Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-12-07

THE ROBBER OF MRS. POTTER
Held I'm 81, 900 Bonds to Await the
Action Of the Grand Jury.
Jos. Brown. alias J. B. Buck. alias J. B. Hunt,
who stole Mrs. Potter's diamonds, was kept
behind the bars of the third precinct station
last night. He slept little, walking the door
most of the night listening to the groans Of
the other inmates Of the cells. This morning
he showed the effects of his confinement. The
police have not yet learned who the prisoner
is. He admits that. he is travelling under an
assumed name, and claims to be virginian,
from one Of the first families. He says he was
once wellto-do, his father having left him con-
siderable property, but he fell in with criminals
and squandered his money He claims that he
was merely the tool Of expert thieves, who got
the largest part Of the plumber.
THE PRISONER SAID TO HAVE sQuEALEp.
1t is understood that he has ''squealed' and
that on the information furnished by him some
important arrests will be made and many valu-
able diamonds stolen during the past year will
be recovered. Among the prisoners effects
was some jewelry supposed to have been stolen
from opera singers in Baltimore last week.
IN THE POLICE COURT TO-DAY.
The publication Of the fact that Mrs. Potter
would appear in the Police Court this morning
attracted large audience. Every seat was &C.
cupied at o'clock and when the case was called
at 10A5 standing room could not be had
Call for Joe Brown, alias ]. b. Buck, alias
:; b; Hunt" said the prosecuting attorney, Mr.
Shillington.
Mrs. Potter, who had been sitting in the
judges room, was escorted into the courtroom
by her manager, Mr.. Chas. N. Schroeder. and
MIR. Bennett, Of the Arlington hotel. The wit
nesses were sworn and Mrs. Potter was handed
an old Bible that has been kissed by many
thousand persons, of all races and conditions.
PLEA OF NOT GUILTY.
Mr.. Darlington consulted the prisoner for a
moment and then said: 81 will enter plea of
not guilty" Officer Hart, who had the stolen
diamonds in a cigar-box, held on to them as if
afraid that one of the prisoners pals" might
come along and relieve him.
MRS. POTTER COMES Up SMILING.
Mrs. Potter was then called to the stand.
She was smiling as pleasantly as if she were
making her entrance on the stage before an
applauding audience. She testified that on
Tuesday evening when she went to the theater
she left the stolen property in her room at the
Arlington hotel. Two pins she left in the
cushion and the balance in box in her trunk.
When she returned that night she found that
her room had been entered and robbed She
identified the jewelry shown her as her prop
erty.
When cross-e1amined by Mr.. Darlington
Mrs. Potter said that some of the property
consisted of presents made to her before and
after her marriage. Some of them were we'd
ding presents, and one bracelet bearing the
monogram "a. NJ" she said, was her mothers.
81 won't ask you the value Of the articles,
said MIR. Shillington.
II suppose you charge the amount at more
than $35, said the Judge
81 have already shown more than that much
value" said Mr.. Shillington.
MANAGER BENEFITS TESTIMONY
Frank v. Bennett, the hotel manager, testi-
fed that some time Tuesday afternoon the de-
PENDANT registered at the hotel as J. B. Buck
That evening he found the prisoner in charge
of the night Waterman. When he went down
stairs with him the prisoner admitted that he
had been in Mrs. Potter's room, and said he
had the jewelry in his pockets. He offered to
give 1t to witness, but witness told him to wait
until the police arrived. The prisoner claimed
that some of the jewelry was his own. and sep
arated it from that of Mrs. Potter. Witness told
what keys were taken from him. Among the
keys and other articles found were two files.
Witness thought the prisoner used one of the
files in breaking the lock from the trunk.
THAT'S my nail file," interrupted Mrs. Pot
ter.
Officer Hart testified to the arrest of the de-
ness said the property which the prisoner
claimed was his own was kept at the station
under the prisoners name.
THE PRISONERS PROPERTY
Mr.. Darlington remarked that this property
and money which belonged to the prisoner
should be turned over to him. "He has a right
to it. He has right to a speedy trial. and in
order to defray the expenses of the trial. if he
has any property, it should be turned over to
him.
Mr.. Shillington said that under the circum.
stances attending the arrest he thought the
property should be held until the prisoner
career could be investigated.
The court inquired what properly there was,
and Officer Hart described the iewelry amount
were also pawn-tickets for some of Mrs Davis
jewelry, which was pawned in Philadelphia.
A CAT's-PAw FOR OLDER CRIMINALS
Mr.. Darlington said there were two sides to
every question. The prisoner had been pic
tured as a hardened criminal who has led a
dissolute life. He expected to show that his
client had been made a cats-paw of by older
and more hardened criminals. The prisoner he
said, had told a straight story about the stolen
property, and had also told a straight story
about the goods belonging to himself. Mr..
Darlington renewed his motion for the return
of the property the prisoner claims. He did
not desire to put Mrs. Potter to any trouble as
was in his power to do but in treating the
prosecution fairly he certainly expected SINH
lar treatment. If Mrs. Potter was compelled
to return here to the trial and miss several
performances she would probably lose the
amount of the stolen property. She certainly
would lose that amount if every body paid as
much to go to see her as he did.
PART OF THE PRISONERS PROPERTY RETURNED TO
HIM.
The Judge said he did not think that prop-
erty unclaimed by other persons should be held
from him; that stranger in strange city was
certainly entitled to what belonged to him to
assist him in his trial The court ordered that
his money and his watch and chain be returned
to him. but that the other property. which Off
Ger Hart said had been partly identified as the
proceeds of Baltimore robbery and the rob-
berry Of Mrs. Jessie Bartlett Davis at the Airing
ton hotel a month ago, should be retained by
the police. Mr.. Shillington said he had no OBJ
lection to such an order. The court then held
the prisoner in 81 900 bail to await the action
Of the grand jury.
WITNESSES BEFORE THE GRAND JURY.
Mrs. Potter, Mr.. Bennett and other witnesses
in the case were before the grand Jury this
morning and gave their testimony.
THE PRISONER PROMPTLY INDICTED.
This afternoon the grand jury returned an
Indictment against James Brown, alias J. B.
Buck, alias J. B. Hunt, based on the testimony
of Mrs. Potter and Mr.. Bennett, charging him
nit <ba 1orc ~ a.