The times., 1897-03-28
ROBERTS CONFEssEs ALL
Owns Up to Having Stolen Ochil-
trees and Lydic's Diamonds.
WOMAN CAUSED HIS ARREST
he Had Become Infatuated With u
Young Lady From Boston While
at Willard's and Followed Her.
She Notified the Police, Who at
Once Recognized Him.

Charles J. Roberts, the young hotel
clerk, who WAS arrested in Boston sew
eral days ago, upon suspicion OF having
stolen a large quantity of jewelry be
longing to Col Tom ochiluee ana Mr..
Philip NJ. Lydic, in this city. about two
weeks ago, was yesterday brought back
to Washington, in charge of United states
Marshal Watts He admits having stolen
the gems from CO.. Ochiluee's rooms, at
Chambeflin's, and also the 500 dia-
mond horseshoe pin and railroad ticket
to New York, from Mr Lydic's rooms
at the Shoreham, and is locked up in the
First precinct station.
Roberts is handsome young man,
about twenty-threc years OF age, and
possessed Of very presentable manners.
He originally came from New York, and
claims to be an actor by profession, ana
To have been engaged at divers times
with several leading companies, How he
came to be engaged as valet by Col.
ochiltree and Mr.. Lydic, and his thefts
from them, has already been told in The
Times.
Had it not been for the fact that Roberts
became deeply infatuated with young
lady who was a guest at Wizards during
the time that he was a clerk there he
possibly might have evaded arrest for
some time at least. During bis stay here
Roberts met another woman from Cncin-
matt, with whom be lived as his wife in a
house on Sixth street. She left town, how
ever, about two days before the robbery,
and il is not supposed that she was impli-
Gated in the affair.
Roberts infatuation for the Boston lady
led him TO follow her to that city. He
made his way as far as New York on the
ticket he had stolen from Mr.. Lydic, and
then pawned the diamond horseshoe pin
with q bartender in the Central Hotel. New
York, for S2O, with which to continue his
way TO Boston. There he learned the ad-
dress OF the young lady and made several
futile attempts to meet her. After writing
her several notes and calling at her home
without being successful in seeing her she
complained to the police, and when taken
into custody he was at once recognized as
the man wanted in Washington for the
robbery stated. United States Marshal
Roberts refuses TO give the name of the
Boston young lady, but she Is understood
TO be a well-kHown society woman OF the
Hub.
Yesterday morning after Roberts ar
rival he was taken 10 Marshal Wilson 5 Of
flee and from there taken by Detective
Sutton to the First precinct station and
locked up. He readily made a complete
confession cf the whole affair To Detective
Sutton, and told the officer where he
had disposed Of the diamonds and other
Jewels The most Cf them he said he had
pawned in New York and Hartford, with
the exception Of a few minor articles
which he still had in his possession. De-
tective Sutton believes that ne will be
able to recover nearly all Of the stolen
property.
Roberts told the detective an interesting
story OF his experience in getting away
after the thefts. He said that he had
gone to Baltimore and remained q short
time, bot fearing that he might be arrested
II he attempted to leave that city by train,
he walked out into the country some
distance. and being weary lay down in
an open building in a park some miles
from Baltimore. There he was attacked
by two men with shotguns who fired at
him, and in running to escape them he
lost Col. Ochiltree's valued knife and q
pocketbook containing several trinkets
He afterward learned that the place was
the hunting grounds of a Baltimore club,
and the watchmen had taken him for a
tramp and fired at him TO fTighten him
away.
While Roberts was at Wizards, $50
in money was stolen from the room OF
one of the guests, and it was at first
thought that he was also guilty OF this
as well as several other hotel robberies
which occurred about that time. The
police are, however. inclined to believe
that this is Roberts first large offensc
and do not think that he is profes-
sional crook He will be held for a pre-
liminary examination in police court to-
morrow morning.