The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-10-29
PASSION FOR FINERY
Alta MAINE Is A PECULIAR TYPE
OF III KLEPTOMANIAC.
Several Attempts at Suicide in Her
Cell-SOme of Her E~scapades
in This City.

Alta Name, a prisoner at the police sta
ton, attempted several times yesterday to
hang herself with ropes made of the bed
clothing in her cell. She was arrested Sat-
urday night on a charge of stealing jew
elry, silverware and clothing valued at
$500 form Mrs. Holiness, No. IS
West North street, where she was
employed as a domestic. When the officers
told her she was under arrest she made a
desperate attempt to shoot herself with a
revolver. and it was only after a fierce
struggle that the weapon was wrenched
away from her. When put into her cell at
the police station she said she would kill
herself.
Yesterday morning she made ropes of the
bed clothing. and would have killed herself,
but the rope broke. A prisoner In the same
cell notified the officers In the main office
and they were compelled to put hand
cuffs on her with her hands behind her to
prevent her from making further attempts
at self-destruction.
The young woman has an unusual his
tory, and a number who know her believe
she is a type of the keptomaniac. Detec-
tive Ben Thornton. who worked up the last
case against her. after several days Of
hard work. has been on three cases in
Win oAS 6hAt - 100 40 o0LJp
1893, and at the police station she then at
tempted suicide. She formed a rope by
tearing I'D the coverlets Of her bed, and
with the rope hung herself to the bars of
her cell. She was close to death when cut
down. Through the intercession OF rela-
tives, who showed that she was not a
vicious woman, her punishment was fixed at
one year in the ~reforinatory.
Alta Name is a handsome woman, about
tweDty-four years of age, and came to
this city a number of years ago from owen
county, where her father is a well-to-do
oils was to study shorthand, and when she
reached here she had SIS. She says this
money was obtained from her. without
ing given in return. Her first employment
In the city was as a clerk at a cigar store
on North Illinois street. One night a thou
sand cigars and some money were stolen
ton worked on the case. and, although he
was positive of her guilt, he could not Sc
1893 the residence Of DR.. Won Hummell was
robbed and a number of valuable articles
and dresses were taken, the loss amount.
that the Name woman had been employed
in the house as a domestic, and, remem-
berinng the other fhsrd case hsa he ne MAD oa a search rsh
dresses that had been stolen. 1t was one
valued at 800. 3-
After her release from the reformatory
in this city. When Thornton was put to
work on the North-street case, he was sur
prised to find that the Name woman had
also been employed by Mrs. Holiness. He
traced her to a relatives house. where he
recovered all the goods stolen. The woman
was wearing a diamond bracelet which she
had taken when arrested. She seems to
have a passion for inery and has not been
known to have sold any OF the stuff which
she has taken. She Is also q very shrewd
woman. When Detective Thornton arrested
her In 1893, she threatened to become hys-
terical. She was talking to some women
uhn n a sid
What shall I tell my friends ?' she asked
OF the detective.
You will have to excuse yourself" he
said.
In the passing of a minute she turned
about to the women. and, breaking into
tears, said
Ladies', you will have to excuse me. This
man has Just brought me word that a dear
aunt of mine has died."