FEMALE THIEVES.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2994, 19 September 1878, Page 2

FEMALE THIEVES.

The New York correspondent of the Boston, Herald thus writes of accomplished female thieves in that city :— A few days ago a woman was found dead in a house which contained a vajst variety of stolen articles. She was by no means poor, but she preferred to live alone and indulge without restraint her mania for

pilfering. A large number of flowerpots, containing dead plants, were among the p. plunder, and it was evident that she had fk special pleasure in thefts of a floral character. A great variety of miscellaneous goods were also found, and also a number ' of pictures. It was learned for the first time that this woman had a rare gift, craft, for she had escaped ail the consequences of a crime which was her daily practice. Less fortunate is the gifted Minnie Watson, who has just been sentenced to four years at Sing Sing. , She, however, instead of taking the petty role of a shopliftor, had gone in for bountiful hav!s of cash. Her method was to obtain a situa-

tion in some hotel or wealthy family, on which a levy would bo made as soon as possible, and her disappearance might be the first :tuing to occasion suspicion. Minnie was the most successful thief of her. years. From one family she took 2500d015., and soon'afterwards,' while working at an hotel, she carried off SOOOdols.' Among her thefts was a recommendation -of ' character 1 belonging v.to another servant, and this gave her great-assistance. Last' year her hotel pilferings were nearly 40C0dols., but they will be suspended" for awhile by her residence at Sing Sing. I mention this because New York has the most eloquent, accomplished, and refined thieves of any city in the world. Gentlemen of exquisite dress and the most courtly manners operate in jewellery stores and similar places, while women of astocratic man- : ners and splendid appearance patronise the fashionable shops. Both of these classes what they can in both stages and railway cars'. This city never before contained so many interesting and beautiful thieves as at the present day. These classes have a-secret knowledge of each other's work. 'J hey meet occasionally in festive manner, and some times hold balls . in which each one wears some articles of plunder. They are also on good terms with the police, who never would have arrested Minnie Watflon had she been able to ,pay her quota of blackmail. .Everybody is now compelled to exercise close vigilance, and hotels, boarding-houses, and stores are continually robbed. It is supposed

that notwithstanding the care taken at the opening of" the Women's* Hotel," a number of thieves entered by means of forged tickets, and made some handsome hauls.