KLEPTOMANIACS.

Patea Mail, Volume IV, Issue 341, 24 July 1878, Page 2

KLEPTOMANIACS.

Referring to kleptomaniacs of good position in society, a Paris letter states that “ Every week we hear of arrests for petty larceny, and in many cases the ladies are ladies of family and position. I am sorry to say that a number of

American ladies have been arrested here, and I remember two which required all the influence that Mr Washburne had to get them off. They-finally compromised by paying for the goods, and giving 100 dollars to the poor. Kleptomania seems to bo on the increase. Dining the past week wo have had throe cases that were very sad. One French lady stole an article worth 50 cents., although possessing a large fortune; and another, the wife of a rich merchant, has at least 100,000 francs a-year to spend. The third case is that of a Gorman countess, and the wife of a distinguished general. Some time ago she took apartments in the line Lafayette, and soon won the favor of everybody. She lived a regular life, had plenty of money, and seemed to spend her time in shopping. Every day she came in with numerous bundles. Yesterday she was detected stealing some small articles in the Magazine da Louvre, and on searching her other things were found upon her. She confessed that her mania for pocketing small things was so strong that she was unable to resist it, and she offered to pay-any . sum not to be exposed. The proprietors say they bed tried the compromise system with ladies so long and vainly that they now had to try severity, and they felt bound to prosecute the Countess as an example. The poor creature is in a pitiable condition to-day, and her appeals for mercy arc heart-rending. All the great shops have to employ special detectives, and men are kept counters through holes in the ceding. Every week several ladies are caught, but thus tar a majority have been able to compromise with the proprietors for a large sum of money,”