The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1911-07-01
TWO GIRLS ROB
Tky Clam Thai fhey We're Taught Bog
to Steal Thiags From Stsns
But THEY COT CAUGHT
Arrested In a Department Store TEN
Strange Tale ON Instruction i'm
shoplifting-Won Prizes In Shape
of Sticks of Candy for Proficiency
in Stealing.

of Sticks of Candy for Proficiency
In Stealing.
The New York World says the
pretty, starched frocks of two girls,
each about ten years old. with anoth-
er girl, about three toddling between
them, attracted the eye of Miss Marie
Young detective, in the Greenhut-
Siegel Cooper Company store at 18TH
street and Sixth Avenue Friday AFTER
noon. 1t the lingerie counter, Miss
Young says, she saw one of the girls
hide slip in her sleeve. 4 moment
later the other took a similar gar
ment, the detective says
She followed them and saw then,
take garment after garment, making
frequent trips to the waiting room.
Finally Miss Young invited the chiS-
dyen to the Office, where Miss Young
asserts che found s9.s7 worth Of
silk and linen slips pinned under the
older girls ekirts and one silk gar
rieEt pinned to the little child's dress.
At the police station, where they
ale taken, the older girlS said they
were Helen Stewart and Helen Hem
wood of Nc. 421 West Thirty-ninth
street, and the baby was Agnes Han
ley, OF the same address. When
charged with stealing one Of The girls
said earnestly:
mo, mister, we didn't take the
things. Some one just Put them
there" raiEtEt
The police then gave Up their ef-
forts to learn anything and took the
three to the Chi:dren's Society.
From the time the smallest gtrl
reached the station house she began
to cry for her mother and father.
All attempts to comfort her failed.
The detectives went out to look up
the address, which was .sound TO be
fictitious: This was about nine p. 10.
Soon after they left the West Forty
seventh street station called mp the
Gerry agents and asked Il. they had
lost, child there, giving {. descriptions
OF Agnes. An hour later Edward An
earn, a city fireman. and his distract
! ed wife, appeared at the Gerry rooms.
When they saw Agnes there was no
need for Identification. The mtoher
seized the baby in her arms, crying
Historically.
Mr.. Ahearn said she had missed
Agnes in the afternoon, and neigh
bors told her that two little girls had
taken the child away as II for walk.
The next morning the baby's COM
panions we're arraigned in the Chill
dren's Court before Judge ,Hoyt.
There Helen Stewart" said she was
Helen Birmingham, of No. 541 West
Fiftieth street, and the other satd
she uas MARY Murch, No. Gal West
Fifty.seeond street. These names
and addesses were verified by the
detectives.
After telling their right names the
police say the two girls told them
the following amazing story: They
had been taught to steal by a Mrs,
Kiernan, who lives in West Fiftiety
street. With other girls about theiz
same age they had received regular
course in shoplifting. To make thena
proficient in the art their instructor,
they said, converted her parlor into
shop. Tables and chairs were plac-
ed in the centre of the room to rep
resent counters, which were covered
with ribbons and varions articles OF
wearing apparel. Then they were
told they would "play store" The
woman's 15-year-old daughter acted
as the store detective.
"You come in as IL to buy" the
girls say their instructor told them,
and the one who can lake the most
without being caught will receive a
stick OF candy"
The two children boasted that they
had won four sticks of candy In sue
cession, although the girls pitte0
against in the contest Of wits were
much older. Encouraged by this
achievement, the detectives say the
girls told them, they decided to work
for themselves" insvead Of for their
instructor and deserted the schoo9
and successfully pilfered articles
from several shops.