The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-03-16
CAUGHT BYA WOMAN.
A Sneak Thief Who Attacked
the Wrong Household.
PURSUED WITHOUT RESPITE.
He Steals Surgical Instruments, but
IL Captured by Mra- Cummings
After . Hot Chase.

Mrs. Annie Cummings, OF Ole Third
street. captured a thief yesterday almost
in front of the Boston National bank, after
having chased him long distance. The
strange sight of a woman capturing man
brought large crowd to the spot, and
with the assistance of one or two by
ISLANDERS Mrs. Cummings held her man
until the patrol wagon arrived.
About 2:i5 O'Clock yesterday afternoon
an untidy. poorly dressed man rang the
door bell OF 916 Third street. When Grace
Hooper, a tall, dark-eyed girl of INepos-
sessing appearance. asked him what he
wanted. he pushed his way into DR.. Mof.se
Stewards Office at the right of the hall en-
trance, saying that he had an ap-
rointment with the doctor. Mrs.
Cummings, who has charge Of the house,
appeared a. this moment and, not liking
the visitors appearance, told him he had
better 60 down to the Collins Bros.
store on Front street, where the doctor
was doing some work. The man went out,
but came back in a few moments with the
story that he had seen the doctor and that
he would be home in a few moments. He
went into the office and, with the assur-
ance of privileged patient. asked for
given him and he made pretense of be-
coming interested in its contents. His
mind. however, wandered to the doctors
instrument case at the opposite side OF the
room and he could not resist the tempta-
ton of looking at ITS contents.
While he stood looking at the delicate
forceps, saws. ETC.. Mrs. Cummings got
view from the hall of his shadow and
A. r. l. - ,r>,a htaf
then the stranger came out of the Office.
and, as he made for the door, told Mrs.
Cummings that he had concluded not to
wait. Mrs. Cummings, however. noticed
something protruding from under his coat
and called to him for an explanation.
Its nothing but the lining" he called
back, but just as soon as he reached the
walk he quickened his pace. His manner
made Mrs. Cummings so suspicious that
she ran into DR.. Stewards office and looked
about. 1t did not need a second glance
to assure her that theft had been
committed. She cried TO Miss Hooper
that some of the doctors instruments had
been stolen, aud darted out of the front
door in search of the thief. Miss Hooper
also rushed out through the alley and up
to Madison street. but the man had dis
it was learned that he had not seen the
man or made an appointment with him.
Moreover when he looked at his instru-
ment case he discovered that a chain-saw.
a Hayes saw, a pair of bone forceps, a
speculum. a pair OF pean forceps. etc,
were missing.
After some thought Mrs. Cummings
started out to find the thief. She walked
up Madison street, and near Fifth saw tho
object of her search. He saw her and
walked South to the corner of Cherry
street closely followed by the de-
termined woman. Down Cherry street to
second and up Second TO the front o. the
Boston block went the queer procession.
There the man was caught by Mrs. Cum
mings and the fun commenced. He tired
to get away. but she chung on with firm
grip. A crowd collected, and the man.
seeing that he was in tight place, made
a move as if 10 draw a revolver saying, as
he did so: "A man accused of theft be-
comes desperate"
One of the by-standers told him he had
better he careful not to do anything rash,
| while Mrs. Cummings coolly asked some
one TO call the patrol wagon. This arrived
in a short time and the man was taken TO
headquarters. He admitted being at tho
Office. but claimed TO know nothing of the
instruments. They were. not on his per-
son. but il is supposed that he secreted
them along Madison street.
Mrs. Cummings and Miss Hooper both
identify the prisoner as the man who made
such an unceremonious exit from the
house. DIR. Stewart saw him aud recog-
nized him a man who came TO him sew
eral weeks ago begging for hypode mic
injection of morphine. The man gives
his name as A. J. Welsch and his occupa-
ton us a iaborer. The instruments are
worth less than $50, which brings the
offense down to petit larceny.