The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-01-15
LOOKING FOR A SUSPECT
A Departed Guest of Willard S
Hotel Under Suspicion.
He Is Thought to he the Party Who
hobbed Representative Robertson
and Two Other Pcrsons-A Circular
Describing the Man Sent Out by
the Local Police Department.

Apparently the police are now satisfied
as to the identity Of the thief who ran
sacked the rooms OF Representative Samuel
NJ. Robertson of Louisiana, Capt. Charles
| d. Palmer. and Mrs. Edward Gillett. at
I Willard's Hotel Monday night. y de5crip-
| tive circular was issued yesterday from
Police Headquarters requesting the arrest
| OF Charles Hylebert. alias Charles Hyle.
Red Hyle, and [. L. Douglass. whom 1t
| is alleged committed the thefts. The cir
| cular states that the man is wanted tere
| for grand larceny and housebreaking. What
| is said to be an excellent likeness OF the
man is printed on the circular. Opposite
| the picture is printed In large type,
Wanted for grand larceny and Louise
breaking"
The body of the circular is as follows.
Arrest for grand larceny, Charles Hylebert alias
Red Hyle. well-known "hotel thief" lie is
white; forty-seven years old; five feet, six and
one-haii inches tall; 155 pounds weight red hair:
sandy complexion; light eyes; large feet; legs
slightly bowed On Monday, the sth instant he
registered at hotel fsthis city as G. L. Doug
lass, Tombstone. Ariz.. and between $50 and
7:30 p. m. robbed three rooms Of the tJ,lowing
described jevery:
Diamond pendant, set with sixteen or eighteen
diamonds set on gold bar, with small link
chain, cost, 800. Light tortoiseshelI hairpin.
three inches long. design OF dragons head. small
diamond in mouth and ruby eyes. cost, $50. Gold
chain bracelet, set with diamond, fine gold
. chain with balls end attached. cost s15 Small
gold brooch, diamond in centre and pearl on
each side. cost, So. Baby's gold necklace. with
gold heart set with ruby attached. cost. IS. Plain
gold wire bracelet, cost s.. Gold wire bracelet,
set with two pearls on each end, cost, sl2. Five
small child's gold rings, cost, sls. Two gold
shirt studs.
Pleaza have diligcnt enquiry made among pawn
brokers secondhand dealers. and others Tor the
al hove.described property, and cause the arrest
Of anyone offering the same for pawn or sale,
and immediately telegraph
RICHARD SYLVESTER, Major and supt.
Hotel proprietors and clerks respectfully
asked to cooperate with in securing the ar
rest OF this man. and should there be a guest at
our house whom you think likely to be Hyle,
elias Douglass. Immediately notify your police
authorities.
The robberies which Hylebert is al
legged to have committed were thought at
the time to have been done by a pro-
fessional. The police went to work on
that theory, and arrived at what appears
TO have been a proper conclusion, but
unfortunately after it was too late. An
investigation showed that the thief wto
robbed the three guests of the hotel was
beyond a doubt an expert and a man of
attached to anyone in the hotel. though
it was considered certainty that the
thief must be registered at the hostelry.
His evident familiarity with the habits
of his victims and the location OF their
rooms showed plainly that both had
been studied.
The three robberies were apparently
committed within an hour. one being dis
covered shortly after it occurred. but
several hours elapsed before the others
came to light.
Representative Robertson was the first
to learn that his room had been entered
and his jewelry distracted. The discov-
cry ives made shortly after he and Mrs.
Rober son returned to their rooms from
dinner. The matter was reported to the
hotel management at once, and by the
latter to the police.
The robbery pretty generally dis
cussed and many of the guests were on
their guard against similar theft. Cap
tain Palmer and Mrs. Gillett, however. did
not learn that they had been victims of
the thief until late in the following morn
ing. When they made complaint the con-
clusion was reached that the depredator
was professional.
The detectives assigned to the case went
over the register. and, It is said every
guest was vouched for or was sufficiently
well known to be above suspicion. 1t de-
veloped later. however. that one guest was
not quite what he represented himself to
be- When that guest was looked for he
was not TO be found. The result is that the
police are now endeavOring to locate the
man Hylebert. who is said to be generally
known and has a bad record. and whom the
police believe TO be the guest In question |
The police of the various large cities are
familiar with his methods. ard Ii is Prob !
able that he will be located in the near
future.