of silk
upon her person and walked silently
out of the door.
Spurred by his wrath over this bold
stroke the detective in charge was
moved to disclose some OF the bitterness
"The wickedest male criminal on
earth,'' said he, cant hold candle
beside a mild, shrinking, Respectable
little bit of woman. I've been here
twenty wears and | know every
mothers daughter of EN- who has been
up to tricks for a living. But When d
new one comes III she bound TO s"!pe
something, unless one OF the TWO Slfie
who work with us have the gooo llck
to spot her as suspicious. Our hletlou
Of capture is this: ! see a woman
crossed neatly and quietly. walking
slowly through the store. Probably she
Iarries q shopping bag on her arm ana
wears a long full cloak. Sometimes she
carries baby, but in such store as
this that dodge attracts too much zen
t;n,, Rut there's nothing like Dapy
~ stow away stuff in. Why, once III an
E.st side store where [ began my ca
roar the searcher took twelve bottles OF
noIa1ne six handkerchiets and lot OF
;ewelrv from baby's toggery. sup
10 nose that kid was what you people "nu
don't know anything about 1t Woul9 call
a kleptonaniac, because she yeileu 'n WA
kicked and looked surprised Wn WIS lh W.
took the things away. Ihats lus' Mla,
Won have to expect, though Wi
vou're dealing with W9ilan. +,,s a.
we follow the woman unell sue r 9, ar
a counter. Then one OF my glil;, -,
q ;f nacessary, takes her posltioh
closa Inv and asks the salesman, VINO -
t,.o;ned to treat her as an unhnoTl'
cns+omer 10 show her certain sooos s
The foxv shoplifter sometimes seq
thro, this and then the girl III, buys o tI,a
LILY; ;ht a,,,1 Avs on the spot. That is the
NV y W. .,i safeguard known TO uG
ta a,.; For unless sharp eyes lo or,
down into her lap, the woman GU - eil ~
- niece of silk into her shanl poon 1.alls
q plr har arm while the salesman ca,.a
..C,sb ); These new capes w tano
wearing are great snap io liz en Shaw1s.
,ifters-almost as good as 'le a ita,. We
How do we Get the goods nach S 800 trv
have tracked the thief? we teat a she has a
to unless we are dead sure ,l aam sm9 we
them on her person the l ~ the street
accost her. l follow her l,n.u me to
and ask her to kindly acconp" ,,ronerty
the room where the stoiIn ,ppmpyed
she has on her person ma. ~ and calls a
peT se game is snpH and nssf
quietly q95 s enough what r hapbp s,fsr than
ms y And the detective glanced nc sat ia tap
handsomely dressed girl wn aein n' purse
ping pin her gold edged lizard ,,nar s1 bv The
on the lace counter nen1 her veil,
bored looking aide rose, Pun arrect gown,
dahbed at her eminently coz sot;nned con-
and advanced to be d drecters in her
corning the queer charao'e