The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-12-03

There was a meeting held yesterday
morning at the chamber Of commerce
which bids fair to prove productive Of
good results. Through the invitation of
c. H Slocum, Of the st. Paul Book and
Stationery company, and George L. Len
non, of Lennon & Gibbons representa-
tives of ten of the leading retail houses
in st. Paul met for the purpose Of taking
preliminary steps toward the formation
OF a strong protective association to
break up shoplifting. 1t is the intention
to make most strenuous efforts to check
this growing evil in nearly all branches
of the retail trade. The ten houses rep
resented yesterday stand already pledged
to do all IN their power to arrest and
prosecute TO the bitter end, high or low.
rich or poor, the "kleptomaniac' as well
as the common sneak thief. The plans
Of the new association are not fully ma
tured as yet, and there will be another
meeting Tuesday morning, at 10 o'clock,
at the chamber of commerce It cannot
be denied-indeed 1t is the testimony Of
nearly every large retail merchant in
the city-that the practice of shOplifttng
Is growing at rapid rate. Nor is 1t con-
Hitherto merchants have experienced
great difficulty in contending with the
thieves, and have consequently suffered
great losses. There has been no unity
of purpose in the prosecutions, and, as a
consequence, many of the efforts to con-
Wet persons guilty of shoplifting have
fallen through. Hereafter 1t is hoped by
the mem bers of the new association that
systematic and well directed efforts will
result in great saving, and, to a large
extent, break up the evil Mr. Evans
of the firm of Schuneman & Evans was
seen yesterday afternoon by a reporter
for the G. O e. He said:
''ShOpltfting is growing rapidly in st.
Paul, and growing, too, among a class of
people that would surprise one 1t is true
that the leading retail merchants Of the
city are taking steps TO do away with
1t as far as possible A member of our
firm attended a meeting called this morn
ing at the chamber of commerce for the
purpose of organizing a protective asso-
citation. So far as the details are con-
cerned, 1 am not posted, but I have no
doubt the result will be attended with
much good
Mr.. c. H. slocum, of the St. Paul Book
and Stationery company, said:
ut is true that we held a preliminary
meeting this morning for the purpose of
checking the rapidly increasing evil of
shopliftiug. Details are not complete at
present, but we shall have another meet
ing Tuesday morning at the Chamber of
Commerce room, Fire and Marine build
ing, at which Chief Of Police Goss and
Chief Of Detectives Schweitzer will be
present. We will then consider more
fully ways and means for furthering the
work. 1t IS not our intention to confine
the business exclusively to the ten firms
represented today, but are willing to in
Guide all other merchants who will CO.
operate with US. Retail merchants, dur
ing the holiday trade especially are
heavy losers by shoplifttng Doubtless
we shall employ a force of private de- 4
tectives and also an attorney. Whenever
a suspect is located he, or she, will be
followed from store to store, and when
detected in the crime will be turned over
to this attorney for investigation. This
will not in anyway conflict with the du-
ties of the prosecuting attorney and
may, possibly, be Of assistance to him
It will be seen that our main object Is
to provide a deterrent from such prac-
tees. That IS our main principle. When
ever it becomes known that we are
thoroughly organized and acting in con-
junction with the city authorities, 1T is
thought the evil will be greatly abated
About year ago Minneapolis woman.
a Sunday school teacher, stole $1O5 worth
Of goods from our establishment Some
Of the books taken were Bibles worth
So apiece. These she gave away to some
Of her Sunday school scholars. 1t was
quite homogeneous to see the children Of
comparatively poor people carrying SO
Bibles with them TO church. She was
arrested, and after it was discovered that
this was her second offense she was
given thirty days in the county Jail"
1t is the desire of the movers in the
organization of this association that the
widest publicity be given it in order that
the shoplifters may be fully warned Of
the fate in store for them. That 1t is
easier to catch a thief than to convict
one is the general experience of retail
merchants. The object Of the associa-
ton will be twOfoId, to arrest and also
convict whenever the evidence is strong
enough to do so. Instead of one mer-
chant being obliged to assume all the re-
sponsibility of forcing the case to trial
against, in many cases, powerful inf1u-
ence, thus making enemies, it will be the
duty Of the association, representing all
the retail merchants combined, to prose-
cute these shopIifting cases.
SCHOOL BOARD IN TROUBLE.