Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1907-11-21
A FEMALE SlEUTH.
Mrs. James Amsden Plays Detective
and Catches a Thief

and Catches a Thief.
A piece of detective work worthy of
Pinkerton was cleverly conceived anC
brilliantly executed Wednesday of las
week by Mrs. James Amsden.
Thursday. Oct. "a, Mrs. Amsden's sis
ter Mrs. Carl Still, of Barre, dropped he
purse on the ladies' side of the waiting
room at the station in this village, with
out noticing the fact, and sat down tC
read until the train arrived. AS she sal
there, she saw woman come in and ther
go out again, and just at that moment she
happened to think of her purse and found
it missing.
AS it contained two valuable rings, q
in money and her ticket to Barre she be-
egan to institute a diligent search for il
and went out to see if she had left it in
one of the stores. Coming out of the
store, she CHANGED to meet the woman
whom she had seen in the depot and be-
gan to tell her about the loss, when the
latter interrupted her with voluble de-
malls of having either seen the purse
or of knowing anything about it.
The woman's manner seemed so pecu-
liar under the circumstances that after
Mrs. Still returned to Barre, Mrs. Ans
den took the matter up with Chief of Po-
lice F. H. Ketchum and learned that the
stranger was Mrs. George Hinkson OF
East Granville, who has since moved to
Braintree. Mrs. Hinkson was formerly
Mrs. Frank Luce of this place and, upon
inquiry, proved not to be above suspicion
of anneXing articles of value carelessly
left in her way.
The matter drifted along until the 18th
inst, when Mrs. Amsden, equipped with
l. \
a catalogue of the National Cloak and
Suit company, went to Braintree on the
morning train. As an agent of the mail
order house, she called on Mrs. Hinkson
and soon had that lady and her daug liter
deeply interested in the fascinating pic
lures and glittering bargains of the cata-
logue.
As they grew more and more impressed
with some particular suits, Mrs Amsden
told them the house she represented
sometimes took pieces of jewelry-pins,
rings, chains, or anything of that kind
people might have and would like to
throw in as part or full payment for a
garment. She then opened her shopping
bag and showed a great collection of Orn-
aments which she led them to infer had
been given her by customers in lieu of
ready cash for suits, and which the cloak
concern would sell to jewelry establish
ment as old gold.
Mrs. Hinkson rose to the bait at once
and told her daughter to bring her ring
forward and see what it might be worth.
The girl thereupon produced one of Mrs.
Stills rings, having two large opals sur
rounded by little pearls. Mrs. Amsden
took it and estimated its value as about
the price of a coveted suit, and asked if
they hadn't other jewelry they could ex
change for something more useful. Mrs.
Stills second ring of garnets and small
diamonds was Immediately submitted for
examination to the astute agent, in whose
methods and skill Conan Doyle would
delight.
Telling her to think over her offer
while she called at another house, Mrs.
Alnsden left the rings with Mrs. Hinkson
and went TO Batchelder's store to tele-
phone to her sister, but finally decided to
go back and demand the rings before
Mrs. Hinkson grew suspicious and put
them safely out OF the way.
Mr.. Batchelder stood on the store steps
to he within easy reach if he were need
ed. and Mrs. Amsden re-entered the
Hinkson house. Her reception was not
so gracious this time, and she was even
unfiatteringly told that, in Mrs. Hink-
sons opinion, she was no lady. That
dame related a moving fairy tale to the
effect that the rings had been given her
daughters years ago by Mrs. Sarah Bat
ties, and when Mrs. Amsden made some
inquiries in regard to Mrs. Battles, she
was infor med that Mrs Battles and her
husband were both dead, so nothing
could be proved by them. The girls,
their mother declared, priced the rings
highly for the sake of the donor.
Mrs. Amsden, however, was not to be
deceived by the most mastery fiction
within the Hinkson Imagination and
persisted in her demand for the rings,
the purse and the two dollars in money;
the ticket she thought likely had been
used. At last the rings were yielded up
with very poor grace, but the purse and
money were not forthcoming; indeed, .
they had never, Mrs. Hinkson declared,
been in her possession.
Fairly well cOntented with her two
hours work, Mrs. Amsden came home
on the 1922 mail train with the stolen
rings in her possession, and the states
attorney proceeded against Mrs. Hinkson,
who agreed to appear before the court
last Thurdsay. As nothing was seen of
her at the appointed time, Chief of Po-
lice Ketchum drove to Braintree after her
and brought her down to the Inn, where
she was placed in safe keeping for the
night.
Friday morning she was arraigned be-
fore Jrstice H. w. Vail and testified that
she found the rings on the station floor,
and had kept them until they should be
advertised for; that she knew nothing of
the purse, money or ticket, and never
told Mrs. Amsden that Mrs. Battles gave
the rings to her girls. Mrs. Still, who
was present at the hearing, testified that
the rings were in the inner compartment
Of new purse and under two clasps.