The San Francisco call., 1904-10-31

The mystery surrounding the theft
of over $4,000 worth of jewelry from
the residence of Mrs. Emil Hirsch
field on Masonic avenue while an aft
ernoon tea was in progress is no
nearer solution than it was the first
day the police took hold of the case.
The identity of the conscience-s e-strick-
en- thief who afterward returned the
diamonds through the mails is still
matter of puzzle, for there is abso-
lutely new clew on which to begin
investigation.
Yesterday morning Chief Conrad
telephoned from Alameda that he
thought he had located the drug store
where was purchased the emery box
in which the diamonds were returned
to the owner. Detective Wren was
sent across the bay with the box. but
when the druggist saw the cost mark,
which is written in pencil on one end,
he promptly said that it did not come
from his store.
Captain of Detectives Burnett
thought there was daylight ahead in
the annoying case when the message
was received from Conrad, but De-
surancae that the emery box had
never been in any drug store in Ala
media In other words. future work
is to be confined to this city.
Suspicion is still directed at the
guests whom Mrs. Hirschfeld had in
vited that afternoon to celebrate her
birthday anniversary But who il
could be is a question for which there
is no evidence to even suggest the
pointing of the accusing finger. Sus-
picions were formed early in the in
vestigation, but they are so vague that
the police will not mention names for
fear of working injustice. After sew
eral days of hard work the efforts of
the department have come to naught
and not much hope is now entertained
that the guilty party will ever be fer
reted out.
EXPEL MRS. HIRSCHFELD.
Meantime, Mrs. Hirschfeld has in
volved herself in a peck of trouble
with the women who were her guests
at the time the diamonds were stolen.
She endeavored strenuOusly to shield
their names from the public and to
avoid the casting of suspicion, but it
appears that she is held accountable
for the intimation that it was Mrs. c.
S. Fitzsimmons of 2057 San Jose av-
enue, Alameda, the wife of an en-
ploye in the Custom-house in this
city, against whom the detectives
should direct their work The result
mons have risen in their indignation
and expelled Mrs. Hirschfeld from the
Kekona Club. The club is a social
organization, of which Mrs. Hirsch-
field has been an active member, to-
gether with several of her guests on
the recent afternoon, including Mrs.
Fitzsimmons.
The accounts vary, but it seems
that after she missed her diamonds
Mrs. Hirschfeld, at the instigation
of the detectives, she says, visited Mrs.
F'itzsimmons in Alameda and asked
her a number of strange questions,
among them an inquiry IL Mrs Fitz-
simmons had not taken the jewels
.as a joke The latter was convinced
that Mrs. Hirschfeld regarded her as
The meeting of the Kekona Club
was held last Tuesday and Mrs.
Hirschfeld was not present when the
action against her was taken.
MRS. FITZSINfMONS INNOCENT.
Mrs. Fitzsimmons is cleared of all
suspicion, says Detective Wren, who
has been handling the case. In JUS
tice to her." he declared last evening,
.'it ought to be stated publicly that
there is not scintilla of evidence to
connect her with the crime From
my investigation / will say that Mrs.
Fitzsimmons is innocent She has
been placed in an unpleasant light,
without malice on the part of any one,
and it is very unfortunatea affair.".
I will say that the woman whom
we suspected in the first, place was not
Mrs. Fitzsimmons. We have had no
reason to change our suspicious. but
we must admit that they are vague
and that we are still without straw of
evidence.
There is no telling where the en-
cry box was purchased. | am salts
fed, however, that it did not come
from Alameda Chief Conrad has
conducted an energetic canvass among
the druggists Of that city and the only
prospect of a clew he found was that
which prompted him to telephone us
this morning to bring the box over.
Alameda now being disposed of. ii
remains for us, in my opinion. to
hunt out the drug store in San Fran
cisco from which that emery box
came. or course, there would still
be the question Of who bought it. and
that might not be answered so easily.
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