The Washington herald., 1907-09-05
TO KEEP Cash
Laura II, Carter Tells Why
She Betrayed Runyan.
DENIES TAKING ANY MONEY
woman Describes Her Meeting with
Bank Teller and How She First
Learned of HIS Thefts-Feared for
Her Life and Returned $1,000 10
Him, Then Informed the Police.

New York. Sept Ain a voice husky
and very difficult to hear, Laura NJ Car
ter told her story to-day of why she
handed Chester b. Runyan. who stole
$4,000 from the Windsor Trust Company,
over to the police after he says he, gave
her $4,000 to hide him.
She is being tried for taking 5000 of the
stolen money. but she says she didn' {
know he Wss a thief until TWO days after
they went to 1--we together. He gave her
5000. she said. but when she learned
that the money had been stolen she re-
turned II to him.
She did not know that her companion
was Runyan until she saw his picture in
the newspapers and he told her he had
stolen S96.oOG and the biggest part of the
money was right in the house where they
were living.
Then she became frightened and ad-
Yised him TO return the money to the
bank But ne had taken too much, she
said he told her. and then threatened sew
eral times to Kill her and kill himself if
she gave him up.
She wondered if he committed suicide
and the body was found IN the fat with
her and the stolen money. what would
become Of her. the intimatien being that
she was afraid of being charged with
murder.
Tells Convincing story.
This, in substance, was the story of
the woman who left her former husband
seven years ago and came to this city
She says she can read with difficulty and
she has done more reading since she has
been in the TOmbs thar in all the rest of
her life; but she told her story appar-
emily in a straightforward and. at least.
convincing way. Only once did she show
any emotion, and that was when Assist
ant District Attorney Marshall sought to
question her about her son. As Judge
Whitman would not aiOw the evidence
she Was not troubled much.
After Alfred Lind, OF counsel for Mrs.
Carter, had said in hisa opening: "She
can loOkoyou in the eye and say: I'm no
thief; Im~an honest woman. " Assistant
District Attorney Marshall told Judge
Whitman that the fourth juror Gilbert g.
McDuff. wanted to ask d few questions
OF Runyan.
Juror McDuff wanted TO know If the
drawer in the chiffon!er above that in
which he had put the money was locked.
The juror recalled that Runyan had tes-
titled that after counting the cash he had
taken from the trust company he found
he had $3.50 Runyan said he had given
Sl5,000 TO Mrs Carter and that he counted
the money just before the police came
and there was S64.506 When the police
counted the money al the station there
was S55 40, and the juror wanted TO know
II Runyan could tell what had become
of the other $4,000 Runyan said he
could not tell
Her Real Name Is TsoB.
Then Mrs. Carter was called. She said
her real name was Laura NJ. Ison: that
she was married twelve years ago: that
her husband did not support her. and she
left him. Seven years ago she came 10
this city but failed TO find work. and
took the name of Carter
Describing her meeting with Runyan.
she said he spoke to her first and asked
her 10 have a drink. After they had
passed an hour at hotel. he told her he
had had trouble with his wife and ier
family, and wanted a new home He
asked her If she would live with him, and
told her he would give her so a week and |
pay all expenses She accepted he prop /
osition. Leaving her, he told her his /
name was George, and that he would call |
her on the phone the next day
Her story of her following meetings |
with Runyan until she moved to West /
l44th street tailed practically with that 1
Of Runyan's. She gave him a key to the |
rev apartment, and on the Saturday he I
walked off with the cash he 'phoned TO |
her in the afternoon, saying that he was
not sure he would arrive that night, as
be might go to his mothers house. He I
reached the house a little after midnight /
and she noticed that re had been drink /
ing. He told her thai he had had nothing /
to eat all day, and asked for a drink of /
whisky. which she gave him
He opened his suit case and said he
bad present for me-" she said. Then |
he took a bracelet from box and put II 1
on my arm. he said ne had better give /
me some money for the house, ard |
handed 500 10 me. After we awoke that
day Sunday, there was no food in the
house, and I went out to get some. ara /
he asked me TO bring In the newspapers.
which we both read. He told me on /
Monday he wanted me to go out and buy
4 lot Of things. The next day he said TO /
ne: Now, l am going to make YOU an
)ther present. You are q good girl and |
expect TO stay with you. 1 never ex-
1ect TO live with my wife or her people
again Then he gave me $5.000-ffty 500
bills"
Recognizes His Picture.
Up to this time" Mrs. Carter said, 'T
lid not know who Runyan was. That
hight we went into the parlor and began
o read the newspapers. saw a picture
md read these words: Big Robbery I
aid to him. George, why did you do
his? Why did you not tell me all about
his? What will become Of me If 1 am
ound here with your
/ said TO him: George take the money
back and square yourself; you can't stay
lere, you will be caught sure He said
le was short too much and couldn't go
'ack, even when ! told him l would give
lin back the 5000 he had given to me.
couldn't sleep that night. just dozed of.
lay there thinking of what he might do
o himself or to me, because he had
pointed a revolver at me and had said
hat if he did not shoot himself he would
axe the laudaaum he carried. I said TO
myself: II he kills himself and / am
ound here with his body and the money
don't know what will become Of me-
The next day she met Harry Kirkstein
nd told him that she had Runyan in her
lome. He suggested that she should in
oFim the trust company. but she made up
min nd I