The morning times., 1897-02-21
c0lfEssEDAN0THER THEFT
Miss Bessie Stacey Admitted
Stealing Diamond Earrings.
HER ALLEGED AccoMpLIcE
1t Is Said That She Implicated Paul
Crutehet-Other Crimes May Be
Charged to Her-She Made a
Statement Exonerating the Young
Man.

Miss Bessie Stacey. the pretty young
girl who was caught in the act Of shop
lifting quantity of valuable jcwelry from
Harris s Shafers establishment. on Penn
sylvania avenue last Wednesda y afternoon,
yesterday confessed to still another theft,
and it Is also alleged that she implicated
young man named Paul Crutchct, as the
mysterious party who influenced Ter to
Harris 4 Sharer robbery a handsome pair OF
diamond earrings, valued at $40, were
stolen from the store of Schmedte Broth
ers on Seventh street. Their disappearance
could not be accounted for, until the pubii-
cation ofthe account Of ofthesubsequenttheft
when the proprleJors and some OF the clerks
in the house remembered that young lady,
answering the description OF Miss Stacey,
had been seen In the store on that day.
1t was recalled that her actions were sus-
pIciouS, and the matter was reported to
the police of the First precinct. Police
Inan S L. Herndon was assigned to the
, case. After repeated interviews with Miss
Bessie, during which She at first strongly
denied any knowledge of the robbery, she
finally admitted yesterday afternoon to
the officer that she had taken the 'iia-
1nOnds. When asked what She had done
with them she went TO her room and pr
duced them. II is also said chat she di-
vulged the name Of the young man who is
claimed to have Influenced her to commit
the thefts. The gems were turned over To
Scbnedtic Bros, and they refused to pros
ccute the case against the girl, and the
matter was accordingly dropped.
Ii is now believed that Miss Bessie is
responsible for number OF other thefts
Of ieweiry and pOcketbooks, containing
money which have been committed for some
time past, and the police also state that
the theft of a valuable diamond pin, in
Baltimore, some time ago, can he proven
against her. 1t is also said that Young
Crutchet, whom her friends claim is the
mysterious youth who has induced the
young lady tncommit the crimes, as wellas
several other young men who visit at her
house, haNS attvar;ous times pawned for
the girl PARTICLES, which it is now be-
lieved were stolen II is stated by neigh
bors that Miss Bessie has shown her light
fingered propensity for several years past.
In several neighbors houses, at which she
called, pocketbooks have been missed, it
is said, with circumstances pointing strongly
to her aSrthe thief. Another instance is
given of her having taken two valuable
rings frGn her mothers iewelry case last
summer, and giving them 10 some young
| ina II 10 pawn. With all OF these her friends
connect Crutchet' name. but as she strenu-
ously denies that he has had anything to
do with her actions. no attempt has been
made TO cause his arrest.
| About O'Clock on the morning after
the Harris & Shafer robbery, gentleman,
| claiming TO be friend of the Stacey
family, came into No, station, and told
the Officers that Miss Bessie acknow lodged
| having met Paul CrutChct on the street
| a few moments before she entered the
store. He told her he was in hard luck
| and that she must do something to assist
| him. According to the statement made,
| he is alleged TO have told her to 20 to
| the store with him, and while he attracted
| the attention of the clerks to seize all
that she could get her hands on. Thispart
| OF the scheme was carried out, and imme-
| Iiately after she had taken the iewelry,
| she became XCited flushed in the face, and
| was detected, searched, and the goods
| found in her possession, While the Young
| man escaped. 1t is alleged that her ac-
| complice, TO give the signal for the time
| to make the grab, stepped on the young
| ladys toes.
| When confronted with this statement,
| last night, as we'll as that which she is
| said to have made to Policeman Herndon,
| the young lady was highly Indignant
| Il want you to make one statement for
me- said Miss Bessie to Times reporter,
land that is that Paul Crutchet has had
nothing whatever to do with these mat
| ters Of which l am accused. l had an
engagement to meet Paul on the afternoon
| upon which l went into Harris & Shafer
| and if 1 had only kept it, would not now
be in this trouble Poor Paul is innocent;
ne has had nothing to do with this or
| any other similar matter 1 went in
| there of my own free will, and L also
| want it distinctly understood that l was
not hypnotized; nothing of the kind. DO
| YOU think mamma would allow him to
come to the house to see me if he was
| guilty? l want to say once and for all
that poor Paul has not in any way in
| fluenced me to do wrong
The pretty girls trim little figure heaved
with emotion as she spoke, and her eyes
| filled with tears Young Crutchet was
| DGeScDO az lhC anu sIiC Cttlltu upon
| him to verify her statements. This he
| did but would say nothing further
| Young Crutchet is about eighteen years
| of age and the son of Henry N Crutehet,
| of No 514 street northeast, a clerk in
the internahrevenue office. His people are
respectable and well to-do. 1t is said that
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