Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-04-18
CHARGED WITH ROBBERY
MRS. EDNA WEST OF NEW YORK
IN CUSTODY.
Her Arrest the Cause of Excitement on
F Street-Gives Officers
Trouble.

Considerable excitement occurred at 10th
and F streets about noon TO-DAY, hen De-
tective Weldon of headquarters placed Mrs.
Edna West OF New York city under arrest
on a charge of robbery. The woman re-
sisted strenuously. She was taken to police
headquarters with difficulty, and later was
removed to the house of detention.
The defendant was wanted in connection
with the disappearance of $50 from the
handbag of a customer in a nearby store
yesterday Mrs. West was seen about the
store today. and Detective Weldon was
notified. He went to the entrance. When
the woman made her appearance the de-
tective stepped up to her and told her
that she was under arrest and that she
must accompany him to police headquar-
ters.
Mrs West attempted to get away The
detective graSped her. and she began to
fight. ii is stated by the police. Her cries
and her beligerency attracted a large
crowd of pedestrians.
Senator ElknS of West Virginia stepped
from the crowd and asked what was the
trouble. In reply Detective Weeuon
showed his badge. stating that he was a
police officer and the woman was in
custody.
What have you got this woman for
the senator asked.
'She knows what she is arrested for
Mr. W eedon replied.
Later he explained that the woman was
arrested suspicion of taking pocket
book
Policeman Adams reached the scene while
Detective Weldon was struggling with the
woman. and he called a cab. While the
party awaited the cab the woman pro-
tested her innocense.
My God. | didn't do it," she exclaimed.
and added similar expressions.
What's the NATTER" some one in the
crowd asked.
This man is trying to kidnap me- she
replied.
Taken to Headquarters.
on reaching police headquarters the de-
PENDANT continued to struggle. but she was
led inside and taken to the room Of In
spector Boardman. There. while efforts
were made to learn who she was. she con-
tnued to protest her innocence of any
criminal offense. and beyond stating that
she came here from New York city. would
not give the location of her home.
Mrs. Roberts of the Women's Christian
Home was mentioned by Mrs West as one
of her friends. Mrs. Roberts was cent for
by Capt. Boardman. She told the police
that Mrs. West had stopped at her estab-
liShment on several occasions, and that she
had registered from New York She
tried to quiet the prisoner. but her efforts
were unsuccessful. Mrs West sobbed for
the hour and half that she was in the
inspectors Office. She ciainlet, to have ex-
ceilent connections in New York city but
mentioned no names
When the defendant was searched at the
house of detention. where she was taken
from police headquarters, s112.21 WAS found
in one of her stockings.
The evidence connecting Mrs. West with
the robbery in the department store yester-
day is said to be entirely crCumstantial. A
customer of the store had her pocketbook
snatched from her hand while she was on
the second floor. While she vas making a
n n
learned afterWard, Il woman was seen in
the ladies' dressing room the thiri floor
emptying a handbag of its contents TIE
woman threw the handbag away after she
had taken the contents, and that bag pick
ed up by clerks in the store. was identified
as the one lost by the customer a few min
uteS before.
When Mrs. West went to the store this
afternoon, it is stated. she was identified
as the woman seen cmDtying the handbag
yesterday and the police were notified. The
defendant insists that she is innocent OF the
charge