Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-24


genuine old English plum pudding, for a
corps of cooks are already busy preparing
the viands for Christmas dinner for 500
OF the poor, which will be provided Mon
day, beginning at o'clock.
Commander James Haslam and Mrs. Has
lam, assisted by corps of Homeward
Bound Workers. have been busy all day
with the preparations for the feast. Three
of the mission wagons have been kept In
service transferring the supplies, and Com
mander Haslam desires through The Star
to thank the many business men and others
for their contributions to the worthy cause
of the homeless; and outcasts who will be
fed at the long white-covered tables in the
main mission room on Monday afternoon.
The dinner tickets have been distributed
by Commander sHaSlan and his assistants,
and there viii he says, be no empty seats.
The menu viii include roast beef and lamb.
gravy. -vegetableg, side dishes, fruits, nuts
and old English plum pudding with sauce.
Money for this feast is being collected in
iron pots in different sections of the city,
for the Poor" After the dinner has been
served the poor diners will be reated to an
entertainment IN the mission meeting room
at 119 Pennsylvania avenue, feature of
which will bers"rhe Story of the Christ
Child from the Manager in Bethlehem to the
Voliant, manager of the Lighthouse Mission
Home for Colored Men and Boys, at 459
Missouri avenue which is one of the
branches OF the Homeward Bound system
of missions. -. 81.
:, Rest Time tor Police.
With the closing of the stores tonight the
police department will have a rest from
watching the big stores and protecting them
from the operations of shopIifters. Not I'M
til the visitors come here from all over the
country to attend the Inauguration in
March will the police again have to spend
SO much time about the stores Capt
Boardman has had his detectives on
duty in and about the stores during the past
two weeks. From early morning until late
at night these men have been on guard and
have saved the stores many hundreds of
dollars worth Of property. In addition to
the headquarters men the precinct detec-
tives and others have been on duty render
ing assistance.
1t is not always during the holiday season
that the professional shoplifters do their
work. They understand that it Is more
difficult to get valuable goods at this sea-
son than at other times. Much petty they
ing is done during the holiday season, how
ever. While many arrests are not made
usually, property is taken from the dis
honest people and they are sent awaySbadly
frightened. 1t is the belief that much of the
holiday stealing is prompted by the manner
In which goods are displayed on counters
within reach of everybody
In Temptations Way.
1.-THE temptation to take. some of the at
tractive goods is very great" remarked
detective to a Star reporter after he had
been on duty i'll one of the stores more than
week There is nobody on duty at the
doors of the stores to look over the Gus
tcmers and many children and others who
give evidence of not being supplied with
funds are admitted. I recall case that
occurred early in the season, when a col
ored girl was arrested for the theft of
doll and piece of bright ribbon. The child
was poorly clothed. and no one would ever
have imagined she had cent in her pocket.
Still she was permitted to enter the store
and roam about until she was finally detect
ed in the act of taking the doll and ribbon.
She had been in the city but short time
and had never had doll in her life.
Imagine her position If you can, and tell
me what there was to prevent her from
committing the theft. She did not realize
anything about the moral side of her con-
duct. and was surprised when arrested. OF
course. she was frightened and may never
steal again, but who could blame such an
individual for yielding to so great temp
tation? "
Not Always the Poor.
But" he said. sit is not always the poor
and ignorant who fall under such condi-
tons People who are much higher In life
do the same thing One night this week
while in one Of the big stores saw several
well-dressed ladies help themselves to AR
ticles Of trff1iHg value. The first one took
small diary and put it In her pocket She
was about TOT walk away with it when 1
stepped up beside her and whispered that
She would dofwell to put it back. It took
her much shorter time to put it back than
it did to take 1t, and she was thoroughly
frightened. Thessword of warning was eff
fective- in hen case, and she hurried from
the store. In all probability she will never
repeat the offenee. and much more good
was accomplished in that way than could
have been effected by arresting her and
submitting her. to the disgrace Of having
her name recorded on the police records
I'm some stores" he stated 1.-THE pro-
prietors are very lenient witt-these people.
and others believe In arresting every Of
fender. The best is not always found In
arrest and Incarceration, however for
when woman Is treated in such a. manner
for her first ofrense she Is likely to become
reckless afterward. Kind words frequently
accomplish more real good than expensive
punishment. Some Of those who were
found In the stores helping themselves to
Christmas things were mothers who were
too poor to buy goods, and who were anx-
ious to be able to play Santa Claus to their
children. II there Is one excuse for stealing
other than because of an attack OF hunger
1t is a case in which poor mother can
play Santa Claus In no other way. She ia
certainly more to be pftied than despfsed
and is entitled to all the sympathy she can
get.
The Kleptomanic.
'arhe so-called kieptomaniac," the detect
I've continued" deserves no sympathy. In
fhn f3rsf y,iaca don't tol,a -, .t<,.t- q.