The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-03-08
FEMALE =PlCKPOCKETS.
They Are Meaner and Far More Re-
morseIess Than the Men.

They Are Meaner md Far More Re-
morseless Than the Men.
GA woman pickpocket is meaner
thief than u man in the same line, -
said Detective McQuaide. "a man is
usually looking for q pocket that is
worth while picking and one that will
not miss what is taken, but with
woman it is different She plies her
calling among women who can i'll afford
to lose dollar. The female pickpocket
hangs around the market houses, large
stores and places of that sort. She is
conscienceless. She will steal the purse
of a poor woman who is buying food
for her family, perhaps take from her
week income and leave the family in
want for that period.
'.The professional female pickpocket
will do more. She may find in the purse
she steals a few trinkets of triaing
value, pin or locket containing
lock of hair, child s. ring, worn may
be by little one that is dead, worth
less to her, but priceless to the owner.
She will Immediately take the money
and throw the purse and trinkets down
the nearest sewer opening, where they
are lost forever. Money cannot be iden-
titled; the purse and trinkets could be.
ssI recall with satisfaction an incl
dent in which female pickpocket fig
ured She stole the purse Of poor old
woman, and I arrested her shortly after
the act. She had disposed Of the purse
before I got her. There had been about
ST in cash in it and a small piece Of
jewelry that belonged to dead child
of the woman The poor woman would
have willingly given the thief the mon
ey in the purse and more for the return
of the keepsake, but it was lost to her
beyond recovery
81 worked up fair case against the
pickpocket got her in court, did my
best to convict her, but because the
purse was not found in her possession
she was acquitted. Sympathy for wo-
man had much to do with the verdict,
but there was no sympathy for the wo-
man who had been robbed. 1twas with
great regret that saw the 2ickpocket
walk out of the courtroom Zee.
SIN the corridor she met one of the
Jurors He smiled. and she walked up
to him and thanked him for the YER
dict He assured her that that was IN
necessary, for he never for moment
doubted her innocence That evening
he reported to the front Office the loss
Of his gold watch The woman had
picked his pocket while thanking him
for acquitting her. She got away from
u.s.
ga female pickpocket had recently
was boarding in house on Ninth
street. She would say grace before ev-
cry meal, and she went to church at
every opportunity. Her arrest was an
nounced as an outrage by the family
with whom she boarded. They believed
her to be religious woman. Her home
is in Ireland. Her husband runs small
store there. She makes regular trips to
the United States for the purpose OF
picking pockets. shoplifting and open
ing sa.cneis She had with her when
we arrested her blank drafts on an Eng
lish bank. She sent her stealings reg
ularly to her husband in Ireland. She
operates almost entirely among poor
women. Jurors have so much misplace
ed sympathy when woman is the
prisoner chat it is difficult to convict
her. yet IL professional female thief is
the 1neanest CT all thieves. -Pittsburs
| News.