The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-10-09
FORTUNE TELLER TOLD THIEF.
WOMAN, OUT 800, KEPT NEGRO
GIRL IN HER EMPLOY.

Prayed Dollar Bill the UndOlng OF Maid
THAT Every N Liksd-Trunks PUN
OT Booty Found Police Get Flood OF
Light on Many PuZzilng RObberies.
Lizzie Hall, a negress, 80 years old, Of
SIT West Thirty-ninth street, was arrested
last night by Detective Shibles OF the West
Thirtieth street police station charged with
theft. Mrs. Ida Caldwell, a middle aged
woman, living at l24 West Thirty-sixth
street, was the complainant.
Lizzie Hall has been Mrs. Caldwells
maid for several years and wAs thoroughly
trusted. From time to time Mrs. Caldwell
missed valuables and finally q hundred
dollar note, carefully hidden in a mattress,
disappeared. Mrs. Caldwell secuted the
idea that IL might be Lizzie taking the
money and finally was advised by a friend
to visit a fortune teller.
Ridiculous. 1 don't believe in such
things" said Mrs. Caldwell.
The friend insisted, and to satisfy her the
woman went around to see q negro as
trologer known as The Hindu In Forty
third street.
Five bones, lady, said the man OF color.
NO, you'll have to prove your power.
1 think you're a humbug. You'll a v to
give me some evidence. I'm tracing q
500 bill / lost. II you can throw light on the
search the moneys yours
Madame, a trusted servant OF my wi
color, l regret to say, has the money II
10 not intact. When you confront her with
the facts she will confess.
Then to prove his acquaintance with
the subject, the woman says, The Hindoo,"
described her apartm ent TO a dot n
exactly where she had hidden the money.
You seem to be pretty w~ise-you're
interesting at least. Here's tho five,"
said Mrs. Caldwell.
Then she hastened home and sure
enough Lizzie confessed. The servant
cried and moaned
Il stole the money. but l spent $40 Of It
on one big long time. Please let me go
and I'll never steal any more"
Mrs. Caldwell's heart was touched and
she forgave the sinner. In spite OF this
things continued to go as they had before.
One day it would be a Swiss ace kerchief.
next a tortoiseshell umbrella handle. The
mistress was perpleXed. Ever now she
couldn't make herself believe it was Lizzie
Hall. One day when confronted with the
situation the girl stoutly denied the facts.
Lizzie went home every night to sleep
and always carried a little bundle, but Mrs.
Caldwell didn't lave the heart to ask her
to let her see the contents.
Recently Mr.. and Mrs. Cole, daughter
and son-in-law OF Mrs. Caldwell. members
of the when Knighthood Was in Flower"
theatrical company, came to visit her.
They had hardly been in the house a day
when Mr.. Cole missed a one-dOllar bill he
had carried for years as a luck charm.
IL was dogeared and a hole was worn in
the centre.
I'm lost il that is" he walled.
Then Mrs. Caldwell told her story and he
later Detective Shibles arrested the negress.
~"Yes-you've got me right-got me
right" she cried. Il steal wherever |
go. Everybody likes me, but | steal in
spite Of the devil. Here is the dollar bill.
IL was my downfall"
The woman then made a complete con-
fession and took the detectives around to
her rooms, where she had stored half a
dozen trunks filed to bursting with iewelry,
silverware, table linen, silk tights, lingerie,
dress goods and all sorts Of things. The
negress gave the names OF several Of her
former employers, and the first one that
could be located, Carl I. Diegfelder of 1871
West Thirteenth street, went M with
Mrs. Caldwell to the house, and the two
identified a lot Of property as belonging to
them. Diegfelder promptly made a charge
Of grand larceny against the girl also.
The police say they will he able to clear
up any number Of rObberies through the
WOman'a arrest