Year: 1873

A YOUNG KLEPToMANIAo DETECTED By A


CLAIRvoYANT.


The Bangor (Maine) Commercial tells
this curious story:


" Reporters, and the officers of the law
hear many curious tales; but we are con
fdent that none more interesting and re-
markable than the one given below, and
told to one of our reporters under an In.
junction not to publish the names Of the
parties concerned on account Of their social
position, has rarely been made public.


Between two young ladies, formerly
inseparabe friends, and between their
respective families, residing in different
towns in the near vicinity OF this city, has
arisen an estrangement which it Will be
difficult to heal. On the one side wound
ed pride, and on the other the feeling of
confidence betrayed, 1t appears that one
of the young ladies had been paying a
short visit to her friend. and the next day
after her departure porte-monnaie con
tanning twenty-five dollars was missed from
the bureau OF the room in which the young
ladies slept The porte-monnaie which
plays an important part IN this strange
story was the property of the young
hostess, and was made of Russia leather
For several days, the house in the mean
time having been thoroughly searched, not
a thought of the guests having purloined
the porte-monnaie crossed any ones mind
At last a servant in the house who had
observed some suspicious actions, as she
thought about the young girl, communi-
Gated her suspicious to the family, who at
first would hear nothing Of them, ard were
about to discharge the servant for having
breathed such a thought, when it was
suggested by some one that a noted
clalrvoyant in the neighborhood be con-
suited. A party was made up and the
clairvoyant visited. He went into trance
and described the young visitor perfectly
the dress she wore on the evening of her
departure from the house, her going just
before she left the chamber in the morn
ing to the bureau drawer and taking
therefrom the Russia porte -monnaie, and
concealing it in her bosom. He then fol-
lowed her into this city where she made
several purchases of cosmetics and per-
fumes at the druggists S on the bridge, and
some linen cuffs and collars on Main street.
After these purchases were concluded she
took conveyance home, where she conceal
ed the porte-monnaie in the skirt of the
same dress that she wore when the theft
was committed. This circumstantial story
staggered the family, but they soon called
in the aid of the constable above mention
ed, and put the matter in his hands. He
again visited the clairvoyant and made
himself sure of her place of abode and
some little details which might be of ser,
vice. He then proceeded to the young
lady's residence, where he was received by
the young kleptomaniac herself. As
delicately as possible he broached his un-
pleasant business, the poor girl bursting
into tears and denying her guilt: She then
became suddenl y cool and self-possesse5,
and upon the officers requesting to be
shown to her chamber she consented, and
offering to allow him to examine every
thing, went with him. The first article of
clothing which met his eye was the dress
which the clairvoyant had so perfectly
described as being the one in which was
concealed the porte-monnaie. He examin-
ed the dress, the girl meanwhile much
agitated, and bursting into tears when the
fatal porte-monnaie was discovered sewed
up in the hem. OF course no arrests we're
made, the kleptomoniac restoring the
amount of money expended, some Sc.
Why the girl should have taken the money,
she being the petted child of father well
able to indulge her every wish, is unex-
plaiuable, except under the theory of
kleptomania."