The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-03-01
TO CURE KLEPTOMANIACs.
LabOuchere Gives an Instance
Where a ShopIifter Was Birched.

a.
LONDON, Feb. 2S.-Labouchere, in
truth, says: mo one need be surprised
10 learn the release of Mrs. Castle has
been Followed by an alarming outbreak
or activity of that large and increasing
class, the lady shoplifters. I am told,
on good authority the West End estab-
nshments most exposed to the depreda-
t1cnS OF this class have never suffered
as severely as during the last three
months.
l am sure I earn the thanks Of all
VINO cater largely to the female sex,
II can PROFOUND any remedy for the
evil. An interesting communication,
received from a West End shopkeepar.
leads me to hope I may be able to do
TINS. He says he found the greatest
dlfi1culty In dealing with the predatory
hablts OF his customers, because of
their preternatural artfulness, because
or fear of the discredit which would
DC brought on his establishment by
railing to sustain the accusation. and
because of the knowledge that even
Where the thief was caught redhanded,
the punishment falls most heavily ON
her husband or other innocent parties.
one day lady shopper was caught
pocketlng piece of lace. She was
requested to step to the principals
ONCE, where she was searched In
he1 POSSESSION many articles were
slowed away In a pockt apparently
constructed for the purpose The pro
prietor then argued with her she would
certainly be imprisoned and bring dis
grace on all her friends, and offered
her the alternative of being punished
by him where she was
She inquired what the punishment
W9S to be. He told her, and she aert Cd
10 accept 1t. He is fortunate in the Los-
s-ssiC1' of a maid IN sister elderly, of
stalWart muscular development This
sister was sent for, and two stout birch
rods produced. The proprietor retired.
and the sister, with the assistance OF
the woman manager of the establish
ment, administered to the lady corporal
punishment of thu orthodox method
practiced in the public schools.
L will not enter into further details
CT the painful scene. 1t is enough to gay
that after dozen strokes the klepto-
maniac howled for mercy, and sOlemnly
swore she would never do it again The
shopkeeper adds he does not think she
will Indead she has never been seen In
his shop since"
Labouchere asks: What argument
can be adduced against the general
adoption of this treatment of klepto-
mania. That it was merciful 10 the
lady is clearly shown by the fact she
exposure and imprisonment That it
was merciful to her innocent friends,
who otherwise would have shared her
disgrace, is beyond contradiction. That
1t is effectual is proved by the testi-
mony of the shopkeeper Can any one
imagine the lady coming back with or
without felonious intent to a shop
where she had been ANONYMOUSLY
birched under the eye of the manager,
and to the knowledge of every en-
plOye?"
Labouchere goes on to argue that had
the woman been arrested, ample evil
dence would have been forthcoming to
show a hereditary tendency, and an
army Of experts to prove she was not
responsible, SO that the magistrate
would dismiss the case or the home sec
rotary would release her after cOnvic-
ton. Nevertheless, confirmed klepto-
maniac though she was" he says. "a
good birching cured her, and it would
cure them all"