The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1894-10-24
HER EYES WE'RE BLUE
THE PRETTY MISS WHO WAS NOT
so SIMPLE AS SHE LOOKED.

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 souffling, hurrying feet. the
hum of conversation, rising to insist up
on bargains here and there-all mingle
in a 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 pooketbooks
and discover they have not sufficient
change about them.
''Please to send the goods @. o. ID.
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 plat down
her neck. Her eyes are big and blue,
with all the innocence Of 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
q 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 wom
en-. He is fashionably dressed, idly
wears cane and has doubtless been max
ing some purchases himself. Half a
block away he taps one of the women on
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 not
make scene, He blandly suggests that
it is doubtless all a mistake, but return
they must. Otherwise-an officer stands
at the corner.
Seeing that there is no escape, the
women return. One of them is searched
in the superintendent office. A roll of
rich laces, worth probably hundreds of
dollars, is found, ingeniously slowed
away in rear pocket. Evidently she is
an expert. She is queen of the shop
lifters, and she has run against one of
the sharpest private detectives In the
city. He knowing her, she not being
aware of him, he has the advantage.
This particular woman, Nellie Scott, Of
very wide and generous notoriety, is
now doing time in Sing Sing. For years
she had been operating against the
stores, living like woman of wealth
and fashion. 1t is gay life while it
lasts, the work is easy, but always is
the day bound to come when she will
feel that tap upon her shoulder and
know that she is caught.
Just how she was discovered she
probably never knew. Neither do long
line Of other shoplifters that have been
sent over the road from a mistaken at
tempt to work this store. Neither Mel
lie Scott nor any of the rest was ever
for moment conscious Of the innocent
looking but watchful eyes intently laid
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 the
city to protect themselves from the
plundering shoplifters which prey upon
them. 1t is very popular means, be-
cause it is one of the surest and most
effective, and at the same time the pa
irons of the store are not annoyed by the
palpable presence of detective. They
do not feel under any irritating espion-
age, and the shoplifters never know
when these soft, innocent looking paws
are to pounce upon them. New York
Harald