Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-10-03
ALEXANDRIA AFFAIRS
OFFICERS SURROUND BUILDING
IN HOPE OF MAKING CAPTURE.
Diligent Search Made Without Dis
covery-Mystifed Policemen
Suit Against a Railway.
Evening Star Bureau,
No. TO1 King street,
Bell Telenhane No. Jog.

Evening SUIT buTcdu,
No. 1O7 King street,
Bell Telephone No. 1O6.
ALEXANDRIA, Va, October g. 1902.
The robberies which were repotred to
have taken place last week at the store OF
Jonah Bernheimer, corner of King and Lee
streets, the investigation of which proved
perplexing to the police, pale into insignih-
canoe in comparison with an event which
occurred at the store building in the still
hours of the morning today, unless Policeman
Henderson and Special Officer Mullen were
the victims Of an optical Illusion While
patrolling the street opposite the building
Officer Henderson thought he saw a part OF
the figure of man at one of the windows.
He became convinced that his eyes had not
deceived him when Officer Mullen, who was
near by came forward and saw, as he be-
lieved, the same sight AS the officers had
been closely watching the store for several
nights in the hope Of experimenting the ex-
pected robber it was believed the capture of
the intruder was about to follow. In order
to make sure Of his man Officer Henderson
sounded his whistle and the building was
soon surrounded by policemen.
An entrance was effected soon after and
the premises were carefully searched. but
without the discovery of any one lurking in
the building. From story to story the off,
GERS went expecting every moment to run
across the crouching form Of the robber.
but at the end Of thorough investigation
the affair was completely shrouded in I'M
certainty. Before the entrance of the Off
GERS the building was securely fastened.
There was no window broken and no posi-
BILE means of exit observable. SO far as the
policemen could determine. 1t was certain
ly very mystifying to all on the spot. The
proprietor examined his stock and found
nothing missing, but in the money drawer
a small sum cound not be accounted for.
Mr.. Bernheimer reported last week that
his place had been entered several success
slve nights and number of articles stolen
Result Of Abolishing Station.
Mr.. Frederick r. Russell of this city an
nounces that he contemplates taking legal
action against the Washington. Alexandria
and Mount Vernon Railroad Company for
the alleged unlawful refusal Of the COM
pany to sell him round trip ticket from
st. Asaph to Washington the morning of
September last Attorney Samuel G.
Brent. whom Mr.. Russell has engaged to
represent him in the matter, has made a
demand upon the railroad company for
damages to his client The complaint is a
consequence of the removal of the railroad
ticket office al ST. Asaph 1t is alleged that
the complainant wished to purchase a
round trip ticket to Washington on the
date in question, but could not do so be-
cause the office had been closed; that he
boarded train and rendered the conductor
% cents. asking for return trip ticket;
demanded Is cents for a single fare and
continued to demand it after Mr.. Russell
had asked for an arrangement whereby he
could return the payment Of % cents
and that the complainant refusing to pay
the required Is cents, the train was stopped
and he made to get off.
1t is further claimed by Mr.. Russell that
DR.. G. A. Abbot, the former president of
the road. filed with the interstate commerce
commission January II, 1897, the tariff rates
of the company, showing the straight fare
from st. Asaph to Washington to be Is
cents, and the round trip to be % cents:
that no notice of any change of these rates
had been filed with the interstate commerce
commission. and that since the abolition of
the ticket office al st. Asaph persons trav-
cling from that point to Washington and
returning are compelled to pay two straight
fares amounting to 20 cents The case may
be taken to the United States court for the
eastern Virginia district.
Suits Against Banking Houses.
In the circuit court for this city. Judge
Charles E. Nicol presiding. the of the
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company
against the First National Bank of Alex
andria, a suit for $500 for checks which,
it is alleged by the plaintiff company, had
not been paid to authorized agents, was re-
sumed this morning. This afternoon the
instructions were argued by counsel and
the given to the jury. A verdict
had not been rendered when this report
closed.
A similar suit is on the docket against the
banking firm of Burke & Herbert. In this
case the sum of $4,000 is claimed
Midnight Blaze.
Fire of unknown origin broke out about
IL o'clock last night in the saloon conducted
by James Kelly at the corner Of Peyton and
Commerce streets. The alarm was given
by the whistles Of two engines in the rail-
road yard nearby. The fire department
quickly responded and by rapid work saved
the building, which is a light frame struc-
ture, from destruction. 1t was damaged,
however, to a considerable extent. The
supposition Is that the fire was of incen-
diary origin, slot machine in the saloon
was found to have been tempered with Sew
eral weeks ago the building was discovered
in flames and was saved only by prompt &C
ton.