The Evening post. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1888-1889, 1888-12-31
ROSA DISTEL'S ROMANCE.
Woman who Could Not Keep From
Stealing.

StchlnE.
From the Cincinnati Enquirer.
A tall, handsome well.dressed man
called at the House of Detention last
night and had an affecting interview
with one of the prisoners. Rosa Distel.
lie gave his name as Henry Dilger, an
engineer, holding responsible position
in Smiths lumber yard at Otway, Ohio.
Next spring he and Rosa were to have
been married, but, unfortunately for the
course of true love, she has charges over
hanging her head sufficient to send her
to the penitentiary
Rosa is a rather well-appearing woman
Of twenty-five years There is one fault
in her make up--she can't keep from
stealing With her it is q second nature
The child ofhonest country people living
near Alsace, Ind, she has been klepto
manino since q little girl. The financial
condition of her parents forced he to go
out to work. For the past five years she
has operated the Servant girl racket
with astonishing success and immunity.
FOUR YEARS AGO.
She was employed as domestic in the
family Of Henry Besuden, living near
Clinton and Linn streets One day Rosa
was missing, together with large
quantity of clothing and vegetables
Diligent search failed to find her. Her
sister was charged with the crime but
not convicted. Rosa so it was learned
long afterward, went to Fayetteville,
OHIO.
Last spring she appeared in Cincinnati,
and was employed in the family of Mr.
Benjamin Hey, on Mount Auburn. In
May she was discharged and Mr.. Hey n
few days later discovered that about $500
worth of articles, including sealskin
sacque, watch and two chains were miss
ing. Rosa, however, had skilfully
covered up her tracks, and Hey's ef-
forts to find her were fruitless.
Next, she appeared rs n domestic in
the family of Mr.. Robert Rollins in Elm
wood In the middle of October she was
discharged from this place. Soon after
ward, the family found that she had
stolen stuff valued at 500. Rollins swore
out warrant for her arrest, leniently
making the charge petit larceny. Hey
saw the fact published, and, consulting
with Rollins, satisfied himself that Rosa
had robbed his house. On his affidavit
a warrant for grand larceny was issued
| Recently letter was received from
Henry Dilger, making inquiries about a
certain Annie Deboo and stating she had
sent him trunk full of valuable arti-
cles. He knew no woman of that name
and, being honesty itself, wanted to find
out why they were sent to him. In
working on this clue Detective Toker,
who had been assigned to the case, dis
covered that Annie Deboo was one of
Rosa's aliases. With some little diff
Guilty the detective located her at the
home of her parents, at New Alsace, Ind.
Christmas. morning, as she was leaving
church, the detective put her under ar
rest and brought her to this city, where
she was locked up on the two charges
preferred by Hey and Rollins.
Wednesday Rosa sent for Detective
Toker and made a full confession of her
crimes, at the same time telling him
what she had done with the stolen stuff.
Early one morning, just before her dis.
charge from Mr. Hoy's household, she
had secured an expressman, named
New Alsace. To her brother farmer
valuable stuff, and another trunk, under
the name of Annie Deboo, she had for.
warded to her lover at Otway.
Yesterday Detective ToKer went to
Otway and recovered both the trunks and
their contents. The brother kcenly felt
the disgrace Rosa had brought on the
family, but said she could not help it, as
it was her nature to steal. ''
Dilger, her promised husband. was
i-also badly broken up by the develop,
ments, but still processes his love fol
Rosa, and yesterday afternoon, accom-
| nnnipH In
imprisoned intended bride.
1t is known that altogether Rosa ha'
stolen several hundred dollars worth o.
goods. The stuff recovered at Otway
amounts TO at least $400, and that at New
Alsace, which will be brought back to
day, is valued at another 800. She will
be arraigned in the Police Court this
morning, and prosecuted by both Mr.
Hey and Mr.. Rollins, who are very in
dignant over the way they were treated
and propose to make an example of tht
fair thief.
About s o'clock last night Dilger, will
Detective Tober, called at the House o
Detention. When Miss Distell wa
brought down she turned on the detectiYt
and screamed "Why did you bring hin
here?" The next instant she fell to th
floor in faint. Several minutes elapsed
before Lieutenant Hambroke and DE
tective Toker succeeded in bringing he
back to consciousness.
Then she became hysterical and fillet
the station-house with her cries. Fo
nearly an hour she acted like a maniac
and it was with the greatest difficult
that she was sufficiently calmed to be re
turned to the cell-roOm.
Dilger reiterated his faithfulness to hi
/ intended, and declares that her tribula
tions will make no change in the wed
ding day, as far as he is concerned.