The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1879-08-07
A BOLD FEMALE ROBBER.
How Miss Oberlin of Oshkosh Was DRUG.
ged and Robbed by Miss Sperback at st.
Paul.

ged and Robbed by Miss Sperback at st.
Paul.
[From the st. Paul Pioneer Press.J
A remarkably bold piece of feminine
robbery was committed at the CONNER
cial Hotel, Seventh Street, in St. Paul,
at 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 CON-
panion, both occupying the same room.
Miss Oberlin is frail looking young
lady, with a permanent lameness, and
during the night was taken i'll. 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-
naming two. She refused, and feeling
a drowsy sensation was soon in q heavy
slumber. Hardly was Miss Oberlin un-
der the control of the poison before her
lOoo uICSSSus
Ske at once rifed 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. It only occupied a few
seconds Tins to cautiously leave the ho-
tel without being noticed. Once in the
street she soon found a livery stable, and
With a driver was rapidly whirled away
to Minneapolis, from which city the
twain journeyed to St. Paul. 4 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 6 20 q. m. Consequently,
soon after her arrival in that city, after
a rapid ride, the baggage was secured.
When Miss Sperback reached Minneap-
oils her driver was instructed to drive
past the Nicollet House. At a point a
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 ahoat on the
streets of the robbery. In the mean
while Miss Oberlin remained almost un-
conscious from the administering the
morphine till o'clock yesterday morn
ing. Gradually she began to regain her
senses and to be attacked with nausea.
She called to her companion, but
no response was received. She
looked around the room and tried to re-
call where she was, but it was some
time before she was relieved of her stu
por so that she could exercise her be-
wildered brain. Then she recollected
her illHess, and of the bitter powder,
and the rest was blank Jumping to
her feet, Miss Oberlin dizzily walked
toward the door. 1t was locked, and in
al attempt to open it she noticed that a
ring had been roughly torn from her
finger. Aside by her bed lay the two
deadly powders, and the impression
flashed over her mind that she had been
the victim of a terrible wrong. Her
shrieks rang out from her room as those
of woman half-crazed with fear.
Promptly the clerk came to her rescue,
and she hurriedly told him of the at
tempt to murder and rob her. Others
were aroused by her cries and left their
rooms to learn the cause. DIR. Diedolph
was quickly summoned and prescribed
for Miss Oberlin. He at once examin-
ed the powders, anG pronounced them
to contain morphine, the three being
powerful enough to have produced
death, and it was doubtful whether two
would not have thrown the victim into
sleep so long that her recovery
would. have been impossible The
illness of Miss Oberlin attracted the
attention of all the boarders for some
time, SO that it was several hours after
the occurrence of this robbery that the
police were informed of the particulars
The would be murderer had then ample
opportunity to leave Minneapolis fol
Chicago, and escape from arrest. The
driver was soon found who had taken
the early morning drive with Miss Sper
back, and all possible information o1
her whereabouts gained from him, but
it was meager and unsatisfactory. Tht
last he had seen of her was when she
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 tot
revealed the fact that it had been re
moved from the depot by Miss Sper
back. AS soon as Miss Oberlin suffici
entity recovered, with Officer De Cor
sey she took q train for Minneapolis
hoping to unearth the desperate girl. l
is stated that she first met Miss Sper
back in that city, who applied for
position as companion and Miss Oberlil
furnished her with 50 to recover a dres
in pawn. The police think that in Mis-
Sperback they recognize former in
mate of disreputable house in st. Paul
At late hour last night Officer De Coz
sey had not returned and no trace {
the girl had been found. Four of tn
six pieces of baggage taken by Mis-
Sperback belonged to her companio
and contained large wardrobe. i'5