The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-10-27
Confidence Woman Buncoed OlOf
Eckberg Out OF Ii.
Garment of Sealskin and Valued
at $500.
POLICE MAKE ARREST.
j Jennie May EckWorth Caught
and Coat Recovered.
Same Person Also Impersonated
Mrs. J. e. Hurl ey.

A woman giving the name of Jennie
May Eckworth was arrested by Police
Officer Walker early this morning, on
| the charge of grand larceny.
| The woman. it is charged, had stolen
seal skin coat valued at $500. and the
property of Mrs. S. s. OFT of $50 Polk
| street. Her method of getting posses
sion of the cloak was smooth. She
called at Olof Eckberg's tailoring and
cleaning establishment at Ill West
Seventh street. during the afternoon,
and asked the proprietor what kind OF
work he could do in the cleaning line.
He brought out Mrs. Otis coat, which
had been cleaned by him, and exhibited
it as proof that he could do a good
job. She asked him who owned the
coat, and he told her. Then she went
away, but about O'Clock a messenger
boy came to the tailor, Eckberg. with
a note signed with the name of Mrs.
OFT, which requested that the coat be
delivered to the bearer.
The messenger got the coat, but la
ter Eckberg became suspicious, ana
teIephoned to Mrs. OFT. She informed
him that she had sent no messenger,
and knew nothing of the transaction.
The tailor then notified the police.
Tim Donovan, ex-ch1ef of police and
thief catcher. by nature. furnished
the clue by which the woman was
caught His habit of seeing things en-
abled him to tell Officer Walker where
the woman was stopping. Therefore
Walker went down to the Kansas no
tel between Fourth and Fifth on Kan
sas avenue and canped there all night,
catching the woman as she was pre-
pairing to leave this morning. She is
now locked up at the police station out
refuses to say anything about herself.
and it took her some time to admit
that she even had a name. The cloak
was in her possession when she was
captured, and the evidence OF her guIe
seems conclusive
From descriptions, it is evident that
she is the same woman who came
very near to making successful
touch" on several dry goods stores
Yesterday She called at several
places, among them Warren M. Cros-
by's, and ordered large bills of dry
goods. AT each place she LETT the pur,,
chase and said that she would carr
later. Some time after she was gone
she telephoned Warren NJ. Crosby's to-
send the goods out to her house, Civ
ing her name as Mrs. J. E. Hurley,
and her residence as Eighth ana dar-
rison streets. She also gave the in
formation that she might not be at
home, and if she was not that the
driver could leave the goods at the
residence of Mr.. N f. Morehouse, who
lives next door. TO the Hurley resi-
dence.
A clerk in Warren M. Crosby's had
suspicious about the purchase. and de-
livered the goods IN person. He found
Mrs. Hurley at home, and she denied
any knowledge of the purchase. She
had been away, and had just returned
from Kansas City. a few minutes be-
fore the clerk arrived with the goods.
The confidence woman evidently knew
that Mrs, Hurley was away, and was
trusting to her wits for a way to get
the goods from the Morehouse resi-
dence.
Clerks from the several stores where
these hOR11S
be asked to call at the police station
today and identify the woman, who
has been dy identified by the
tailor whom she victimized for the
sealskin coat All efforts to get her
to talk have proven futile, and she
maintains a digniffed silence She is
about 25 years of age. well dressed
and of prepossessing appearance.
The police think that Jennie Nav
Eckworth' is a fictitious name manu-
featured for the occasion.