The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1875-01-30
LARGE ROBBERY.

| The Baltimore american of Thursday
gives the following account of robbery,
which occurred in Washington, and the
arrest of the thief:
About 10 o'clock yesterday morning De-
tectives McDevitt, of Washington, ard
West of this city, arrested female thief
at Camden Station and recovered upwards
of SIG 500 worth of diamonds. bonds, i'm
ported laces, family plate, jewelry and
clothing. he woman gives her name as
Mrs. Kate Z. Clark, and she was wanted
by the police authorities of Washington
for robbing the house of Senator Stewart,
where she had been employed as seam
stress. The particulars of the robbery and
arrest are as follows:
On the 23rd of December, 1874, the
woman arrived in Washington from New
York, bearing 4 letter of recommendation
from Mrs. General Sherman She at once
applied to Mrs. Senator Sherman for en-
poyment as a seamstreSs; was referred by
Mrs. Sherman to Mrs. Forrest. That lady
was, however, not in need of a seamstress,
but she recommended Mrs. Clark to several
| of her acqualntanceS in Washington. She
finally applied to Mrs. Senator Stewart
who Engaged her as family SeamstreSS
| She remained in that situation from the
| 24th of December until last Saturday morn
ing, when she complained of feeling I'M
well. and asked Mrs. Stewart to pay her a
month wages and allow her to return to
/ New 1ork. The woman was such an ad-
| mirable seamstress that Mrs. Stewart did
not like to lose her services. and it was
only after Mrs. Clark had promised to
return in few weeks. that she was allowed
To leave. She left MIS-. Stewart at l o clock
| a ii ahn ,',1,
on the night of the same day. Mrs Stewart
| discovered that the locks of a bureau in
| her private room had been forced and the
| drawers robbed of SIS. 800 in United States
| bonds, 81, 500 worth of diamonds, 81 900
worth of point lace, and 81, 200 worth OF
silk dresses and clothing. The case was
immediately placed in the hands of Detec
tives Dewitt and Miller, and they traced
| Mrs. Clark to the Baltimore and Ohio Rail
road Depot, when they We're aStouished to
learn that she had checked three large Sar-
atoga trunks for Baltimore. The baggage
master Informed the officers that two of
the trunks had been stored in the baggage
room from the 23rd of December until last
Saturday, when Mrs. Clark had them. with
i third trunk, checked through to Balti-
more. The baggage master also Informed
the detectives that the trunks were all
marked with the following words: " New
ork: store until called for On learning
these facts, Detective McDevitt telegraphed
To the well known private detective firm of
Smith, Person and West of this city. tell
ing them to keep sharp look out for the
woman. and on Sunday morning McDevitt
came over himself, McDevitt and West
found the trunks stored in McClintocks
baggage room at Camden Station on Sun.
day morning, and through Mr. McClintock,
they learned that 4 woman had called in
reference to their storage on Saturday even
ing. The detectives kept a strict watch at
all the railroad depots until yesterday morn
ing, when, armed with search warrant
they opened the trunks at Camden Station
and found, in addition to the lace clothing
and silks stolen from Senator Stewards
house, about $4,000 worth of silks, vel
vets, camel har shawls, pieces of plate,
Naenciennes lace and other articles of
value. The first trunk that was opened
| contained all the property stolen from Mrs
Senator Stewart, except the bonds and dia-
mouds. The other trunks were the ones
that had been in storage at the depot of the
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad in Washing
ton. and they were tightly packed with the
SIC, 0G0 worth of valuables named above
Much of the property found in these trunks,
particularly the silks and velvets, were en-
tirely new. The trunks were packed with
great nicely and care, as between each
| layer of goods were found chips of cedar
and sandal wood, strewn there to prevent
the damaging of the goods by moths. The
goods in these trunks were all of the most
valuable description, and it is doub' full
whether they are not worth over $4,000.
One gentlemen who examined the goods
states that the lace found is alone worth
more than $4,000.
After completing the search the detec-
tives relocked the trunks. and Just as they
stepped out of the haggage-room, Mrs.
Clark came into the depot carrying a small
satchel. She was arrested Immediately,
and on searching the satchel, the stolen
bonds and diamonds were found. carefully
wrapped in oiled silk Mrs Clark was
then taken to the ladies' waiting room,
where she remained until 12 o'clock NJ AT
that hour the trunks were placed on board
the W ashington express by Detective West,
and Mrs. Clark and Detective McDevitt tax
ing seats on the same train, the entire party
left for Washington. On arriving in that
city, the woman, together with the stolen
property, was taken TO the Police Head.
quarters. Later in the afternoon Mrs.
Stewart called at the Police Head quarters,
and after identifying Mrs. Clark, received
every thing that had been stolen from her
{ Mrs. Stewart. Mrs. Clark was committed
to Jail, to answer at an examination to-day.
After being arrested. Mrs. Clark was
searched, and in her possession was found
about seventy five dollars in money and a
railroad ticket for New York. When ar
rested she was about to have her trunks
transferred to the Philadelphia depot
She did not appear at all excited over her
arrest, but, on the contrary, took the mat.
ter quite coolly, and smiled pleasantly
while being searched. During her stay in
Baltimore she had stopped at the house of
a lady on West Saratoga street, where she
had applied Tor situation as seamstreGS,
us she had done in Washington. The let
tiers of recommendation she bore, it has
since been learned, are well-executed for
geries.
Mrs. Clark is about 81 years of age.
brunette. and rather good looking. Her
hair is slightly touched with gray, and her
voice of peculiar sweetness. She converses
well on general subjects. and is said to have
more than ordinary culture. She states
that she is from New York city, but the
detectives think she is from Philadelphia.
They also believe that she is professional
thief, travelling from place tG place, and
after securing employment as seamstreSs,
would leave her employers suddenly with
all the valuableS she could conveniently
carry. The detectives deserve great credit
for the sagacity they displayed in working
the case. and 1t is satisfactory to know,
that of the $685. worth OF property
stolen from Mrs. Stewart, every dollars
worth was recovered. The owners of the
property are as yet unknown.