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Theft in the Daily Dispatch & Richmond Dispatch, 1900 & 1920

Book Cribbers

Item

Title
Book Cribbers
Source
Richmond Dispatch {VA}
Date
1900-04-01
page
4
Identifier
https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn85038614/1900-04-01/ed-1/?sp=4
Crime
Theft
Subject
Theft; Library; Multiple Thefts
Gender of alleged offender
Male alleged offender
Stage of the Legal System
Crime
Location
Out-Of-State; Washington; DC
Length of story
198 words
Description
A number of rare and costly law books, forming a part of one of the most valuable collections of the Congressional Library, recently have been stolen, and the Washington authorities are now trying to discover the thief. Two of the volumes smuggled away were worth $27 apiece while others of less value are also missing. It is said that since the Library of Congress in its new building of hundreds of dollars’ worth of books have been taken away, and that, too, despite the greatest vigilance on the part of the officials. Ordinarily, the system in vogue there suffices to prevent losses, but despite the caution heretofore observed a few cunning individuals have been able to outwit those in charge. Henceforth a sharp eye will be kept to prevent a reoccurrence of the evil, and every effort will be put forth to capture the person guilty of the more recent offenses. The experience of the Washington librarians is by means no different from that of librarians from other cities. Wherever an effort is made to conduct a public library a liberal discount must be made for losses occurring by theft, spoliation, and failure of borrowers to return books.