The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1922-10-06
Visilent Clerk Discovers A
Thief In Act AT Dowds
Dry Goods Store
ADMISSION FOLLOWS
VEHEMENT PROTESTS
Accused Woman Resents The
Charge Made By A. A.
Dowds; Is Given Fine

time by the police, late Wednesday af-
ternoon, on charges Of shopIifting.
One Of them, after admissions and
confessions had been made, was fined
$25 and the costs and was given 80
days In the county Jail.
At $40 o'clock a telephone mes
sage received at police headquarters
from the A. A. Dowds dry goods store
on South Main street, asked that an
officer be sent to the store at once.
Chief Of Police Parker being out the
call was taken by Mayor Keigley who
responded to the call in person. Be-
fore leaving he ordered the police
light displayed with the result that in
short time later Chief Parker also
responded to the call.
At the Dowds store it was found that
the management was OBTAINING two
women, one apparently of middle age,
and the other younger, about 20 years.
With them was small child, girl,
about five yers old.
Mr. Dowds informed the officers
that the elder woman had taken in
the store silk underskirt valued at
$4.9S. This then and earlier was We,
hemently denied by the elder woman
She when first accused of the theft
by Mr.. Dowds had slapped him on
the mouth.
Questioned the women told various
and conflicting stories. In the main
they supported each other in their
representations. 1t was claimed by
the elder woman she had found the
hand bag on the street or in another
store. She maintained she knew the
woman by sight but did not know her
name. When she reached her home
she purposed calling the woman by
telephone informing her of the find
of the lost bag. She did not explain
at the time how she was to call the
woman when she did not know her
name.
When the two women were separ'
ated and questioned again the young
er one made admission that her com
panion nd taken the skirt as charged
She also admitted having taken at
the Woolworth store miscellaneous
assortment of rings, pencils, ribbon
and other articles, found in hand
bag she carried. These subsequently,
were identified by the Woolworth
. management, F.. H. Wahl.
For time longer the elder woman
remained defiant but finally made ad.
mission of having taken the skirt.
She yielded only when forced to SET
that the evidence against her was
conclusive.
The woman had been observed by d
clerk to slip the skirt into her bag
The Dowds store management having
had reason to suspect the woman hat
instructed their clerks always to keel
her under supervision whenever she
came into the store. Wednesday be-
ing Bargain day the woman evidently
thought that because of the crowds
visiting the stores it would be easy
for her to get away with her pilfer.
ing. When the clerk detected the wo.
man taking the skirt she at once
reported the matter to Mr.. Dowds.
Without delay and before she could
leave the place he approached the
woman charging her with the theft Of
the garment. The charge she indig-
hantly denied at the same time slap
ping Mr.. DOwds on the mouth.
The women were taken to police
headquarters where charges were put
against them The charge against the
younger woman, however, was not
pressed as it was evident that the
older woman was the chief offender
A plea of guilty being made the wo.
man was fined $25 and the costs and
ordered to serve 80 dys in the county
jill. At first she declared she could
not and would not pay the fine. She
was thereupon ordered taken to the
county Jail and the committeeman pa.
pers were made out delivering her to
the keeping of Sheriff Lytle. Arriv
ing at the Jail the woman became
violently hysterical and emotional. In
consideration for her and her family
the Jail sentence was suspended when
she agreed to pay the fine and the
costs.
The woman is said to be resident
of South Vernon and well known. She
is also said to be prominent in sever.
al secret orders. The young woman
with her is reputed to be her niece.
Among the tales told by the pair