The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1907-03-25
BESSIE BURTON
is IN JAIL
aRouoHr BACK FROM NEW YORK
TO STAND TRIAL FOR
ROBBERY.

WHEELING. March 25.-Mrs. Bes.
sic Burton. nee criswell, arrived in
Wheeling about ten O'Clock Sunday
morning In the custody of Chief OF
Police Clemans and was Immediately
placed In the county JAIL to await trial
for securing diamonds to the value OF
s2,100 under false pretense, from H.
E. Hillman. the Elevnth street jeweler.
After securing the diamonds from
Hillman. upon representation that she
was the owner of valuable real estate
near sherrard and in Bellaire, Ohio.
Mrs. Burton left for Pittsburg where
she was joined by man named James
Robinson, to whom she gave dia.
mond which ne pawned. The couple
then left the Smoky city and were. a
few days later arrested in New York
city.
Chief Clemans was sent to bring the
pair back to Wheeling, the woman
upon charge of securing the Jewels
upon false pretense. and the man upon
charge of being her accomplice.
Upon arrival in New York, Mr.. Hill.
man, who accompanied the chief, read.
lily Identified the woman. Here difi.
culties arose from the fact that Mrs.
Burton refused to return without
requisition, and It was discovered that
the warrant against Robinson was de.
fectiye in that the crime alleged
against him of being a receiver of
stolen goods occurred In Pennsylvania.
The difficulty in the Robinson case
was remedied by the Pennsylvania
authorities taking tne matter up and
West Virginia waIYing all claims i,
him.
The criswell or Burton case was not
so easily arranged. Being well sup.
piled with money, the woman engaged
lawyers. having 1t Is said, during the
proceedings twelve employed, and a
strong fight was made against requisi.
ton. This fight was prolonged by tho
unaccountable failure of the requisI.
ton papers from Governor Dawson to
arrive. 1t was later found that the
delay was occasioned by the food
holding up the mails.
After the arrival of the papers Mrs.
Burton appealed the case to the su.
preme court of New York, alleging
that :ae papers were faulty. This
court found the requlsItion papers in
proper form and question was then
raised that the original warrant was
defective. Before decision could be
rendered upon this point Mrs. Burton
consented TO return to Wheeling.
Owing to the fact that Judge Jordan
mad adjourned the March term of the
criminal court last Saturday, the trial
of Bessie criswell. alias Bessie Bur.
ton, cannot be held until the May
term hich commences upon the frs,
Monday in May. This does not mean
that she will be compelled to lie In
Jail until that time as she can be re.
leased upon bond by vacation order
OF. the Judge. 1t is understood that ap.
plication will be made to-day to have
the amount of bail fixed and it will
be quickly furnished by relatives.
An vttempt was made to interview
the prisoner by reporter Sunday but
was informed by the jail officials that
none 5nt her attorneys would be ad.
mitted.
OF the Jewels alleged to have been
stolen, all but three nave been recov.
cred, ond these 1t IS said have been
pawned by Mrs. Burton or com.
panlon Robinson. The latter, said
Chief clemans, was still in custody Of
the police in New York with a Pitts.
burg detective waiting for requisition
papers to take him back to Pennsyl.
tania.
In the fight throughout the court.
which Chief clemans said was fiereely
fought at every point. Assistant Dis.
trfct Attorney Johnson. of New York,
represented the West virginia authori.
ties.