A PRETTY KLEPTOMANIAC.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8147, 3 July 1906, Page 4

A PRETTY KLEPTOMANIAC.

"What do [ tliisik of kleptomania!"" said William A. Pinkertou, head of the famous firm of American detectives, to a recent internwer. "Well, let me tell you a kleptomania story. This story fits, I hold, nine cases out of ten. A Sew York specialist got, on a certain morning, the card of one of the richest of our Western millionaires. He went down instantly, and found a very handsome, well-dressed man, who added: 'I am here, sir, on a very delicate and painful matter. My wife is a victim of kleptomania, and, knowing your skill in mental disease, I have brought her to you for treatment.' ' Bring the lady to see me to-morrow,' replied the physician. "It will be best, perhaps, not to bring her to your office,' faltered the millionaire; ' the light of other patients might excite her. 1 tuggesl .' ' Oh. then, I'll

rreive her in my drawing-room. Will that suit better ?' asked the physician. ' Oh, much better,' said the other, in a relieved tone. And the next day the Western millionaire led into the physician's drawing-room a young woman of singular beauty. She was magnificently dressed, but lier eyes were furtive and restless, and when she theught no one was looking at her she secreted under her coat a number of valuable ivories, intaglios, jewelled miniatures, carving in green jade, and various pretty bibelots. The physician, after his examination of the patient, told the husband to return next day alone. ' And when I come,' the husband whispered, ' I'll bring those tilings that she has taken.' 'Bo,'said the physician. ' I will,' replied the Westerner. But he didn't," significantly added Mr Pinkerton, " and he won't. He and his wife are professional thieves, and have worked their kleptomania dodge in nearly every city in America."