The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1895-08-13

Girls to Pick PnCEOts-AR OrgRnlzvd
hand of Child Thieves UnsArthBd In
Now York,
Nt,g York Herald
Bella GecklemRu, who ia fifteen years
old, has swapping black eyss and raven
black curla, Ia wanted by tho po|ioe for
completely in several theIts which have
occurred lately in tho dry goods dinrict
around Grand street and Broadway.
Sho is the head Of an organized band oil
Juvenile plckp ockels, which have bsOu
operating among tho crowds Of shop
pors in the downtown stores and also
in the vicinity OF tho Arsenal in Central
Park.
Detective Savage, OF tho Central Park
squad, arrested two OF the band yosIer'
day afternoon in tho monkey house, on
the complaint OF n young woman, whose
pocketbook wAs HiIerward found in the
possession OF one OF the prisoners.
They gave their names a. Sarah Rus.
soil, twelve yearS old, Of No, 3 Ludlow
street, and Fannie Jones, ak yoars old,
OF No. . Orchard street. They have
boon only few years in the country.
Savage took them before Sergeant Dill.
lou, ut the arsenal They maintained q
defiant mir and vigorously denied any
wrongdOing until Cross.queu.ioned by
the sergeant, when they brooks down
and, between aob', told the story Of
their operations. Tho Russell girl was
tho leader Of tho two, and did all the
work, using Fannie Jones as guy" to
offset any suspicion that her actions
might arouse
Fanny hardly ComprohendOd tho
meaning Of the proceedings, aud limo.
Gently told whore they had been and
what h0r companion had done. Her
little hands werO sticky with candy,
and while Sergeant Dillon questioned
lor companion shO innocently sucked
away on u pieco OF sltCk candy, Rppar.
emily thinking nothing oil tho arrest.
Under pressure OF vigorous questioning
the sergeant learned that there was u
baud OF youthful pickpockets in the city
and that they had loader, who assign
cd them districts to work in and took
charge OF the money they got This
leader, Sarah said, was Bella GoCkle.
man, OF No, ~ Eldridgo street.
She was very smart, tho children said,
and had great influence over them. She
induced them to go to her room at No.
"a, whore she taught them how to pick
pockets aud whRtmethods to employ to
avert suspicion. When each pupil &C.
quirod sufficient skill and showed tho
necs'gAry aloptness for tho work shO
was sent out In company with an expGr.
fenced member OF tho band aud shown
tho practical side OF the business.
Attcrward, when they could do it
themselves, they were sonE out alone,
generally with little girl or boy, who
vas to avert suspicion. Each day when
they returned tloy rNve their steaiugs
to Bolle Geckloman, who promised TO
share tho proceeds with them when II
certain amount had accumulated. But
in the meantime sho gave them a penny
each day, and occasionally, when they
were unusually successful, sho doubled
it. Altogether, Sarah SAID, there were
about twenty children in tho band,
nearly all oil whom are girls
Sarah said that last week shc had
been taken away from tho dry goods
district and told to 70 II Central Park
and try to pick pockets there. That she
was successful Is evident from the large
number OF complaints received BY Act.
ing Captain Dillon Il. the Arsenal all
week. Detective Savage, who was 10.
tailed TO work up the case, identified
the girls as frequent visitors at tho
monkey house, in which most Of the
theits we're committed. They appeared
too small and innocent looking to bo
associated with tho picking OF tho pock.
OTIS, thought Savage. mud up TO yesterday
afternoon no considered them merely
sightseers.
They travelled hand in hand general.
ly and appeared to DO very much do.
voted to each other. While in the
monkey house at i've minutes after s
o'clock Savage saw Sarah 20 behind n
young woman and nut her hand in the
pocket OF tho woman's dreqs. Fanny
JonoS stood by aud tried TO prevent any
one seeing what her companion was do.
ing. Savage watched Sarah closely, and
soon saw hor Withdraw her hand with II
pocket.book clutched tightly in IT, Tho
detective walked up to tho child and
asked her what sho had boon doing.
Blushing deeply. she answered, Moth.
ing"
The dctoctivo called tho attention Of
tho woman 10 tho matter, and tho lat.
tor, after examining her pocket, said
that hcr purse was goue. She was Miss
Annetta Dango, OF No. l2l West lOGth
street. Savage took the girls by tho
hand and led thom to the arsenal,
whcrO Miss LanGe identified her purse
II contained thlriy.iour cents and some
pancrs.
Sarah said sho had picked flftoon
pockets In three daya. Tho Society for
tho Prevention OF Cruelty to Children
took charge OF tho prisoners, who will
10 nrraignci Ia Yorkvllo court to-day.
Bella Gecklompcr has disappeared. Tho
police atO after hor
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