The Washington herald., 1915-10-31
CASEY, THE COP
He Tells About "Handson1e Harry"

had no customers Just then. and she an
sure we have. We are trying to catch
one now, but she is too cunning for U.S."
ITS woman, them" asked.
or course. A man seldom shoplifts"
Did this female shoplifter ever take
anything from your stock7'
She has and-and-" she began look
ing over the articles displayed on her
counter, and she was furried and upset
What Is it?'' / asked. =
say" she replied. with pale face and
trembling lips. some one has stolen half
dozen pairs OF silk stockings and i
shall be discharged for it! That oldish
woman. who was here about ten minutes
ago and was SO very particular about
the color OF her stockings must have
shoplitted them"
There were tears in her eyes as she
called TO a floor walker and then went
upstairs to report the loss. left the
store to have another smoke and think.
had been watching that girls counter
would take my affidavit that no shop
lifting had occurred then. Then. who
had taken the stockings? Handsome
Harry was the only one who had had a
chance. As he talked with the girl, he
was handling the stock while she was
putting certain goods back on the
shelves"
Say son." said oricer Casey. .''I was
scared when l found myself reasonably
dochICu NndI f1dnusOIlc marty was
thief. dared not go to the manager with
my suspicious. ] doubted very mucn
whether any one in the store would be-
lieve an i'll word against the young man.
and II ] was wrong, II would be the
bounce for me. ! must proceed slowly
and cautiously.
"And what did you do?" asked.
Il took another disguise" he answered.
its purpose. ! got onto my Job early in
the day, and followed that handsome
young man all day long. and at closing
time and my feet were more weary than
made certain discoveries which put me in
good spirit. did not go to the manager.
however, was strong in my convictions
that Handsome Harry was a thief. but
tective work. At least half OF the men
arrested on suspicion prove to be inno-
cent. ] have arrested three or four par
ties where would bet my life against a
against the law and had the humiliation
of hearing them discharged in court as
whittier than snow, and Of getting re-
proved by the judge at the same time as
II reported the matter to the chief and
next day he sent two men with me who
were to be witnesses in case ] was right.
At 3 O'Clock in the afternoon We had our
man dead to rights. He had shoplifted
from hve different counters and we
could all swear to that We interviewed
the manager then and his hair fairly
stood up in holy horror. He at first
him. but after going to head !
Quarters with us. he gave his consent
that the rooms of the handsome young |
man should be searched before anything |
Handsome. Harry kept bachelor apart !
ments. He had a suite of three rooms. |
but he really needed four. The fourth !
would no more than hold the plunder |
rpThr n haN va
seen the goods we turned out! There !
sure was enough TO start a small dry
goods store. II would take half an hour |
70 enumerate the articles that he had
here. Among the plundeF were fifty
lightdresses, and as many chemises. He
provided for-when he got one
You can judge of the quantity of
,lunder when tell you that there was
rood wagon load. You will naturally /
he store with so many watchful eyes
bout. That I could not tell you. He
likely had a confederate to whom the
1o1en ore nsHsl arscies sure OF It Ye9 will also
Lsk why he had not disposed OF any
4 his plunder. Perhaps he was wait
ng TO accumulate more and then sell
,een risk to him in selling small
Iuantities"
And, after finding the plunder you
vent to the store and made the ar
est?" I Queried.
yes, went to the store right
laughed Mr.. Casey. but no
Lrrest was made"
Why"
Because Handsome Harry had sew
red his connection with the estab-
ishment and fled far, far away. One
4 the salesgirls, at whose counter
e had shoplifted many times. heard
word of what we were doing and
eing in love with him gave him the
in He did not wait to thank her,
ut in two minutes was out Of the
tore. When ! reported to the chief,
e smiled and said:
There is an old saying that II takes
thief to catch a theft. In this case
seems that il took a fool to catch
thief. and that he didn't catch him
fter all"
And that was the only reward !
OF" sighed Mr.. Casey ii