The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-12-13
SROPLlFTERS AREAUMEROUS
Holiday Season II Their Favorits
Opportunity.
DISPLAYS ARE roo TEMPTING.
Tive Classes OF Criminals, Profess
sionaIs and Kleptomaniacs--
somethinw Of Their Methods and
How They Are Detectcd-"Employ
More Clerks" say Police-'sDon't
Leave wares Too Convenient"

Beware OF shoplifters" Is the admon-
ition most strongly impressed upon clerks
by retail dealers at this season. The losses
BY petty theft during the rush of holiday
trade reach proportions most surprising 70
all unfamiliar with the operations of al
legged ''kleptomaniacs' and professional
thieves. The number OF people generally
thought respectable. and who frequently
are well-to-do. yet who stoop to shopiift-
ing, almost passes belief. The ioorwalkers
Of every important dry goods house in town
could tell tales, IL they choose. OF cases
detected and aftcrward swiftly hushed up.
Cases might be mentioned similar TO that
OF the San Francisco millionaire, Walter
+. Castles wife. who was caught lifting
articles In a London shop. In that famous
case, which caused sensation on two
continents. the ''kleptomaniac' plea awaited
nothing. Bow street refused to be fooled
by such chaff,' and Mrs. Castle was sem
fenced to long term actually ca the
treadmill. She only served a month. how
ever, when she was placed In a sanitarlum
and later released. 1t is said. after en-
ormous expenditure by her husband. Dur
ing the holiday season last year the losses
Of Seattle houses by petty theft reached
thousands OF dollars. More precautions
viii be used this year. but as Seattle -
growing in fame, and therefore attract
ing larger percentage Of the criminal ele-
ment. II is probable that more professional
snopiliters VIII Try tneir mana on tne ioca'
1919. An aScoaht OF tne lhethous 81 thsse
vsople ana .ne means aaken ior .he'f ue-
Holiday week Is the shopiifters' harvest.
They know that Christmas comes but once
. year, and that round about that time
Sp..s '1 y. ivr spoau a., az nus .s,s
= 81 =. saes me- ~ 80.
kC-nsA ~. S, sSnrs.s As -,
s."sss,a1.. 80. - sss..., = 49,, go
sts.S 49, a. - c,rcan,.S Wiz az ssr,ai,
- ~ ,,ts,tstso, ~ shon. IVA ~ han.
1l;ne ~ wares are pensraJ,v snnnosed To
srsnsce,a ali otnar sovs ana ~ ssuaia
sio,,,iftar has that ,o,,cb NJ n.tnr. ieft IN
her Which rnates q clnth,nr stora variety
hazsar ~ iewelerv estahiishment the most
delightf,,l r,Iace 10 crercisa her c,,pniny
s-~ r,..-- 20 snc.,ss..
~ 80
-. 49, 49, $500 " snop,i'ets
ssUas .s,,as,. poaess !, IN anu the ~
eAeo n.opeosianac rue very poor
Ssss
49, 49, ~ sAs woi'u 70 ps tne oaoss u
s.s. ~ ans rasseo OF seeoy-iookihs
p- 81 e"ee'ns s.e - SUE " pe 50
.s u,y wae.1iet snae inSit VeEs uth-
s,'l awsss we.
~ 1,a 20 seo1aiy Niospsrous, Al
sno ~ = ~ p.on,aniaa woro OF pecunar
, re :, a. "a sn sin,,,. Is very
Nh sa sns u u,as' isspuc,apni.y, possi-
.s' ~ ussossu sns anu ino.her, q resufsr
s.se... ai.u ne II. al o,her re-
80 e.slp ~. S'et oi roee reel
49,. 49, "appsns.l, l,vn wnoin
49, ,,s.s ~s.s ~. a,e " lne peIeI
80 800 H.er.o' go - s"S posee eAplession
- lug .aoa. Man,ins 70 Aeep
Ts.s-..s. 49, az" - sA .ne soour.
49,, 80. -. s.r .os 4Ne" .oiA
h,,s.a-1 sr,,,,.s ~ u ,
=. ~, s,..,s,r - 49,. ~ ~"
s.a,.4 -. '. as.s ~ ne as',eis u ihet
1880, s.,a he ,r.o,,, @ =. seanees VI
-ts5 a,..a.. s..,n.., 20 .ai
Ieu away ~ aomlra.nn OF some trinket
s.-,s,,,, r .a a az - noe' nonol-ev-
,,sss .ae &c., .hst -. ,,. .ne iouu-
49,. 49, 49, ..a,,, . :, '''s oul VI 'eh
~. ..ts. Wy.s.s,
many years assistant suner,nterdert n
Pfukerton,s onics in (,hica 20 cows ~
Marshall Fields huge denartmsnt stora
the rnaraCers wearied ~ nopstapt,v do
fectjnr and making sosne wi.b aacb
casa 81 klentomania IN their es,ahl,shmant
and adopted the more proftahla svstem
Of saving nothing. hut allowing tbs 81
fender to go home. The amount ~ her
theft would then he Guessed ~ Having
a generous margin for possible losses not
noticed. ana a hill would he semi N her
which was usually very promptiv maid
ssThe .sav nothing but chnrge double.
plan Is a good one" continued the detec-
tive. Though II does not discourage the
crime very much Now ,ba fauIt 4.
largely with the business houses ,rbav
place too strong Temptation before their
the proportion of absolutely honest peo-