Ripped from the Headlines: Bloomers prove to be shoplifting advantage | LSJ 1924

Three "experienced" shoplifters were taken into custody Thursday afternoon by Detective Hylie Hamilton of the city police department after nearly a week of constant watching in several of the leading stores of the city.

Everything from a paper of pins to a suit of clothes was found in "shopping bags" of the trio, police said Friday morning. Much of the goods was thought to have been stolen from Arbaugh's, the Popular Store, and Woolworth's 5 & 10 cent store. One of the shoplifters was seven years old, and her two accomplices 10 and 11.

The girls wore bloomers, police officers said, and had taken to stuffing stolen articles into their bloomers after their "shopping bags" and pockets had been filled. One of them had taken a pair of pliers and had dropped them into her bloomers but so many other things had been crammed into them that the rubber bands at the knees began to sag under the load and let one handle of the pliers protrude. A young girl carrying pliers in this manner appeared strange to Detective Hamilton so he offered to assist the girls in carrying their parcels, taking them to police headquarters where part of the loot was later identified by merchants.

The Woolworth company, alone, identified about $30 worth of small articles which the youngsters had stolen and at least that amount of goods was left in the possession of the police department, waiting for other merchants to make identification Friday.

When questioned, the girls claimed they had two more shopping bags of things which they had stolen and had hidden in a little grove near the east side of the city. They said, however, someone else had found and appropriated them. Officers stated there were also many things found in their homes that the girls had stolen at various times.

Among the unidentified articles held by the police Friday were four suits knickers, several yards of fine dress materials, a mama doll, powder puffs, bathing slippers. stockings, trinkets. novelties, and about everything to be found in the stock of a general store.

Two of the girls are sisters and one of the trio was picked up by police about a year ago for stealing a watch from a local store. — Friday, June 6, 1924

Sues City After Cops Seize Soup bone

MUSKEGON. June 9.— (By U.P.) — Officers raided Mrs. Mary Kurziel's home, seized a suspicious looking package and arrested her. But they discovered it was a soup bone and freed her. Mrs. Kurziel alleges in a $10,000 damage suit against the city of Muskegon Heights. — Monday, June 9, 1924

Claim Snowfall Hit Skyscraper, Lansingites in Offices and Weather Man Argue Possibility of Freak Flurries

A freak snow flurry was reported to have been witnessed in this city Monday noon but was "enjoyed" by only the occupants of some of the taller buildings of the business district.

During a brief shower, occupants of some of the buildings reported real snow flitting lightly down to the roofs, while a chill air was felt.

The weather bureau at East Lansing, however, when asked for information concerning the possibility of snow actually falling here, reported that the general drop in temperature had been but nine degrees, from 69 degrees to 60 degrees in a few hours Monday morning. At such a temperature, the weather man said, snow could not actually have fallen but those who saw it are willing to give him an argument. — Monday, June 30, 1924

Dumping of Man From Car Brings Out Police

Police, late Monday night, made a hurried trip west of the city on report of someone having been kicked out of an automobile in a wooded lot along the road. Investigation revealed the fact that a taxi driver had taken Mike Kowask to the home of his brother, Joe Kowask, and had unloaded him without undue ceremony.

Neighbors, residing several hundred feet away, noticed the car stop and claimed they saw something that looked like dead man kicked into the dark. They thereupon reported it.

When the officers arrived and routed Mike's brother out to question him, he contended that Mike had "just come home and he had helped him into the house because he couldn't walk very well."

"Maybe he had a drink. I don't know," was the explanation given the police who could do nothing further. — Tuesday, June 17, 1924

BEGIN DRIVE TO VACCINATE CITY, To Display 100 Pct. Cards in Local Business Places

"Look for the card' will appear in bold type at the bottom of the vaccination cards which at the direction of Dr. R. M. Olin, state health commissioner, will be posted in the windows of all stores, factories, theaters, and other public places by the middle of next week. The card to indicate that such place has all of its officers and employees vaccinated for smallpox 100 per cent.

At meetings of the Manufacturers' and Merchants' bureaus of the Chamber of Commerce of Lansing Thursday with Dr. Olin, the business men pledged their cooperation in having every official and employee of their factories, stores or other business places vaccinated at once.

This was the beginning of the campaign to have every man, woman and child in the city vaccinated by the first of next week to insure against any possibility of a situation which would necessitate the closing of business places. schools, theaters, and putting a ban on all public gatherings.

At a meeting of the Ingham county medical society Thursday night in the offices of the state health department, the cooperation of every local physician was assured in the work of vaccination. In the case of groups, such as factory employees, store clerks and employees, in all other business establishments, the vaccination will be done by the physicians free of charge, the state to furnish the vaccine free. In order to obtain a physician to do this work all that is necessary is to call the city health department and one will be assigned at once. — Friday, June 6, 1924

This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Ripped from the Headlines: Bloomers prove to be shoplifting advantage | LSJ 1924