The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-08-31
Is MISS CR0UNSE GUILTY?
THE sINGULIR CIRCUMSTANCES OF HER
IRREST At LONG BRANCH
A Lady from Albany Held for Then on what
Seems the Fiimsiest Evideuce-Uer Excel
lent Reputation ut Home vouched For.

Snc lives at 50 First street, Albany, but spends
great deal Of her time in Schenectady where
thrcc Of her sisters live. Tho husband Of ono
OF these sisters Is the proprietor OF tho Schenec-
tady Gdzette. and his father and uncle are own
ers Of the Schenectady Star In Albany Miss
Crounsc is acquainted with many Unknown
families.
Last Monday morning Miss crounse went out
to take walk. Several OF tho lady guests Of
the cottage had lately had small octagonal gold
pieces. such rs are coined in California.
attached to finger rings and she had n fancy to
obtain similar ornament She says she asked
Minnie Robinson. an eleven yoar-old niece Of
the landlord. TO 20 with her for company. They
walked direct TO tho Florida curiosity shop"
kept Mr.. Eugene T. Gilbert. near the Mansion
House, Miss Crounse says that whom they
he eoupe9 a mdS tired smn 9oY ocnd
OF it, Tho counter was small and
was completely covered With n showcase. On
TOP ot the showcase was tray of Florida beans.
polished apd mounted with gold for use as
charms. She took up one Of these casually. and
The boy did not Know the y price. Then She
bought the gold piece that she had come for
and asked the boy TO fasten 1t on her ring.
whom she had found in tho small shop when
she came in went out. The boy had turned to
inter much trouble he fastened the gold coin to
the ring, hut instead OF uniting them with
chain. which the little girl had volunteered To
give him for the purpose, he fastened both the
coin and the chain TO the ring side by side. Miss
Crounse says that while he was ut work, and
while the tray Of charms WIS yet on top OF the
tho shop. When the boy had finished his
work ,9n Miss Crou1se's ring the little
however had only nut a half dollar in in her
pocket. knowing that the price Of her intended
purchase for herself would be only thirty-ilye
cents. SO she told Minnie that they would come
e , 10 tav shop ahu mn she w9ni1 tass oe
and iqstcned on the end OF the chain.
In the mean time the two ladies VINO had en-
tered last and had occupied themselves with
tray Of charms. just as Miss Crounse and her
companion were about TO retire she says. Mr..
Gilbert entered. He patted the boy on the head.
and told him TO 20 20 breakfast: This 10 all that
Miss Crounse can rceOllect OF what happened
in the shop
Al about noon. in the Windsor Cottage she
N" p9 9H shs enorei tHS pafor and Jaw "a
stranger sitting on the sofa Mrs. Robinson.
the landlady. who had known Miss Crounse
well IN Albany, handed her paper a. she en-
tered the parlor. and told her that II was bill.
But I'm not prepared 20 pay u now" said
she. ! supposed that 1t was not due until the
She took i Tor granted that it was bill for tho
use az "A bath hot.- and bathing suit for which
she had contracted for the week.
h,s not that bill. said Mrs. Robinson;
you'd better look at IT,"
said Miss Crounse. except ono 70 you.
Then she examined the bill and found that II
was made out to Miss Kraus" for $40 worth
of gold mounted Florida beans"
This is mistake,,' she said. Some other
mo" said Mrs Robinson who had pre-.
viously had conversation with the man seated
on the. sofa; " Il is intended for, you, and you
had better 40 over TO Justice Lanes Court
where guess YOU Will have no trouble In set
Ting the affair right"
Then. for tho first time. II dawned on Miss
Crounse's mind that tho bill WAS intended 10
cover articles which she was supposed 10 have
stolen from Mr.. Gilbcrt's shop; She asked
with trepidation. VINO her caller was. and
learned that he WAS an officer, when she
arrived In the court she was told that the officer
rant Tor her arrest. The officer advised her
g. settle the bill. but she cmphatiealy refused TO
pay she said for what she had not got She
was accompanled 10 the court by Mr. and Mrs;
Robinson, Mimic Robinson. and seyerql Of
her fellow guests. There she found Mr.. Gilbert.
represent his interest
10 a reporter for The Sun, Yesterday. Mr..
Gilbert said that II was the habit OF jewellers 10
keep small valuable articles IN trays. pHrtl-
toned into small squares. 50 that II one Of the
articles should be taken out by Gus,
square would at once attract the saesman's
eye. For his gold-mounted Florida beans,
about thirty OF them piled together In the cover
of q Iewelry box. He put them In this box cover
On ssnfy hg Hna a es la se
safe in his little frame building. which contains
only one room. He had been accustomed to
lately his. son Henry who is ~ years II age.
told him he ought not to do so. because ne lost
son TO stay in the shop until he came back from
breakfast. Before leaving however. q Gus
Ssas eSst% rsS 10 cS ria FTs sS
f fT @S r SSS that S se0% aided g
chase As result he sold him two new
charms Then he placed the box cover back n
the show ease and Immediately aite5ward
told him with pride that he had taken in 35
cents. explaining that he had sold a,gold coin
praised him because he had moi thought he was
skilled enough 70 do such piece OF work.
s9on be also G wsDea to ao
Florida beans. As soon rs Mr.. Gilbert glanced
at the tray he discovered that over dozen OF
toner had gone out he asked Henry who had
been in the shop while he had been gone to
breakfast. Henry told him TINT the only per-
sons in the store were a lady accompanied by a
little girl, the same 10 whom he had sold the
coin. lie was positive on this point. He did
Gilbert is certain that when no entered tho
shop after breakfast he saw no lady, and little
girl in tho shop. or in the doorway. In the fore
noon party consisting Of a gentleman, two la
dies. and "A little gitl. entered the shop. On
seeing them Henry nudged his father and whis-
That is the little girl,
Then Henry ran out Of the shop. Mr. Gilbert
HNktI lllt NUS III u pl'HHUuN N'lNp ilo
lady was that had been In the shop with her
that morning. Minnie answered at tirst. Mr..
Gilbert says that she did not know Afterward
she said it was lady named " Miss Kraus " or
" Miss Cross" Henry WAS called back into the
shop. and he pointed out one Of the ladies
there ms the one TO whom he had sold the
gold coin. In this he was wrong. The gen
tleman present. however, was Minnes father
ana tie brother. OF tho. landlord OF
Windsor Cottage, He knew that We person
referred to by Minnie must have IN Mss
CrOunse. On being questioned turlAer by Mr.
Gilbert. Henry said that the Florida bnans were
in the show ease when the lady entered, and
that at her request they were taken out They
had remained on top of tho show case all the
time he WAS busy AT the work bench. with his
back toward Miss Crounse and NJ lnnie.
Mr.. Gilbert went 10 Justice of the Peace Lane
Of Long Branch. having first made out hi for
s20ngninst Miss CrOunse. He told Justice Lane
that al he wanted was the beans or the money.
He did not want to make unnecessary trouble.
He recommended that the bill lbs given To AN in.
teigent officer. together with warrant. and
that he should 20 and 500 the lady who would
probably pay the bill AT once. When the war
rant was nude out Mr.. Gilbert proposed 10 10
with the officer. in order. If necessary TO idon-
tily the property, ,,,.
see first If / can find her"
Mr.. Gilbert stayed u the court room. md the
neXt thing he knew Miss Crounse WIS brought
IN a prisoner No search warrant hat been