Evening star., 1901-04-29
YOUNG WOMAN ROBBED
GYPSlES TAKE PURSE CONTAINING
MONEY AND CAR TICKETS.
Miss Blanche FerRussen's Experience
While ON Her Way to
school This Morning.

There was a daring robbery this morning
about o'clock on the Virginia side of the
river just above the Chain bridge, a gang
Of gypsies relieving Miss Blanche Fergus
sen OF q pocket book containing 81 In
money and six car tickets. There were no
witnesses to the affair. and after the rob-
berry the frightened girl FASTENED to the
Chain bridge, boarded a Great Falls car
and proceeded to the Curtis School build
ing. on street between SD and SD
streets. where she told her story to Prof.
B. T. Janney, the supervising principal. He
Immediately notified the police headquar-
ters. but the crime was committed out
side Of the local jurisdiction 1t was impos-
sible for the local authorities to make any
arrests
Miss Fergussen is about eighteen years
OF age, and resides with her sister at
Langley, Va. her father being a farmer in
Charles county. Md. She attends school
at the Curtis building, and. as has been
her habit since school opened. started early
from Langley to the Chain bridge station
Of the Great Falls railroad to there take a
car. In inclement weather a vehicle con-
veys her for a portion Of the distance but
today being pleasant she walked.
The gypSies who were located at Brick
Haven, near the end OF the Long bridge
ir Virginia. moved their camping grounds
yesterday. They selected a spot on the
lISeSDurS PIKE, tnree-QuarterS or
mile from the Chain bridge. in Fairfax
county. Va. The spot for the new camp
Is a small clearing on the north of the
road, not far from the river
Prof. Janney is determined to have ac-
tion taken in the matter, and when a Star
reporter called upon him this morning at
his office In the Curtis building he related
the story as It has been told to him. He
said Miss Ferguson was stopped on a hill.
some distance from the Virginia end Of
the Chain bridge by of the RypSies
some men and some women. who demand
ed her purse. They took it and kept IT,
permitting the young lady to go after re-
lieving her of her yaluables.
Miss Ferxuson's Statement.
Miss Ferguson was sent for and related
her story to The Star reporter. She stated
that at about 8 o'clock she passed the
camp Of the gypsies and saw them for the
first time She carried her pocketbook in
her hands. and when she was abreast Of
the camp number of the gypsies came
out to see her One woman Went UP to
her and asked:
DO you want your fortune told?"
NO. not this morning." was her reply.
She feared trouble, but during the brief
conversation several other members of the
band came up, and presently one of them
grabbed the purse.
According to Miss Ferguson there We're
six in the party. She was so frightened
sic COulu tell now many or each sex
there were. She endeavored to scream, but
could not raise her voice very loud. In re-
sponse to n query she stated that she was
not entirely certain that she could identify
any of the party.
After the robbery she hastened along the
road to the bridge. She happened to have
ten cents and car ticket in her pocket
and this was sufficient to pay her car fare
to school. When seen by reporter the
young lady was still in a nervous condition
1t was suggested that some of the Wash
tngton detectives be sent out to the camp
this afternoon and institute a search in
hopes of finding the missing pocket nook
which might be used as evidence in the
event OF any arrests being made.