The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-11-16
WOMAN'S FREE AUTO RIDES.
One m Hours Long Escort Vanished
DRIVERS Out so and $50

woman who gave her name as Ellsw orth
D.. Thomn called up on Tuesday night
L.. G. Howard Of 2ie West Fiftieth street,
who rents automobiles. She asked that
an auto be sent to the Hoffman Hous for
her. The auto, in charge Of a driver named
James Gregory, reached the HoffmanHouse
at 2 o'clock Wednesday morning. The
woman was waiting and came out with a
suit case. She was driven at once to a
house on 12Sth street.
There she was Joined by a middle aged
man who wore a Van Dyke beard, and
whom she referred to as her father, Mr..
Price. For six hours the couple drove
about town, stopping at various cafes.
They breakfasted at the Woodmansten
Inn, at West Chester, and dined at Rye,
returning by a devious route to Harlem.
In Harlem the man suddenly announced
that he had lost his pocketbook, containing
$500. The auto was turned about m the
party returned to West Chester. No pocket
book had been found there n the man
said he must have lost it in Rye. 70 save
time, he announced he would take a train
to Rye and return by rail, meeting the
woman at 12Sth street again. The woman
drove back to Harlem, but the man did
not appear.
BY this time it was after midnight and
Thursday morning. h woman ordered
the driver to take her to the Imperial Hotel.
They arrived there at 1915 O'Clock, just
twenty-three hours after leaving the Hotf-
man House. The woman jumped out
of the auto and entered the hotel.
Gregory became suspicious. He sleuthed
around just in time to see Mrs. Ihomn
lodging into a cab in front OF the Grand
Hotel. He insisted that she get into his
auto and 90 To thu West EnrtV-9AV0nfh
street station house, where she was locked
up.
In the West Side court yesterday morning
no complainant appeared. The woman said
she supposed the man who rode with her
was to pay the bill. She wa discharged.
Soon after she had gone, Gregory, looking
very sleepy after his long tour, came into
court. He said he was out $40 On the days
proceedings and was much excited when
told the woman had been discharged.
Il came to court at Q O'Clock, said he,
but the case wasn't called and ! became
SO sleepy l had 10 go out and get a drink
TO keep awake
Just then A. Hartog, Jr., manager of the
Auto Renting Company at Broadway and
Fifty-fourth street, came into court. he
also had a long face.
Il just read about Mrs. Thomn's arrest
he said, and hurried over here. -She got
into me for $50 too.
sOn Monday night he said, "she came to
my place and asked for an auto. She said
her husband was in Philadelphia, but would
reach New York the next day and would
send me a check
The woman looked so truthful and had
such a winning way, Hartog said, that he
let her ave the auto. She drove around
for ten hours and he is still looking for the
check.
+ h next night he said, "a woman
called I'D the Thomas Automobile Company
on Seventh avenue and wanted to rent a
car. The Thomas people turned the order
over to me. From their description ] felt
sure It was the woman who already owed
me $50 and she got no car
Tie woman is short in stature and plump.
She has a pleasing rather than pretty face
Her brown hair is kept in place by a thick
automobile veil. h told the police she
came from Lancaster, England, and gave
her address as III Broadway, which is
the st. James Building.