The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1904-09-16
BIG RoBsERIEs IN sWELLDoM.
Newport Society Leaders Are Relieved
of JeWeIry and Money.

Newport, r. l., Sept. IA. - Society
was startles yesterday by the news,
that the mysterious thief who has
,een operating with great profit among
the millionaires, had made the young
and beautiful second Mrs. II. M. Flag
Ter another victim.
All signs indicate that she was
robbed by the "Raf1es who has
preyed upon Newport society leaders
all summer, and it is whispered that
the thief is a rich young woman who
Is a confirmed kleptomaniac. For the
sake Of her family, the police say,
every one Of the victims has released
her upon the return of the stolen
gems.
Mrs. Flagler, who has not been
formally recognized by society, attend
ed a lawn fete, and while there her
|gold chain chatelaine was stolen from
her belt.
Large Wad in the Bag.
The bag contained Ave 81 1000 bills,
about 5000 in smaller bills, two drafts
on New York for $4,000 and a long
neck chain set with thirty sapphires
and diamonds, valued at $4,000. Mrs.
Flagler had worn the neck chain on
leaving her rooms, but it caught on
the carriage door and broke. Then
| she placed it in the chatelaine. Mrs.
Flagler wore the chatelaine suspend
| ed from her belt by a hook which
easily could have been slipped out.
she ate luncheon at a table on the
lawn and a%fterward mingled with a
crowd of fashionably dressed men
and women at the booths where
| chances were sold in lotteries for the
ranie of various goods.
She had purchased a score or more
| Of tickets when she reached for her
purse to pay for still more chances.
To her horror she discovered that her
bag was gone.
High in Social Scale.
One of the most remarkable fea-
lures of this case, a feature which has
developed in all of the other Newport
thefts, is the assurance Mrs. Flagler
has received that her property would
be returned to her. 1t is this peculiar
circumstance that has given color to
the story going the rounds to the eff
feet that among the fashionable wom-
en- of the summer colony here, suspi-
ciOn is held to point to a certain mem
Der of one Of the most prominent fam
lilies al the kleptomaniac. So high up
in the social scale does this woman
| stand that even though many of the
h~ostesses know her to be the female
Rallies who has disturbed their dear
est possessions, they dare not withhold
invitations to their most exclusive
functions. The instance of the mys-
terious return of the 100000 conec-
ton Of jewels of Mrs. Ogden Goelet, of
the return Of the $4,000 jewel lost by
Mrs. Joseph E. Widener and of other
similar instances have .een cited to
Mrs. Flagler.
While to Mrs. Flagler the story was
new it vas common to the socially
elect who declare that the property
will be restored. But much of the
stolen jewels have not been returned,
and Newport is filed with private de-
tectives employed to watch the women
who wear rich jewels and to watch the
young woman whose unfortunate NAL
ady causes her to seize gems. That
her pilferings are the result of a dis
eased mind is not doubted. Her fam
| lily has immense wealth and she is sup
piled with every luxury n could inn
agine. Many women have reported to
the police the loss of jewels, but when
the jewels are returned the victims
have refused to prosecute. They even
deny that they have been robbed.