Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-11-10
BELIEVES SHE WAS ROBBED
Story Told Today to the Local Police
Department Officials.
weII-Dressed Woman Who is Believed
to Be Insane Stranger
in the City.

Mrs. Bertha c. Bottun, a well-dressed
woman of apparent refinement, is pris-
oner at the first precinct station on sus-
picion that her mind Is affected. Her
home is at No. 13S South Fitzhugh street
Rochester, n. Y, and she stopped here on
her way to Asheville, n. c. According
to her statement she intended to spend
two weeks at Battery Park Hotel and then
go to GreenvilIe, 5. c., where her brother
and his wife live. -'<
Detective Hewlett found her at the Bal
tirnore and Potomac depot this morning
She had checked her valise there and was
then under the impression that she had
been robbed. When she walked out of the
depot she said she going to make com
plant to the police. Detective Hewlett
was told of the matter and overlook her
on the street. She willing to relate
to him the story of her loss, but her con-
Versation was SO disconnected that he con-
Guided she was mentally unbalanced Mrs
Bottun accepted his invitation to go to
headquarters and there she was inter
viewed by Inspector Boardman and Police
Surgeon hewitt. The latter said she evl-
IDENTIFY needed treatment, and the former
decided to hold her here and notify her
friends.
Insists on Second Payment.
The investigation by the detective showed
ped at the st. James Hotel. She paid for
her room there in advance and this morn
ing insisted on paying for 1t again. The
hotel clerk gave no attention to the wo-
man after he succeeded in convincing her
that she had paid her bill.
Her chief trouble this morning was that
her satchel, which. she said, contained
about 500 worth of silverware, had been
stolen and even when the satchel was pro-
duced she believed she had been robbed
Inspector Boardman had her taken to the
first precinct and placed in charge or Mrs
Mcleod, the matron. The latter had hit
tie trouble with her guest, but Mrs Bottun
was quiet when star reporter caiieu
there.
Il am simply nervous" she said, "and
being locked up here won't help my u9u-
l am perfectly able to travel alone IL the
police will only release me-
She said she had been under treatment
since the death of her husband: Two years
ago. she said, she spent some time at Asne-
vile and was benefited. 1t was her IN
tention to start from here this morning
and go to her brothers, at GreenVllle' D
c., after a rest at Ashevlle. She is ap-
parentIy about forty years old, and is
dressed in deep mourning. She wore a
sealskin coat and had several handsome
diamond rings on her fingers Her slsleres
in-Iaw in Greenville, she says, is Mrs.
Janet Bottun.
Offers No Objection.
There was no objection on her part TO
the police sending word to her stster-in-
law, but she did object to her brother being
notified, for, she said, he is sick, and an
noyance of this kind might do him injury.
The police have telegraphed to Rochester
and Greenville in an effort to have the
womau's friends assist her. 1t is deemed
by the police that it would not be safe for
Mrs Bottun to continue on her journey
unattended.
a telegram was received from her broth
er-in-Iaw at Greenville asking that she be
placed in Providence Hospital and given
every attention. She was sent there late
this afternoon. Her brother-in-law said
he would leave for Washington at once to
take charge of her.