Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1914-12-20
Recent Robberies of New York Residence.
Reveal NelU Devices of Criminals
Who Masquerade as Cooks,
Housen7aids and Buffers

their customers on their guard by
requesting waiver. From six to ten
licenses are revoked every year for
violations OF this character. but
through such violations many dis
honest servants are enabled to Sc
cure positions and rob their employ
ers. To that extent the present law
is inadequate.
Still more interesting perhaps is
the career OF this dishonest girl
which has been brought to light
through unusually clever detective
work upon the part OF Detective
Thomson. The girl came TO this
country six years ago and seems to
have gone into domestic work very
shortly afterwards. In September,
1912, she obtained position as mud
in the home Of J. Eisner, at No. 240
North Fulton street, Mount Vernon.
n. Y, where she worked for q month
under the name Of Julia Walldmau
and then disappeared with $500
worth Of iewelry. Investigating the
robbery. the police discovered that
the girl had been secured through
licensed employment agency con-
referred Mr.. Howarth TO another en-
ployment agent named Singer. who
had declared that lie had placed ler
i'll several positions and had found
her quite Trustworthy. Mr. Singers
license was subsequently revoked
few months later the girl Sc
cured another position in Yonkers,
N. y, where, after working three
days, she was detected leaving the
house with jewelry and clothing.
She was convicted Of grand larceny
In the second degree, and served
five months in Auburn. In this po-
sition she had given her real name.
There is no record Of what the
girl did between the time she got
out Of prison and her appearance
at the Drummer agency some six
weeks later. 1t is probable that
she was busy victimizing trustful
employers during this period.
Although, Of course, Drummer
could hardly have been expected to
have unearthed the girls criminal
record when she applied to him for
a position, If he had made any ef
fort at all to look up the references
she gave, he would have found out
Immediately that she had no refer
ences. Instead of that, he deliber-
ately recommended her to the first
customer who applied to him for a
girl.
When the girls crime was discov-
cred, there was absolutely nothing
to be obtained Mt the agency to aid
in locating her and it was only
through superior detective work upon
the part of the officer assigned TO
OF rl
run down.
This phase Of the case has brought
about suggestion from Mr. Lesser
which. 1t is believed, would make
the way Of the dishonest servant girl
far more difficult.
while it IS impossible TO guard
ourselves absolutely against dishon-
est servants" declared Mr.. Lesser,
ut seems to me that 1t would he
much easier to locate them after
robbery if all applicants for such po-
sitlons were required by law to file
with the employment agency two
photographs Of themselves, one to be
kept on file at the agency and the
other to be sent to the Department
OF Licenses for permanent record.
"Chauffeurs In New York are re-
CURED TO comply with such rcgu-
lation in order to aid the authorities
In identifying them in cas- they are
wanted, and 1t seems to me to be
equally, If not more important for
us to have some way OF keeping track
OF servant girls whom we take into
our homes. II the employment
agents violate the present agency
law their licenses may be revoked,
but that is small consolation for the
householder who is robbed. Better
protection is needed"
Another recent case which shows
that the recommendation of an EN-.
ployment agency is by no means all
sufficient was that of French maid,
Emmeline Pastre, engaged by the
Misses Poillon through a well-known
French employment agency. This
girl was well recommended but
after she had been employed two
months suddenly gave up her posi-
ton. 1t was then discovered that
some five hundred dollars worth Of
expensive clothing had disappeared.
The police were notified and sue
ceeded in capturing the servant
She was 'arraigned in the police
court and admitted her guilt. but be-
cause this appeared to be her first
onense, the charge was Withdrawn
and the girl allowed to 60
In a room which the girl had oc-
cupied were found silver spoons
bearing the initials "F. w" Inves-
tigation revealed that they were the
property Of Forsythe Wickes,
prominent New York lawyer, and
had been stolen from his country
estate, at Tuxedo Park, by butler
who was acquainted with the Pastre
woman. This butler was accord
1ngly arrested, but he, too, was al
lowed to go on Mr. Wickes's repre-
sentation that 1t was undoubtedly
Copyright. 1914, b