The Washington times., 1901-12-22

| or absurd, about kleptomania have
brought many to fancy two sets Of thieves
who work on the stores. The men who
know, do not think much of kleptomania.
They have had so many distressing inter
views tightly locked in their little glass
Office. with a foorwalkcr. or. perhaps. a
detective, and a woman, who wept and
told stories.
The stories are not very interesting;
they are too worn out now. Struggles.
poverty. the cry Of children Cor presents.
the temptation to please friends, the "ir-
resistibic inclination" as link, the funny
Eilliputian, termed his mania. AHd the
stories are generally lies.
I<Icpfomanirs Are Frauds.
Believe in klcptomania? Certainly 1
do. said floor walker in one OF the big
stores one day last week. But what OF
it? II costs us rs much II they succeeded.
and, in my opinion. its mcaner than ordi-
nary theft. CAN It a mania if you like
| I've seen it.
1T is only The quintcssence or selfish
ness. \ poor nan may be driven to theft
by many motives some that stir our sym
pathy. But the rich person who steals is
one whose mean spirit has the upper
hand. To cheat and defraud is such a
ones passion; that's kleptomania"
few stores have detectives set to
watch for the light fingered during the
holiday rush-a quiet man who stroIls
about just ms a floor walker does and
never seems to have much 10 do Other
stores rely entirely on their own floor
managers and most trusted clerks.
Bundle Wrappers ~ Detectives.
I'VE catch more than the detectives
do" laughed ono nanager last week.
We know the game OF selling and the
game OF watching
Indeed. one floor manager well known
to Washingtonians is Acknowledged to be
the best detective in the south for the
Christmas shoppers.
Hasn't that man Y got an eve.
though exclaimed one enthusiastic
bundle wrapper who had watched and an
preciated this mans work for years. 81
heiieTe he can see through cloaks. and
people TOO. / never saw anything like
that mans -eyesight"
me bundle wrapper. especially wher he |
- pi1ced IN box over the clerks heads. |
is an important factor In deteclin, tI,asts
Aiany woman has gene to the little office !
ana hsd n memorably sad half hour with I
me manager, because boy. perched threa
leet above her head, had kent his eves
on her. go
one OF these women. caught last Mon
fiay, Was searched and articles from threo
inherent stores were found on her nm
wrapped. but marked. In fifteen minutes
sHe sUt beiore three stern faced. elderly
managers Her hair was disbeyciIed "a
sne was weeping nervous wreck
Sle ldd tried Tho fnnrbe-- ,bgr.7.-.. I
story. and had impressed the manager at
whose store she, was caught and held.
In Old sinner.
But one of the other managers-he was
the famously sharp-eyed oue-recognized
her.
She had been forbidden his store. twice
caueht by him. and now several articles
proved that she had slipped past him
again. HIS pride was touched. and had if
not been against his stores policy be
would have prosecuted the culprit. As
II was he urged the other men to do so.
and they agreed.
Inc strangest part OF it is that iuvesti- /
cation proved The woman to be not
poor mother, " as she stated bur a noo5
Her circumstances and those
u her mother were so pitiful and the ,
'uo' lhe proved, story Of their trials SO :
al that the charges against her were
= 'i'u',rahh- Inc reason for her inyeniine
Sdu tsle Mhen The true one was far
foIthier OF sympathy is left 10 The st1,-
'ent Of human ns turo. '
me problem OF the petty thieves is
.eAed one Tor managers. They lose hum !
~. - ~ uollars every year. yet they dis :
ne "a. h"'ofieiy brought by furnishing
ne guilty ones. 4 store famous for The "
hieves caught there loses its popuIaritv
that is the reason b
saata's PostoGcc
II Christmas has its sad sides. its trials t;
or men, and its temptations for stealing Q
still has more than enough Joy to com r
ensate. These storekeepers. hard and :,
uspieious as they look to the guilty are II
Ut The agents OF Santa Claus. and az
uch are known to tie true obseryer-tbe
hiid. ''is
When one OF Washington's big stores +,
pened Santa Claus postofice this year =,
relieved Uncle sam Of a weightv bur- AZ
en-. The mail Of Santa Claus is de- d
ghtiul thirE but the postofice. already g
could never treat il with ci
roper respect. d,
The store does better. When the Santa el
! the managers Office gets a line from Ct
obby with n list Of III. presents dear TO oil
cbby's heart BE sends a sly note off 10 81
thousand miles from pi
obby's house-and tells Somebody all
bout those presentE: how Bobby is aux- 81
,us for fhen and incidentally. Of course di
-how much they cost and where they Il
IN BE- bought IN
Brief aud to the Point. OF
The letters have added greatly to the oI
erriment Of the managers Office for M
ecks past. \ great pile accumulated. ri
aper Of all sizes colors. and degrees Of So
canliness came in The first thing noted
)ou' th- letters Is their earnest brevty;
le writer gets down 10 business at once
or phonetic spelling one Henry D.
Dear Santie Claws: ! want you TO m
ing N" hool,inglader and a fircengine di
I'd nice pare OF mittens and some toys 70
ID boots and nuts and candys and cake" L.,
The following di ;rays somewhat sus-
cious generogity but the ending rings vi
ue: ov
Dear Santa Claus: would Ike to hi
lne down 10 see you ana Aunt Mamie 20
light hTluE m". ! want a bicycle sith q bo
n ol o.; a nice game Of soi.e kiad and
me nice books Bring my brother a big is
ain Of cars and a wagon. Don't forget III
chain for Bryan that's my dog Bring da
ANNA pair OF opera glasses. Bring fu
pa a smoking jacket. Bring Aunt oh
annie a nice basket for Dot to sleep in, to
ID Uncie Sam a new set Of harness for fri
aud. Bring Matte a pair OF gloves and
zzie pair Of woolen gloves like m
ne Goodbye olJ santa. Zip, Hip! wi
iriah ANTHONY X" or