El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-01-24
Mary Becker One Of the Most Notorious Thieves in the
Country and Known from Coast to Coast, Could Make
100000 a Year 'if She Cared to Work"

vesting was good. She went from woman
to woman throughout the store, and all By
whose side she had tarried sooner OF later
discovered that they had paid dearly for
her presence. Growing holder, she would
prey on one woman and, turning to an
other at her very side, she would rifle her
handbag, until at last, becoming more
reckless, she made false move. The vic
tim, feeling a tug at her handbag, cried
out that she was being robbed, and the
next instant seized the hand that had
found its way to her purse. The store
was in an uproar at the first outcry and
store detectives and floor walkers scame
scurrying to the scene and took the &C
cused woman in charge.
A score of women in that part of the
store who were aware Of the excitement
and learning the cause of it, Immediately
inspected their handbags, and those who
found they had been robbed added their
cries of Indignation to the general chorus,
and for moment it seemed as if they in
tended to mete out punishment in their
own way, for there was a wild scramble
among the Tictimized to get at the author
of the thefts and tear from her the booty
she had concealed about her.
The suspect was dealt with in the Gus
tomary manner. She was taken to the
office Of the superintendent and after be-
ing interrogated was turned over to sew
eral Of the women detectives, who searched
her. Purses, bank notes, loose change and
jeweIry in a varied assortment were IN
earthed from all manner Of hiding places,
chief among which was the false skirt af-
fected by shOplifters of olden times Many
Of the women who had been victimized
insisted that their property be restored to
them forthwith, Indignantly protesting the
mandate that they must appear in court
to identify their cash, jewelry and other
articles after they had been placed in evil
dence at the trial. Throughout the tur-
MOL that ensued in the office and without
the office of the store superintendent
Mary was the coolest and most collected
person there.
1t was useless to deny her guilt, for
many purses were found in her possession,
many Of them positively identified by the
minute description their owners gave Of
them and their contents. This being the
case, she decided on a ssner and more dis
Greet course, and that was to maintain
strict silence. She made no statement
whatever and declined to reply to any Of
the many questions with which she was
Piled Removed to Police Headquarters,
she adopted the same course.
But realizing the gravity Of the situa-
ion the prisoner, who by this time had !
been thoroughly identified and confronted
with her photographs, which were on file
Il the Rogues' Gallery, insisted that
lawyer be summoned. After consulting
With him for a time she was returned to !
her cell and there remained, mute and sui
en-, until her case was called for trial.
The trial was both speedy and con :
.lusive. There was no hope of clearing .
he prisoner in the face Of such over =
evidence of guilt, and apparent =
y her counsel made little or no effort to
'rove her innocent. The case was dead z
,gainst her from the start, and when the a