The Washington herald., 1906-10-31
ROBBED IN HER Home
Mystery Surrounds TheftS
from Mrs. Alexander.
STOPS INQUIRY BY POLICE
After asking Help TO Detect Thief,
She Orders Them TO Cease Further
investigation - Keeps Money at
Home, and, Ii Is said, Has Lost
s2,000-WidOw OF Prominent Man.

Mrs Columbus Alexander, who restless
in an old and elegant home at 1913 Thir-
tieth street. Georgetown, is she victim
OF a series OF thefts as mysterious as
they have been annoying 10 the aged and
feeble occupant of the Alexander mansion
on the bin above Cambridge"
Mrs. Alexander is a wealthy woman,
who owns, beside the home where she
lives. an estate in Arlington ana other
property IN Virginia, Georgetown, and
Washington Columbus Alexander in his
lifetime was a close friend OF the late
Mr. CorcOran. and. like that revered citi-
zen Of the Capital. made many invest
meilts that turned OCT wei. ard at the
time Of his death left his widow a large
fortune. Mrs. Alexander is woman O.
simple tastes, Is described as being a
person of positive views. and is withal a
good business woman.
She has not only not wasted the for
tune left her. but had added TO it by
frugal ways and careful accumulation Of
the income from her properties. one Of
Mrs. AleXander's peculiar beliefs IS that
banks are unsafe repositories Of money,
and it is said that she has always kept
considerable sums Of cash about her. Sc
cTeted where she regarded il safer thaa
in the vaults of banks and trust cOmpa-
nies. Few have ever known the hiding
places Of this money OF its amount But
It is TO be feared that pTying eyes have
discovered her secret, and have made use
CT the knowledge 20 rob her on several
occasions. For several months during the
last spring and summer Mrs. Alexander
has missed sums OF money Of varying
amounts Though the strictest watch was
kept. no trace Of the thief or thieves
could be found Al first the amounts
taken are said 10 have been small, but
with success in avoiding detection. the
thief or thieves grew bOlder and took
larger sums, until about fortnight ago,
500 was taken at one time.
Thefts Mysterious
Each theft was more mysterious than
its predecessor. New hiding places were
found for the money the aged woman
kept about her. but the more secret she
became in concealing her money the
more successful the thief became in
Guiding detection. Her continued losses,
each time increasing in amount. finally
alarmed Mrs. Alexander. and she reported
her losses TO the Georgetown police and
asked that 4 thorough investigation be
made by detectives in the hope Of appre-
hcnding the culDrit The case was as
sEned to the central bureau and a de-
tective spent several days IN trying 10
probe the mystery. He made some prog
ress in the case, finding, it IS said. sew
eTal hopeful clews. While he was run
ming them down the case was called of
by AIRS Alexander or some OF her friends
and the investigation stopped.
The police learned that Mrs Alexander
lives in her mansion, on Thirtieth street,
with TWO female servants and one man
about the place. At the present time she
is IL III health and is attended by nurses.
one being with her by day and one by
nicht bfrs. Alexander has numerous
friends and a number of relatives who
visit her frequently, and the aged lady
drives from her home on pleasant days.
Suspicion centered on several persons. ac-
cordins TO the police. bur the investiga-
tion was not carried far enough 10 fasgen
guilt upon any one. Mrs. Alexander has
always maintained Tecitence about her
business affairs, even with her own fam
ily. and the mystery of her losses remains
unsolved. The reason for calling off the
investigation is given as the dread Mrs.
Alexander has of notoriety. She feared
that if the subject was pushed TO the end
it would bring with it the proved guilt Of
some one, perhaps one she had especially
trusted. and it is said she preferred to
suffer the losses in silence than 10 have
the facts get into the p,Iblic prints.
Relatives Anxious.
The relatives of Mrs Alexander. how
ever, have a different view. Il was
thought that if the thefts were allowed
70 go on in secret. much OF the accu-
mulated fortune of the aged woman might
be stolen. It is understood that The aggre-
gate amounts stolen from Mrs. Alexan-
der amount to about S2,000
A reporter OF The Herald calIed upon
Mrs Alexander last night 10 verify the
story Of her losses. lie found the aged
woman confined to her room. and a mes
sage to her through servant was re-
turned with the statement that she was
too III TO receive or talk.
j. Fl. Small q Sons, Florists.
18th and SITS, Washington; Waldorf