Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-12-15
Ottumwa Merchants Pledge
Themselves to Protect No One
Caught Taking Goods
TWO OTHER BUSINESS MOVES
An Effort Will Be Made to Discourage
Gambling Among the Clerks and the
Coupon Prize Premium Plans Of
Food Concerns Is Also Condemned
Iowa News.
to Tmes-Republican

Special to Times Republtcan. =
Ottumwa, Dec. .15.-Shoplifting and
petty thievery in the retail stores OF
Ottumwa is to be taken in hand by the
Retail Merchants Association and an
attorney is to be employed by the as
sociation whose business it Will De 10
prosecute all cases of this nature. rms
action was decided upon last evening
ut q meeting of the association held.
The preliminary steps in a merchants
crusade against gambling was also
taken and the matter was referred to
tbe association board to devise a plan
or method by which gambling espec-
ially among the clerks of the retail
stores may be stopped or at least
checked. The association also decided
to ioin with the grocers In their fight
against the three big breakfast 1000
companies that have adopted what IS
known as the cerita plan of selling
their goods.
The crusade against shoplifting Is to
be taken up in earnest. In the past
this matter has been dealt with by the
individual merchant with the result
that few If any cases of this nature
were ever prosecuted. With the as
ISOLATION back of the matter the IN
dividual merchant is entirely renewed
of all responsibility in the matter and
the case Is conducted by the prosecu1-
,ne attorney as any other criminal ac-
ton.
Shoplifting especially during the non-
dav season is one of the most provoK-
ING drains upon the revenues OF the
merchant.
The resolution embodying the action
80 tho local association last evening
was as follows:
"Resolved, That the Retail Mer-
chants Association discourage shop-
lifting and petty stealing by employing
counsel and prosecuting every person.
caught stealing, to the full extent oi
the law, whether they be rlch or poor
customer or clerk, and that said prose-
cntion be conducted by the ASSOCIATION
and that the board be instructed 10
make arrangements with some feA-
able attorney"
49, Gambling Crusade.
The gambling crusade is to De oegun
with the primary idea OF checklh !,
tbe gambling done by clerks of the
stores The action is being prompted
hv the fact that the clerk by the late
hours which he necessarily keeps ana
the mental condition peculiar to the
freouenter Of the gambling room, IS
not capable of performing his duties
in the proper manner. II is aiso
claimed that losses at the gambling
table encouragese petty stealing ana
tends to develop criminal traits.
The Cerita Plan.
The plan adopted by the big break
fast food companies Of placing cou-
mons in every package of breakfast
food sold. and of exchanging articles
If furniture and almost all housenolo
necessities for them is considered py
the merchants as being harmful 10 tne
trade and the plan is to be vigorously
opposed. The following resolution re-
garding the matter was adopted:
"Resolyed, BY the Retail Merchants
Association of Ottumwa that we
hereby condemn the policy OF the
American Cereal Company, known as
the cerita plan and we hereby agree TO
100 orr influence against any and all
ne such schemes which we CONSIDER
Sentimental to legitimate business
methods"
Grant Half Holiday.
Monday, December rs, and MONDAY
January 2, 1906, will be observed as q
half holiday.