The morning times., 1897-02-18
WAS The GIRL HYPNOTIZED
Friends Say a Young ManInduced
Miss Stacey to Steal.
she Was Released on Bail Yesterday
and Sensational Developments
Are .Promisedto Follow Soon.

Miss Bessie Stacey, the seventeen year
old girl VINO was arrested by Detective
Mattingly Tuesday afternoon charged with
having stolen large quantity OF jewelry
from the store. of Harris & Shafer, No.
lib pennsylvania avenue, was brought
into police Court yesterday afternoon and
released on 81 ,000 bail. Mr.. Spencer Ner-
Wis became her surety in that amount.
Ever since the arrest took place there
has been considerable my stcry surroun ling
the case, and an effort has been made by
friends OF the interested parties 10 keep
the facts from the public, bat the circum-
stances Of the affair have gradually leaked
out. 1t appears that the young lady
entered the establishment about 3 o'clock
Tuesday afternoon and asked to lCok ut
Some rings, She was alone, but there were
number or other customers in the store
at the time, among them being some ladies
VINO were examining gold watches and
chains. The girl had been in the store
several times before, and it is believed
that she had heretofore made purchases.
She was recognized by several of the
clerks
While the attention of the prospective
purchasers and the attendants was tenn
porarly called away it is alleged that Miss
Bessie picked up two of the most valuable
watches, handsome gold chain and two
pretty rings and quickly slid them into
false pocket in her coat. II is said that
one OF the clerks caught the young lady
in the act of shoplifting and Immediately
called the attention OF the propretOrs
When the girl was searched she offered no
resistance. aud the aforementioned goods
were found in her possession and reCog
niZed by the firm as their jeweiry, though
the girl had made no purchases in the
store. one Of the watches was a plain
gold case. valued at about $40, while
the other was in handsome Eoid
case set with diamonds and sold at $3.50.
In addition To these the two rings and
chain were valued at about SO, so that the
entire amount of her alleged thefts was
over 500. Mr.. Harvey Givens, of the
District attorneys office, was sent for and
held consultation with the proprietors OF
the establishment, and it was finally de-
cided TO call upon Detective Mattingly,
who was formerly the private detective for
the house, and have the girl placed under
customer was held in the store she ex-
hibited not the slightest emotion, and did
not seemi Ii any way TO realize the gravity of
the situation.
Yesterday afternoon when she appeared
in the police court she was accompanied
by her attorney, Mr. Campbell Darlington,
and still maintained her complete COM
posure. and upon being released accom-
panied her foster-niother, Mrs. Elizabeth
Stacey, Ia her elegant home at No 945 K
street northwest
Miss Bessie was seen at her home last
night by a Times reporter She was
smiling and apparently happy, but re-
fused to discuss in any way the occur
renee. merely referring her inquirer to
her attorney GShe, however, expressed
herself as perfectly willing To converse
upon any other topic, and seemed SUI
premeIy anxious to SECURE a collection of
newspaper clippings regarding herself.
She is an extremely attractive young
lady, and looks even more than seven
teen, which is given as her age. She is
known to have a large circle of gentle
men acquaintanc and it Is stated that
one young man in particular is responsible
for her purloning the articles, eXerci sing
hypnotic powers over the girl His name
is withheld, hut it is alleged that, being
in circumstances which Will not permit
him to live as high as he desires, he has
induced Miss BESSIE to steal for him. The
police believe that this is the proper
theory and n sensational arrest is likely
to follow. It is stated that "a short time
ago Miss Bessie took a purse, containing
quite a sum of money, from a neighbor
but the matter was settled and hushed
up. The same young man was implicated
in that case.
1t is said that the girl is in some way
related to the family into which she was
adopted and came from Nashville, Tenn.
The people are quite wealthy and Ie-
spectacle and there is no other cause for
her misconduct. She has a sweet and
innocent-looking face. which would in
dicate that she was not accustomed to
wrong doing. Mr.. Carrington. her at
torney, is anxious to secure the arrest
OF the young man in the case, and be
lieves that when some inside facts are
brought to light the case against his
client will be dropped.