Evening journal., 1899-02-02
RING THIEF ARRESTED
Woman Supposed to Have
Stolen Ring in This City.
RESEMBLES MISS EDITH AHRENs

GAVE HER NlAniE WHILE HERE
AS CARRIE LEONA SMITH AND
STOPPED AT A AlAIRlSET STREET
BOARDING HOUSE-RESEMBIHEB
TINE MISSING MISS AHRENs. OF
PHILADELPHIA.
A dispatch from West Chester. Pa.
contains the following relative to the
arrest Of the woman VINO Is supposed
to have stolen an opal ring from a
clearinghouse in this city recently:
The Chester county officers Of the
law are exercised over a mysterious
young woman just lodged in Jail here.
She was arrested at Chadd's Ford last
evening by Constable Hlnlle, Of this
place, en- the charge Or stealing an
opal ring in Wilmington, Del, the
warrant having been sworn out by
Chief Of Police Jefferis, OF West Ches-
ter. The name upon the warrant is
Mary Smith," but the woman claims
the name Of Caroline GiBerson. and
New l,ik as her residence. She has
lost her left arm.
A strange feature Of the case is that.
she IS the very personification Of the
lost Eeith Ahrens, Of Philadelphia. re-
scmbhrg her so strikingly that when
she was brought here the authorities
felt satisfied that they had at last re-
covered the young woman, whose mys-
tei;ous disappearance has puzzled the
police and detectives Of the Quaker
City. The officers felt so certain that
She was Miss Ahrens that the latter's
father was summoned 10 Weet Chester
@ take a look at her. but he returned
hcme disappointed.
The young woman called at the
home Of Mrs. Pennock Hickman, near
Chadds Ford, on the night OF the 22d
Of January, having walked she claim
e., from Edge Moor, Del. She was
neatly dressed, wore good jewelry, car
ried gold watch, and impressed Mrs.
Hickman as being a young woman Of
refinement. Being an accomplished
musician, a splendid conversauonalfst,
with evidences OF a good education
she was permitted to tarry with the
family until last evening, when she
fell into the hands OF officers Of the
law for theft, due to a visit Of Mrs
Hiclman's husband to West Chester.
While here he called upon Burgess
Talbot, to whom he described the
young ladye appearance. she was
found to tally with the description Of
Edith Ahrens, and telegram was sent
to the father Of the girl, who reached
West Chester last night. Subsequently
Chief OF Police Jefferis focsd a clip
ping from a Wilmington paper giving
an exact description Of the girl, even
to her clothing, and reciting the story
Of her theft Of an opal ring with fine
settings. The officer neeitated no
longer to swear out a warrant with the
result that the woman Is now be-
hind the Dars. She had the ring on
her finger when arrested. She claims
to have lost her arm IN a railroad
wreck and told Mrs. Hickman that she
had, through her counsel, John j.
Pinleron, Of this place, recovered a
verdict for $4,000, and it wac to con-
firm this story. that Mr.. Hickman Wis
tied West Chester.
She is described as being about 3C
years old, Of prepossessing appear
ance; has hair bleached almost tC
whitenoes, with dark eyes and fail
complexion; has lost her left arm a
shoulder, walks with a jaunty air and
wore red waist and dark skirt, with
bear skin cape.
The woman referred to in the above
dispatch arrived in this city on Satur
day evening, January q last, and gave
her name as Carrie Leona Smith. Shl
secured lodging at the house No. All
Market street, kept by Mrs. Stewart
The Smith woman paid for her lOdg
S ing Saturday night, but renamed owe
. Sunday and Sunday night without set
S thing her bill. On Monday morning
t between 10 and II O'Clock, she tool
t Mrs. Smiths little granddaughter ca
D for a walk, but after taking her to th
D corner Of Seventh street brought tn
little one back and then disappeared
After she had gone a five stone opa
ring, the property Of Miss Irene Skew
! art, was found to be missing, and
; supposed to have been carried off b
the woman.
The Smith woman represented hen
3 self as having plenty OF money an
stated she came here to consult wit
s her lawyer, a Mr.. Kelley, having a
70 office in the Equitable building, wh'
iy in connection with Lawyer Shields, (
81 Philadelphia, were her attorneys in
damage suit against the p, w. &
r railroad for the loss Of her arm,