The Washington herald., 1908-06-21

An open letter addressed by a young
woman sehool-teacher 10 a woman who.
she alleged. had taken $500 from her
pocketbook while she was shopping re-
Gently caused some comment. The teach
er said that the money was all that she
had in the world; that had the woman
supposed 20 have taken II been IN need
and asked for money she would gladly
have given aid. but now that the purse
had been stolen. would the thief please
return part Of the money at least. Need
less 10 say, the teacher never got a reply
10 the letter, says the New York Sun.
The teacher asserted that tSe theft had
been committed by & woman pickpock4
who followed her from another store. As
10 this part Of the story the police have
doubts.
A man sought out Inspector McCafferty.
head Of the detective bureau. 20 ask how
woman pickpockets operated and II they
were numerous
Woman pickpockets. young man. are
rare. very rare. It is a matter Of record
that not a single one has been arrested
since 1 have had charge OF this bureau. q"
said the Inspector They used 10 be
more or less common, but 10 my knowl-
edge the last Of the old-timers is doing
her bit in prison.
That is Nellie O'Brien, old Nell She
was sent up several years ago and has
been cared for since. The chances that
she will operate again are exceedingly re-
mote.
The women who do robblng these days
seldom select their own sex to work On.
Men OF chance acquaintance are usually
the victims. and badgering is the method
most commonly resorted 70.
Mostly ShOpIifters.
Losses In department stores are largely
from shoplifting. Many women lose vaIu-
ables through carelessness. A woman
starts out = shop, and in going through
the various stores she only thinks OF her
purse when II comes time 10 pay.
"She looks over hundreds OF articles.
usually examining the texture or weight
and exchanging comments with the sales
woman. In the meantime where is the
purse or bag? Seldom in the shoppers
hand. where 1t ought TO be. Maybe It's
lying upon the counter covered over by
bolts OF ribbon or on a stool
Absorbed In her search the shopper
moves along, and then all OF a sudden
she discovers the loss Of her purse. It's
gone-she's been robbed. she concludes.
Then she feels sure somebody has been
following her.
In nine cases out OF ten the purse is
found exactly where she left IL or has
been picked up by a saleswoman and sent
70 the Office. The other chance is that
dishonest person comes along and, seeing
the valuable lying loose. picks IL up and
walks away with IT,
But woman pickpockets are few and
mighty far between. Oftentimes women
advertise the fact widely that they have
been robbed. but investigation proves that
they never had the money that they pre-
tend 10 have lost and that II Is a gag 10
work on the sympathy Of the firm where |
the theft is alleged to have occurred"
COrrObOrnted by Detective.
Inspector McCafferty's statement was
corroborated by Daniel d. Kash. chief de- /
tective of one Of the largest department |
stores in New York. Kash got his early
training in the detective force OF the DO
lice department. He has a complete Sc |
oret service organization of his own. in /
cluding a miniature rogues' gallery and /
Alllilk NtLSE Win tllt utSNIlpLlOn ana his |
tory of every person that has been ar /
rested since he has been connected with
the firm.
His staff numbers five persons. three /
women and two men, one on each floor /
practically. and on busy days an extra /
assistant is pressed into service at the |
Jewelry counter. During the holidays the /
detective force is increased materially, /
and the city detective bureau lends aid.
The average number Of arrests in a big
department store is about twenty-five a
month. In rush seasons, especially at
Christmas time. this number is trebled
About 20 per cent Of those suspected are
arrested. A conservative estimate Is that
nearly $4,000 worth OF goods are stolen
from each Of the large department stores
each year, but at least half the goods
stolen are recovered.
The millinery department is where the