The Washington times., 1907-11-19
MOUND Of FUR
TELLS OF PATH
OF 'CRACKENS
Feathers, FrilIS, and Fin
cry Banked in Room
in Police Station.

With every desk. table. chair, and
other available place covered with cost
~ furs, handsome gowns. and other
expensive articles of wearing apparel,
the back room at Police Headquarters
this morning resembled the shop Of a
fashionable modiste a few days before
Easter.
Gowns Of every description we're piled
high in the air, and a stranger would
have believed he was IN he receiving
room Of a big department store The
articles all belonged 10 Washington
merchants. and represented a part Of
the large quantity OF goods obtained on
credit by Mrs. Ruth McCracken and
her family, who for time occupied the
handsome residence at 1928 Connecticut
avenue.
Found in Philadelphia.
The clothing was received at Police
Headquarters this morning in two I'M
usually large trunks, two smaller
trunks, a large valise. and a hatbox.
The baggage was found IN Philadelphia,
after the McCracken family had been
arrested in Baltimore. Representative
OF a dozen business houses. smart tall
oring establishments, and millinery
the morning Identifying the articles.
While Detectives Hartigar and Evans
carefully lifted the goods from the
trunks and took an inventory of the ar
uclss. the representatives OF the differ
ent stores selected their property. The
detectives say they have recovered fully
IS. 90 worth of wearing apparel.
Mrs. Ruth MCCraCken. her daughters.
Ruth and Jane. and her son, William
John McCracken, who were arrested in
Baltimore last Sunday on warrants
sworn out by Washington storekeepers.
were given a hearing before Commits
soner Rogers yesterday, and held for
the action OF the authorities OF The
District of Columbia.
They VIII probably be brought to
Washington tomorrow.
Asked What Charge Was.
Mrs. McCracken's son wanted to know
what was the charge against him, and
was told that it was obtaining a suit OF
clothes valued at 500 from J. NJ. Stein &
Co, on October % last.
The clothes were bought on credit. "
McCracken exclaimed, and he then said
he is a British subject, and he wanted
t. know IL he could not take steps to
prevent his being taken back to Wash
iagtOn.
The commissioner explained that 10
do 50 IL would be necessary 10 change
the Revised Statutes Of the United
States.
Mrs. McCracken and her daughters
are charged with obtaining a fur neck
piece valued at SIS and a fur coat val
ued at $50.
Young McCracken talked about OBJ
tanning a solicitor, and after being
taken back to the marshaTs Office he
teIephOned for William Pinkney White.
IT., grandson of Senator Whyte.
After talking with the AIcCrackens, Mr..
WHITE declined to undertake the case.
The McCraokens were taken to jail in
the afternoon.
May Be Alcorns.
The police here believe Mrs. Nc
Cracken's alleged daughters are the
Misses Jane and Ruth Alcorn, of 81
Union street. TOrquay. Ireland. This be-
lief Is based on the fact that letters,
communion books, and information re-
garding them came to light this morn
ing and convinced the police that the
women were travelling under an as
sumed name.
Information was given the police that
on April 3 the two women changed
passage from the Nordline to the
steamer F'riesland. a postal card was
found IN James Fitzgerald's effects. II
was from a person signing the name
Ruth" and asked that Jane and 7
be met by Fitzgerald IN New York