The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-11-12
.sHOPL|FTERs GET. OFF
WITHOUT JAIL SENTENCE
Three Women Convicted in Police
Court of Thefts From Miller
q Rhoads.
MILLER ASKS FOR CLENtENcY
Department Stores Hereafter Will
Prosecute All Cases OF Sneak
Thieving, Regardless OF Promi-
nencc of Parties.

Justice GriSEs yesterday declined to
impose jail sentences on the three
women caught shoplifting in Miller &
suit of the insistent requests OF j.. o.
Miller, OF tho firm, and let them off
with fine OF 800 each and a demand
that each give $500 bond for the next
twelve months. The three women gave
the police the names OF Mrs. Mary Jen-
nings, 2S22 East Franklin Street; Mrs.
Ella Atkins and Mrs. w. C. Thompson.
latter noted an appeal from the decision
OF the Justice, and =. j. Mccarthy and
Attorney Edgar j. English provided
their bail. Bond for Mrs. Jennings was
furnished by II. w. Cottrcl.
Il had fully determined to send these
women to JAIL Justice Griggs said In
! passing sentence upon them, land II
they got their just deserts that is
| where they would go. However. in
View of the complainant's request that
they be saved the Jail sentence. I can
not consistently do SO, and will only
| impose fine" Mrs. Jennings at once
] paid her fine and left the courtroom
| leaving the other two women waiting
/ apparently at a loss as to whore they
would secure the funds with which to
| settle their case. They later decided
| to note an appeal.
! LARGE AMOUNT OF
| GOODS RECOVERED
| The women were arrested several
days ago, and investigation by betec-
| tive Scrgeants Wiley and Kcllam led
TO the recovery of several hundreds
! of dollars worth OF merchandise from
| their homes Mrs. Thompson and
! Mrs Atkins are mothers, and Mrs. Jcn-
| nings is the wife of II man who stands
| high in the community. according to
assertions made by their counsel yes
tcrday. In an cndeavor to save them
! jail sentences.
! Commonwcalth's Attorney Minetrce
Folkcs refused to ask the court to i'm
! pose the heavier penalty He simply
/ read the statute relating To shoplifting
and called attention to the fact that the
charge OF petit larceny had been con
| clusively proven. Mr.. Miller voiced the
| opinion that the ends OF justice would
would not benefit by sending the women
to Jail. and this statement led Justice
| Grisgs to temper justice with mercy
". y. Clarke, Jr., secretary OF the Re
| tail Merchants Association. watched
the court proceedings with interest, and
! announced at the close Of tho hearing
! that these cases were the first which
! department stores In this city had
! prosecuted. IIo said that no pains
| would be spared to press charges. IN
the courts. against all shopliftcrs
| caught operating in the Richmond
stores, ana that the course had been
! made necessary by the great increase
! I'm the amounts of the thcfts during the
| last few months. The contract for
protecting the larger department stores
I of Richmond has been given to one OF
| the largest private detective agencies
in the country, and operatives are al
! ready at work here. The stores havc
! entered into aE agrccmcn, to prosecute
! fully all eases. II Was announced yes
/ tcrday.
TIIIEVING HAS HECOME
epidemic, SAYS CLAItI<IS
! "Shoplittiug has increased to such
an extent In the past several mouths
/ as to make II necessary for tho mcr-
f. chants to adopt some npcthod to pro-
| tcct Themselves said MIR. Clarke.
i ".As u means OF doing this the six
! stores parties to the protective agree
ment--Mllcr & Rhoads, Cohens. THAT
Inner Brothers. Kaufman d Co, j.
! II. Mosby & Co and Wcisocrgcr's- =
! have secured tho services OF Il Deceive
| agency to protect their stores. and TO
f, arrest ALT persons caught In the act
Of shopliftimg. Their policy will be TO
| havc.all such persons arrested, and due
! publicit! given the arrest and the
eases submitted to the court for such
L