Los Angeles herald., 1907-09-24

STEALS GIFT
OF THE POPE
ADMIRATION FOR BROOCH is
OVERWHELMING
RUSSIAN GIRL YIELDS TO TEMP.
TATlON
Pontiff Gives Diamond-studded Jewel
to Mrs. Bourke Cochran and serv.
ants Admiration for BaubIe
Causes Downfall

NEW YORK, Sept. 3.-Because of her
reverence for a religious picture painted
on a handsome brooch, the property of
Mrs. w. Bourke Cochran, wife of the
congressman, Nellie Wokowitz, young
Russian girl, was locked UP at police
headquarters to await a requisition from
the Rhode Island authorities.
Last Summer Representative and Mrs.
Cochran paid visit to Europe and while
In Rome had an audience with Pope Plus
x. Later the holy father presented to
Mrs. Cochran handsome brooch made of
gold and surrounded with diamonds, which
contained a beautiful miniature OF a re-
ligious subject
AS a matter Of course, Mrs Cochran
valued the gift very highly, and when
she returned to this country and went to
Newport where she is now staying. she
showed 1t to her friends as her most treas
ured possession, telling over and over
again how it had been presented to her by
the pope and what an omen of good for
tune and blessing she felt that it would be
to her all her life.
Mr.. and Mrs. Cochran went to stop at,
Newcliff house in Newport, and among
the servants there was pretty little
Russian girl, who was a Roman Catholic.
She frequently saw the brooch in the pos
session of Mrs. Cochran, and admired it
might hold it in her hand for a closer
view, especially as it had been blessed by
the pope, and she felt that it's nearness to
her would benefit her from a religious
point of view. These.requests We're grant
ed, and Mrs. Cochran is said to have been
pleased at the admiration and reverence
with which the girl viewed the precious
treasure.
One day the brooch disappeared, and
M Cnnlrv.
Search was made for it high and low
Carpets were taken up, furniture was
moved, and her rooms were turned topsy-
turvy in search for the brooch, but it
could not be found
Then there came search for the little
Russian girl, but she had departed and
left no trace of where she could be found.
Yesterday afternoon Inspector McCaf-
ferty of the detective bureau received a
message from Chief of Police Crowley of
Newport asking him to go to 166 West
10th street and look for little Russian
girl named Nellie Wolkowitz, and if she
had the brooch, which was described in
the telegram, to arrest her, and requisi-
ton would be sent from Newport, where
Mrs. Cochran would appear against her.
Detectives Brennan and Miles were sent
to the address, and last night they found
the girl. Upon being questioned they say
the girl showed them brooch hanging
by string around her neck, and that this
brooch answered in every detail the de-
scription forwarded.
The girl was taken to police headquar-
ters to await the arrival of a warrant
from Newport and the police said last
night that If it was not forthcoming soon
they would themselves obtain warrant
against the girl, charging her with bring
ing stolen property into this state. &
1t is not believed by the police that the
girl took the brooch for its intrisic worth,
as the girl had apparently made no effort
to dispose of it, but that she desired 1t be-
cause Of its religious significance.