The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1879-08-09
A BOLD FEMALE ROBBER.
How Miss Oberlin OF Oshkosh Was Drug
ged and Robbed by Miss Sperback at st.

Paul.
IRON the st. Paul Pioneer Press.l
A remarkably bold piece of feminine
robbery was committed at the CONNER
cial Hotel, Seventh Street, in st. Paul,
at 4 O'Clock Yesterday morning. Tues
day afternoon two young ladies, Albert
ina Oberlin of Oshkosh, and Home
Sperback of Minneapolis, registered
and were given rooms. The former was
supposed TO be an invalid, attended in
her travels by the latter, who perpetrat-
ed the deed. After ride in the even
ing, Miss Oberlin retired with her COM
panion, both occupying the same room.
Miss Oberlin is frail looking young
lady, with q permanent lameness, and
during the night was taken ill. Her
travelling companion was dispatched for
medicine, and returned with three pow
ders. One was taken which had an ex-
tremely bitter taste, and the young girl
was urged to have administered the re-
manning two. She refused, and feeling
a drowsy sensation was soon in heavy
slumber. Hardly was Miss Oberlin un-
der the control of the poison before her
companion rose and quickly dressed.
She at once rifled Miss Oberlin's pockets
and drew forth $82 in money. While
her victim was thoroughly under the
influence of the overpowering NOR
phine, Miss Sperback snatched valu-
able ring from her finger, and with the
money and ring left the room. Before
!. departing from the hotel she locked the
bedroom door. 1t only occupied few
seconds time to cautiously leave the h0-
tel without being noticed. Once in the
street she soon found q livery stable, and
with driver was rapidly whirled away
to Minneapolis, from which city the
twain journeyed to st. Paul. Tuesday
night Miss Sperback had planned her
audacious robbery, for besides having
the morphine prepared she had had the
six pieces of their baggage rechecked to
Minneapolis, with orders to have them
returned on the first train, which leaves
St. Paul at $40 a. m. Consequently,
soon after her arrival in that city, after
q rapid ride, the baggage was secured.
When Miss Sperback reached Minneap-
oils her driver was instructed to drive
past the Nicollct House. At q point q
block beyond she paid for her team
and alighting, disappeared from view
The driver returned to st. Paul, utterly
ignorant of the part which he had play
ed in this daring and shrewedly planned
affair till the rumors were afloat on the
streets of the robbery. In the mean
while Miss Oberlin remained almost I'M
conscious from the administering the
morphine till 4 o'clock yesterday morn
ing. Gradually she began to regain bel
senses and to be attacked with nausea
She called to her companion, bu1
no response was received. Silt
looked around the room and tried to re
call where she was, but it was som,
time before she was relieved of her stu
|. Dor so that she could exercise her be
wildered brain. Then she recollectet
her illness, and Of the bitter powder
! and the rest was blank. Jumping Il
her feet, Miss Oberlin dizzily walked
toward the door, 1t was locked, and il
an attempt to open it she noticed that
ring had been roughly torn from he
finger. Aside by her bed lay the tw,
deadly powders, and the impression
\ flashed over her mind that she had beef
the victim of q terrible wrong. He
shrieks rang out from her room as thos
of q woman half-crazed with fear
Promptly the clerk came to her rescue
sand she hurriedly told him of the at
tempt to murder and rob her. Other
were aroused by her cries and left thei
rooms 10 learn the cause. DIR. Diedolpl
was quickly summoned and prescribet
for Miss OberIin. He at once examin
> ed the powders, and pronounced then
to contain morphine, the three beiny
powerful enough to have producef
death, and it was doubtful whether tw,
would not have thrown the victim int
. sleep so long that her recover.
would have been impossible. Tn
illness of Miss Oberlin attracted tn
attention of all the boarders for som,
time, so that it was several hours afte
the occurrence of this robbery that tn
police were informed of the particulars
The would. be murderer had then ampl,
opportunity to leave Minneapolis TO
Chicago, and escape from arrest. TIL,
driver was soon found who had takeI
the early morning drive with Miss Sper
back, and all possible information O
her Whereabouts gained from him, bu
it was meager and unsatisfactory. Til,
last he had seen Of her was whom sht
was turning corner and rapidly dis
appearing from his sight. The police
visited the railroad Offices and found
that the baggage had all been forward
ed to Minneapolis. Telephone commu
nications with the police of that city to-
revealed the fact that it had been re
moved from the depot by Miss Sper
back. As soon as Miss Oberlin suffici