Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-12-07

tlelnan said that there are those In the
city that the merchants know steal soous
put II any one concern snoulu cause tne
arrest of said parties, that concern would
have to suffer at the hands OF the cent?
mentally inclined. Here then was case
where 10 merchants were interested ana
Woman of Sro weh made aa this 10 e city, ali must
share IN the responsibility. Inen the
gentleman went on to say that his store
had a list of people that were known 70
be Shoplifters and were watched closely
by the proprietors and clerks. All pres
ent had in mind women OF Watervllle
that they had detected In purloinlng
goods from their stores, and several gen
tlemen were conscious of the fact that
the same women had robbed each other.
These, women did not know that they
were known to be petty thieves ana tney
walked into the stores unconscious or the
fact that the clerks had been cautioned
to watch Them One merchant said there
was a woman that he had watched Tor
~ years. lie knew she stole from him
but he could not seem to catch her. One
DAY he told her what he thought about
her, and told her You are too much for
me and ! would rather you. would not
woman persisted In coming to his store
and articles continued to be missed. She
wore large grey shawl and as the mer-
chant ,dd,, say, says, There is no nc, knowing how
chants of WateIville"
Mr.. Clukey of the. firm of Soper & Co.,
said that they frequently caught women
taking small articles and took them away
from them in the presence of the clerks.
but the firm did not dare to prosecute the
parties for the very reason, In most in
stances the women moved IN good society
and their friends would not believe them
guilty and the firm would have to suffer
through losing the custom of those
friends. Mr.. Wardwell said that was
true in his case. and Mr.. Emery had eX-
perienced the same mercantile career.
1t was the unanimous opinion of the
merchants present that each firm lose
annually at least 500 worth of goods from
shoplifterS, most of whom are women of
social standing. Mark Gallert was of the
OPINION that the merchants of the city
should go back to an old custom, charge
everything known to be stolen to "A
Thief's Account and then when anyone
was caught stealing make that one pay
for all that had been stolen by everybody.
u, seems strange that the merchants of
Waterville could have been made such
easy victims of by this woman from
Lynn. All agree that they watch strange
women closely and yet she came here
Phillips woman told her sister in Lynn
that goods could be got so much cheaper
in Waterville than in Lynn. All the mer-
chants that got together in the marshal's
Office agree with her. She evidently got
the goods at her own price. The afflicted
ones. with the exception of the ladies
mentioned above, were in favor of bring
ing the Phillips woman TO Maine and
having her here for trial.
After the matter was settled the bust
ness men talked over the matter OF pre-
pairing Il list for the benefit of all con-
cerned. said list to contain the names of
all those in the city that have been
known TO steal or are suspected of steal
ing with the end in view that in some one
of the stores they might be caught and
then the merchants stand together in the
prosecution of the parties.
1t appears that a little red hat was the
means of bringing out the whole case
against the Philips woman. The officers
searched her apartments some time be-
fore they came upon this little red hat
That was what Marshal Call was looking
for and when he found ii the officers
took everything in sight to the police
station including the woman. Then she
broke down. confessed and implicated the
other women. In great many cases the
price marks of the different firms were
found on the articles recovered and so
We're easily identified City Marshal Call
will probably go to Lynn. this morning.
after the Phillips woman.