The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-02-16

Robbery Theory Exploded, but 1t
Is Still Mystery.
The lost is found. that is part of 1t,
ana there was no robbery at all, yet
the complications in the case Of the
supposed theft of $4,000 from Mrs Fan
ny Bernstein last Sunday are more
mystifying than ever. 1t Is what the
police call another fake,'' and the au-
thorlt1es are congratulating themselves
upon the work of Detectives Murnane
and Sweeney in establishing that Mrs.
bernstein was either the victim of
halucination or purposely represented
that she was robbed, when as a mat
ter of fact she was not
In searching Mrs. Bernstein's house
yesterday, Detectives Murnane and
Sweeney found the $500 in gold which
OF the money stolen, and also the two
watches and chains which she reported
as missing. But Mrs. Bernstein did
not appear at all pleased that the
money had been found. When the de-
tectives turned up the plant she was
close at their heels and quickly snatch
Ing the bag of money from their grasp
attempted to run out of the room with
1t. The officers grappled with her, and
only after sharp tussle succeeded in
regaining possession of the gold. That
Mrs. Bernstein knows the whereabouts
Of the $1,250 in greenbacks which she
also claimed had been stolen, the police
say they are certain, though this part
of the missing money has not been To-
Gated
What may have been Mrs. Bernstein's
object in hiding her money and then
reporting that it had been stolen, as
the police say she did, Is matter Of
speculation too deep for the author
tiles. Her story was to the effect that
While she was visiting in West st. Paul
Sunday afternoon an unknown man
called at her home, 1854 Payne avenue,
and gained admission by telling her
ten-year-old daughter, Annie, that he
had been sent by Mrs. Bernstein to get
a ring out Of a trunk where Mrs. Bern
stein said she kept $1,250 in paper
money, $500 in gold and two gold
watches and chains. The stranger, &C
cording. to Mrs. Bernstein's report,
broke open the trunk before her daugh-
ter and made off with her wealth. The
Child corroborated this story when
questioned by the police Charles
Rosen, living at 235 Fairfield avenue
Mrs. Bernstein's stepson by marriage,
and Samuel Goldman were successfully
arrested on suspicion of having taken
the money. The police became suspi-
cious that all was not just as Mrs.
Bernstein had represented Yesterday
Chief Schweitzer had Mrs. Bernstein
and her daughter at the station and
put them through g course of ques-
ticning. The child became confused and
finally said her mother told her to tell
the story Of the stranger coming to
the house. Then she recanted and
claimed a stranger really did visit the
house and break open the trunk.
AS result Of this consultation, De-
tectives Murnane and Sweeney return
ed with Mrs. Bernstein to her home
and began a systematic search of the
place. In water pitcher the detec-
tives first found one Of the watches
reported stolen. Next, under a bed, in
a satchel covered with bed clothing,
they found the other missing watch
and two. gold chains. This was en-
ccuraging and they searched for the
lit was some time before they got
warm" Both officers were poking
about in closet, under the stairs; off
of Mrs. Bernstein's bedroom They es-
pied pile Of big red onions in one
corner and began tumb bling the sprout-
Ing vegetables about. Mrs. Bernstein
stood near by. objecting to the search,
declaring there was no use to hunt
for the money, as it had certainly been
stolen. Suddenly the corner of brown,
white dotted handkerchief protruded
from the pile of vegetables like a
sprout from one of the onions The
detectives pulled the handkerchief from
its hiding place and found, snugly tied
up inside, twenty-five 500 gold pieces,
$500 in all, and just the amount in gold
Mrs. Bernstein claimed to have lost.
But hardly had they made sure that
the gold had been found, when Mrs.
Bernstein suddenly grabbed the hand
kerchief and its contents and started
to run away. With considerable diff
Guilty the detectives regained possess
sion of the money.
During the search Mrs. Bernstein
was seen to emerge from a room with
suspicious movement, as though
putting something in the bosom Of her
dress. Together with the $500 and the
watches she was taken along to the
station. 1t being thought that she had
the other money secreted about her
person. At the station, however, Mat
ron Cummings searched her thorough
w. but could not find any more money.
Mrs. Bernstein will not talk about
the finding of the gold. She claims,
however, to owe $500 on a note, while
In addition to the fact that she was
trying to negotiate marriage with
Samuel Goldman and wanted him to
contribute cash consideration for her
hand, the police say her relatives, who
think she is well off, have been trying
to borrow money from her. Any of
these facts, the police say, might have
led her to desire to make it appear
that she had no money.
Goldman was released yesterday
morning, as Chief Schweitzer was sat-
isfied that he knew nothing of the
money. William Rosen, who was only
in custody short time Sunday even
ing, has notified Mrs. Bernstein,
through his attorney, Judge Willis,
that he intends suing her for $4,000
damages for false arrest.