The times., 1901-06-27
RARE JEWELS RECOVERED
In One Arrest Police Clear Tn
Several Recent R0bberies.

| Alleged Thief Captured While Try
ing to Sell FIeur-de-Iis Pin to n
JcweIer-Cnpturc Sheds Light on
the Moses and Portner LOSSES.
Behind the arrest yesterday of Edwin NJ.
| Davidson, about thirty years of age is
a story of robbery and the possession of
! diamonds and jewelry valued at more
than $2.00O. most of which has been re-
! covered. Held for the Virginia authori-
ties on a charge of grand larceny, Da-
/ wilson, whose home is at 1903 Four-and-
| a-half Street southwest, is likewise amen
| able to local prosecution. Mrs. Robert
! Portner, wife of Robert Portner, the
/ brewer. of Alexandria, whose country
/ homie is al Manassas, Va, and DR.. Otto
A Muncaster, of this city, are named as
complainants against the prisoner. other
disclosures resulting from the arrest are
expected today.
Efforts by Davidson to dispose OF. al
legged ill-gotten spois led to his arrest by
! Detectives Parham and Weldon, at the
| jewelry establishment of Lewis Callisher,
9l7 Pennsylvania Avenue northwest, yes
terday about noon. Prior to tnis David
son had called on Mr.. CaIlisher and offered
for sale handsome Aeur-de-lis pin, which
I-JeNtieTS say IS NbElA ttpobt @--v. "a 49,
occasion of his first visit, Mr.. Callisher
l7exaInined the pin, noted its value, and
was surprised to learn that it could be
| had for the sum of $40. Davidson in
| formed the jeweIer that the pin was his
EowrL Mr.. Callisher became suspicious OF
lSthe young man. and asked him to call
again He told Davidson that he could
not at that hour open his safe, but to call
about IL o'clock, when he would gladly
buy the pin. Accordingly Davidson left
the store.
! A messenger was sent to Headquarters
| by Mr. Callisher, asking that detectives
be present when Davidson next appeared.
| This duty was assigned to Detectives Par
ham and Weldon, who went to the jew
! elry store and waited the return of the
man Not long elapsed before Davidson
hove in sight. He made straight for the
! Callisher establishment, entered and spoke
! to Mr. Callisher who stood behind the
counter. Casually the detectives entered
! the store and waited a moment until the
matter of the sale of the diamond pin
was broached. When Davidson presented
| the pin the detectives took a hand in the
matter, and shortly afterward they took
! Davidson TO Headquarters. There he was
valuable rc.g, -.set with three dia-
! monds worth in the neighborhood of
$500. There was also found a handsome
| GipppOnd stud, valued at $40, Which DaV-
idson wore attached TO his shirt front
| These disclosures had their effect on the
! prisoner, who showed signs of breaking
! down. To Mr.. Callisher, Davidson mad
/ stated that he was an electrician, While
! at Headquarters he said his occupation
| was that of motorman- Neither of these
| statements proved true, for 1t was later
| ascertained that Davidson was in the en-
ploy of NJ. @. Copeland & Co, awning
| makers, at i09 Eleventh Street northwest.
| Still Davidson apparently maintained his
composure. and would not dlvulge his
| manner of coming into possession of the
diamonds.
For a time he was sent to the Second
precinct station while a search warrant
| was secured and detectives went to his
| home in Southwest Washington. No
| trouble was experienced in making a
search of the premises. Mrs. Davidson,
wife of the prisoner admitted the detec-
| tiyeS and declared she knew nothing OF
| any diamonds which her husband might
have about the house or in his possession
| In a second-story room Detectives Baur
| and Muller found valuable jewelry. There
! was a fine diamond necklace. worth about
81 200. set with nineteen diamonds; num-
! Der of gold and silver stick pins, together
with both gold and silver spoons OF great
variety. All this property was taken
to headquarters
! IL was soon noted that the spoons found
at Dayids0n's home are much like others
stolen some time ago from the residence
! OF Mrs s. S. Butterworth, 1872 Twenty
|
more might be learned from him, DAVID
son was sent for and brought TO Head
| quarters in the patrol wagon. he Ssas
confronted with the facts thus Iar
learned, especially the statements mace
by his wife, and shown the diamond
necklace, stick pins and spoons taken
from his home. About this time a mes
senger boy appeared at Headqlarters
bearing this despatch from Mrs. Robert
Portner at MANASSAS, Va: Send I'M
mediately and secretly best detective
Our diamonds have been stolen, valued
The above despatch ELECTED the follow
ing reply from captain Boardman, Chlef
of Detectives: Property recovered Ed
ward NJ. Davidson, the thief, now ar
| While Davidson was being returned to
the police station and locked up, Detective
Bauf again visited his nome, ana there
found valuable morphine injection case,
marked with the name of Dr. Otto A
| Muncaster, of this city. This Davidson
afterward admitted having stolen. 1t
has also been ascertained that Davidson
once was employed by w IL. Moses 6
Sons This fact, more than any other.
seems to point the finger of suspicion at
tbe prisoner in connection with several
| large robberies committed in Washington
during the past year. One OF these rob-
berries was accomplished at the nome OF
| w II Moses, when 1ewelry worth several
| thousand dollars was stolen. Mr.. Moses
lives at 2l29 Wyoming Avenue northwest,
and his residence was entered ana roDoed
| Davidson admitted during the night that
he had robbed Mrs Portner. at Manassas.
! He said he had been sent % Manassas
Monday 10 put up awnings at the Port
ner home. After the robbery. he stated,
| he returned to this city, bringing the
/ diamonds and jewelry win him. As to
| the stickpins and spoons taken from the
| Davidson home by the detectives The pris-
! oner said he had found the property en-
the street, near the home or Mrs. :. 5
Butterworth A number of pawn ticht IS
| taken from the prisoner show that he
has probably been in New York during
| the past few months. and it is surmlsed
by the police that other ieweiry and Cla-
| monds which may have been stolen by
| the prisoner from time to zine might
have been disposed of In that city. David
| son will not be taken into court until the
Investigation of his record is complete.
Thirty Day Sentence for Woman.
/ Minnie Ridecway, about twenty-eght years old,
| was 4 prisoner III the Police Court yesterday,
charged with being disordcrly. policeman said
! he found her drunk and wandering around on d
| street Tuesday night. Miss Ridgeway in
| a very nervous condition and refused 20 make any
| statement Judge kmball sent her to the
wtn.house for thirty days and ordered that she