The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-02-20
THE NEWSPAPER THIEF
The Sneak Has Been at His
Work Again.
WHAT DETECTION MEANS
Incomprehensible How a Man of Sane
Mind Can So Demean Himself as to
Steal His Neighbours Newspa-
per-A Timely Warning.

There are thieves and thieves. Thieves
are divided into classes. Some steal be-
cause they tire of the humdrum. every.
day life and want to put themselves in
afHuence; some steal because they are
starving and are unable to buy food,
and some steal just because they have
measley souls within their carcasses and
little brains in their bullet heads.
The first class of thieves--the men who
steal thousands and tens of thousands
of dollars-command respect, despite the
TACT that they are enemies to society.
When one hears of u person stealing
$4,000, he is bound to have more or less
admiration for his ceverness. The sec
ond class of thieves are deserving Of
pity. To steal food to feed oneself or
ones dependents cannot be cons .dered a
moral crime. though it may be one
against the laws of the world.
But the third class OF thieves is one
that commands neither admiration, re-
spect, sympathy nor pity. In this class
belong those leeches who place con-
slant imposition upon their neighbors
Ihey are worthy OF no consideration
Whatever and their mean, small, sneak
ing practices are in every instance sure
10 rebound upon their own heads and
sooner or later they are found out and
then they feel the humiliation that
comes with the scorn Of an honest man.
In this third class of thieves are the
sneaks who steal a pet dog from The
children OF his fellow man or a news
paper from their neighbours doorstep
The first Of these otfenses is bad
enough, but the latter is unspeakable.
why a man in a sound condition Of
mind should steal a newspaper is be-
yond comprehension, yet 1t is done each
ana every morning. Anaconda has here
tofore been practically free of this class
or sneaks, but of late they have been at
their old tricks again. The Standard IS
delivered each morning to its subserib-
ers throughout the city by carriers. The
newspapers are in most cases left upon
the porches and verandas of the stand
ARDS subscribers: where a mail box
has been provided the newspaper is left
therein. In either case the householder
upon arising in the morning has only to
open his front door, stick his arm out
grab his morning paper. hop back into
oed again and be comfortably devouring
the news before his bare toes have had
line TO even set cold
But lately several of the Standards
have hoped out of bed.
searched their yeranda and even wan
tered out into the snow in the front
ard, but all in vain. The Standard was |
Tot there-some thief had stolen il. This /
houses, as we'll as the residences of the |
'lty. In many cases people have watch |
q for the paper thief and In Instances /
hey have seen and identified him. To
void the publicity that would attach |
Q an exposure these people have gen
rally kept the matter to themselves, but
4 one case the Standard was taken for
hree successive mornings from one
BUSINESS house and forbearance has
eased to be virtue.
AT the head of the Standards editorial
age Is standing offer of $40 for evi-
ence that will convict the paper thief
nd this offer will not be long left un-
ccepted unless the stealing business is
topped The persons who steal the
fandard this morning have the conso-
alton or knowing that for the paltry.
aslgnlficant sum of cents they have
AID themselves liable TO arrest, prose-
ution and imprisonment for petty lar
eny; that when their trial is held their
ames will be printed in the black head
mes OF all the newspapers of the state.
nd that they viii have forfeited not
My their liberty, their reputation and
heir standing in the community. but
1at they will be held up by their fell
wv citizens as mean, low, contemptfble
elngs, whose proper place is in the
ennels with the balance of the sneak
lg ours. And all this for cents.