Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1900-07-17
"POLLYn SMITHS SAD FATE.

The New York World publishes a
startling story affecting cbapterlin the
life of Miss Mary Condit Smith, sister-in-
law to General Leonard Wood, Of Cuba,
and who is believed to have met hor-
rible death at the hands of the Boxers
in PekiD.
Miss Smith was we'll known in Wash
ipeton, where she moved iu the most
exclusive social circles. 1t is declared
that, if she be dead, she died in trying
to live down the knowledge that she
had been accused of theft.
In Washington she was familiarly
known as "Polly" Smith, and no young
woman 10 the capital was more popular
than she.
Last fall she accepted an invitation
10 attend house party in Allegheny
CITY, Pa, and after the affair had con.
cluded the hostess missed jewelry
valued at over $4,000. She sought the
aid of detectives, who began a search
among the guests. The jewels were
wedding presents to the hostess.
The first clue to the lost gems was
obtained from a New York jeweler, to
whom the precious stones which had
been pried from their settings were
gent to be reset. The description OF the
person who left them WAS sent to
Washington and detectives there, 1t is
alleged, cast suspicion upon Miss
Smith.
Then came the change over the pref
", light hearted girl. She had heard
he scandal, but she was helpless. She
was innocent, but the blow aimed at
her had crushed her. She no longer
accepted invitations to social functions
and her cheeks, once rosy, became
4unken and her eyes red with weeping.
To try to divert her mind the inno-
cent girl was sent to her sister, Mrs.
Wood, 10 Cuba, but the change did not
ring about the bent fit expected. She
ried to meet people as she had done
before, but it was OF no use.
General and Mrs. Wood saw that the
girl would die unless something were
speedily done to try to right the wrong.
Nearly year passed before the mys-
.ery was partially cleared up by find
lag the settings of the diamonds in a
Pennsylvanis avenue shop in Washing
ION, where they had been taken un-
doubtedly by the thief. No one knows
O this day exactly how, when or by
whom the jewels were purloined. The
discovery of them came too late. An
lrrreparsble injury had been done to
tae young girl without the slightest
fault OF her host, hostess or the detec-
tives, So Washington accepted the
inding OF the Jewels in a disinterested
sort of way.
1t was when her family had almost
despaired of ever making her we'll and
happy again that the trip to China was
proposed. The CoDgers we're close to
be Condit Smiths. They loved the
Polly Smith they had Known OF old.
The girl left for China with the express
I'd purpose of staying there always. ln
China she could at least be among peo-
ole who could not gossip. What II
hey were hesthens? What il they did
kill her, as they perhaps have done?
they would at least make her misery
shortived.
II is said that it was Miss Smiths
purpose to ev Dtually be missionary
10 China. She could never return 10
Washington. 1t was urged upon her
, that Washington had already forgotten
The accusation made against ber and
was only too ready to right the wrong
The wrong, however, was too great TO
her thinking to ever be righted, and
she chose to 60 from her home forever