PEEPING DOWN ON MADAME

NZ Truth, Issue 1167, 12 April 1928, Page 5

PEEPING DOWN ON MADAME

Flagrant Shoplifting Exploit By Society Woman

(From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Wellington Representative.) ,

// proverb giveth the Walls and the hedges ears, the large city emporium has a right to expect a few all-seeing eyes. For there is that species that trades a bit too far on nature, taking all it can get— for nothing.

BUT to see the fashionably -clad figure of Agnes Scott promenading m the very best emporiums of the capital city is to permit the imagination to treat you to a glimpse or two of affluence, of comfort and fashion. She wore the latest m shoes, m Btockings and m accordeon-pleated navy blue skirts. There was a chic demureness under that splendid little French toque, to Bay nothing of the sartorial finesse to the latest m navy blue capes. You would imagine her stepping out of a high-powered limousine, putting down the Pomeranian on the blue leather upholstering, pouting a quiet: "Wait, James," and vanishing through the open portals of Fashiondom. Your imagination is entitled to an off-day at gymnastics. Agnes Scott used her fashionable cape for more purposes than keeping her shoulders warm. Madame of the cape and the stylish mien swept majestically into the fashion house of James Smith, Ltd., Wellington. She took a seat, telling one of the young counter-bloods— who nearly tripped over himself to serve her— that she was "resting, thank you." And then she inspected a few things, the process being decorous but discreet. Presto! A nifty twenty-seven and sixpence worth of feminine heart's delight switched under the cape, madame touched her nostrils with a wisp of hanky. It was time to go. The destiny that shapes, ends had placed a pair of keen eyes on madame Since her first entry. From directly above her, he had a bird's-eye view of the whole proceeding. On the assumption that time was the essence of the contract, Mr. Observer from the dizzy heights came down — a la spider from his little parlor. Madame was just out of the door •when she was accosted and accused of well, it is a nasty word, but it had to be done— stealing a linen tea-set. Unlike the soldier, who, seeing twelve pounds of lead fall from his forage cap when interrogated by

the military police, said: "Well, by crumbs, somebody played a joke on me," madame could scarcely plead that the tea-set had stuck to her cape or that somebody had — m a fit of delicious humor — placed it under her arm. She admitted taking it, but denied that a serviette which also fell down had been annexed by her. It was made a police matter, the accused saying to her detector: "Don't be too hard on me — let me go." Magistrate Page (of witness who had observed the theft): "How was she carrying the article — over her arm or inside the cape?" I Witness: "I can't say whether she was holding it under her arm or whether she had a pocket m her cape. It was inside her cape. I know that cloak too well. I have watched it too often." After the evidence was called, Lawyer W. P. Shorland, who appeared for the accused, reversed the previous plea of not guilty. Chief-Detective Ward intimated that Mrs. Scott had admitted to the police, when interviewed, that she had stolen a vase-fi'om a shop some years ago, but had returned it. She had a good home and apparently ttfere was absolutely no need to steal, her husband being a marine engineer and allowing her £25 a month. There was no family. Counsel amplified this to the extent of stating that his client had no previous convictions and would suffer considerably apart from any penalty imposed by the court. She had not been m good health lately and was going through a very trying period. For the reason that her husband who was a chief engineer m the U.S.S. service, would probably encounter hardship, he asked for the suppression of the name. This the magistrate refused, pointing out the ease with which shoplifting could be carried out and the difficulty that existed m detecting it. He imposed a fine of £10 on the weeping woman and gave her the option of a month's imprisonment m lieu thereoX.