The evening times., 1896-07-22
STEALS THE FAMILY WASH
Well-KnOWn Female Crook Is
Operating in This City.
TOO SHARP FOR POLICE
Della Minnis Collects Clothing to
Launder, But Never Returns 1t.
She Has Worked the Same Game in
Other Cities, and Has Served Sew
eral Terms-fn Prison.

A clever female crook, with Il national
| reputation ana Il criminal record that would
III four pas es- OF an ordinary station house
b!otter, Is visiting Washington, and for the
past week has been working at her trade
/ with remarkable success, i'll spite of the
efforts OF the police aud the entire de.
| tectiye force 10 introduce her to Judge
Miller.
She Is goOd-looking octOICon, about
thirt y-five years of age, and although she
has many nom de piunies, her name is
Della Minis. She hans from Lynchburg
Va. Della is an artist at her trade. She
is short and rather stout, and always dresses
IN the height OF fashion.
Her game is an old one, and she was,
perhaps, the first in the country To intro
duce ii. Others have attempted to follow
her example, but without success.
Della is u clothes thief, and works under
false preteuscs. Attired in u neat-fitting
and generally stylish dress, and with a
large clothes basket on her arm, she goes
TO fashionable residence and inquiries IL
the occupants have any washing to be one.
In arranging to do the work she, of course,
comes in contact with the lady or ladies
of the house. They see that she is we'll
dressed, and are surprised that person who
is apparently In such good circumstances
should be required to Ike in washing.
AROUsES THEIR SYMPATHY.
tits here that Della gets in her fine work,
and wins the good grace OF her hearer.
Della forces tear to her eye and modestIy
replies:
We'll, madam, l never expected to come
10 this. Tne very thought OF me taking in
washing year go would have given me
the horrors. But you know we can never
see into the future. a year ago my hus-
band had good position and we lived hap
PLY with our six little children II was
only month ago that nay husband was
taken sick and died, leaving myself and
children I'm a destitute condition. am
penniless and forced to do this In order
to buy my little ones bread"
Then she will break into tears and the
kind-hearted lady to whom she is talking
will give her the family washing, IL only
out OF sympathy. Della collects the clothes
and derarts from the house, saying that
she will return nthree offOur days
1t isthe old story. she never Comes back,
and the owner OF the clothes is minus sew
erai dollars worth Of property. Della, in
gaining an entree to residences, often gets
a chance 10 clear out a parlor or hall Of
everything she can carry before the lady
ofthe house comes downstairs.
Policeman ]. p. Cochran OF the Second
precinct Is perhaps better acquainted with
Della than any other officer In the city.
Cochran and Della have met before in an
other city. 1t was In her home in Lynch
burg, Va, that the officer first came in
contact with the clever offender.
HAS WORKED OTHER CITIES.
Early in 1855 Cochran, who was on the
police force in Lynchburg at the time, ar
rested Della for stealing clothes from
wealthy merchant of that place. She was
indicted and sentenced to term in the
penitentiary. Upon her release, she went
West. and a few months later was arrested
in Columbus, Ohio, and convicted of a SINH
lar offense. She was caught at the same
game in Lynchburg by Policeman Cochran
a few years later. Since that she asserved
several terms in different cities.
Della was. seen on the street here few
days ago By Policeman Cochran. The off,
cerrecognized her at once and she recognized
him. He questioned her closely and she
told him that she had gone out OF the bust
ness. The next day Cochran went to police
headquarters to find out whether OF not
any cases OF robbery similar TO those COM
mitted By Della had been reported. He
was informed that number of such cases
had recently been entered upon the book of
robberies. Cochran tso Keeping a sharp
lookout for he.- ~