Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-14
THROWER OF VITRIOL
LOCAL POLICE TRYING TO AP-
PRETEND MIsCREANT.

According to a report to the local police
yesterday. the man who is known in Balti-
| more as Jack. the vitriol thrower,' has
started to operate in this city. His first
victim, singularly. is girl from Balti-
more, Margaret Schwartzhaupt, thirteen
years of age, whose home address is 1885
East Fayette street. The child left the
home of her uncle. Charles Botsch, 1928 Z
street. yesterday and went to the Baltimore
| and Ohio depot to meet her mother. When
she returned to the U street house she
! discovered that she was a victim of an
acid thrower.
The back of her coat and the outside of
her right shoe had been burned but the
acid had not penetrated through the gar
| ments. 1t was stated to the police that the
burned spots still wet when Margaret
reached Mr.. Botsch's residence, showing
that the acid had probably been thrown
after she left the railroad station Mar
garet boarded L street car, changing at
the intersection of 14th and L streets. and
going to the depot upon 18th street car.
She met her mother. and returned to the
L street house the way she went to the
station.
Not Thrown From a Bottle.
Detective Evans, who received the report.
was told that the acid was thrown while
the girl was at the depot. at the trans
fer junction. 1t is the belief of Mr.. Botsch
and the police that the thrower used a
spray or syringe. the size of the burns con-
vincing them that he could not have thrown
1t from bottle. The police were inclined
to believe that the acid had been thrown in
Baltimore, but they changed their minds
when they were told that Margaret had
been visiting in this city for the past
ten days.
Inspector Boardman. acting chief of po-
| lice. heard the complaint and he said he
would do all in his power to have the mis-
| hon lad 10 Tod fhnt q
reward of S25 be offered for the arrest of
the guilty person and the police of the sew
| eral precincts were furnished descriptions
| of the two men who are suspected of having
operated in Baltimore.
THE case here yesterday" Inspector
Boardman said was undoubtedly the work
| of the fiend who has been operating in Bal
| timore but as is usually the case with such
! persons, he will probably continue his mis-
cradle work some little time before he will
| be apprehended.'
Members of the local police force think
that the work is being done by a person of
| the order of Max Krebs, the young man
who cut the garments of many women in
| this city several years ago. Krebs managed
| to operate several weeks before he was
| finally arrested. Detectives Weldon and
Parham caught him and obtained confess
sion from him. Krebs working bar
tender during part of the time he was en-
gagged upon the work of cutting dresses. ne
was returned to Germany after he received
| legal punishment for his conduct
Several Months in Baltimore.
The acid thrower has operated in Balti-
more for a number of months, disappearing
at intervals 1t is the belief of the Balti-
| more police that the fiend does not endeavor
to infiict bodily injury to his victims. being
satisfied with spelling their wearing apparel
In a number of instances, however, the
acid passed through the stockings of his
victims and burned them. Most of those
who were burned, it is stated were young
girls and it was not until they reached their
homes that they knew what had caused the
burning. Some of the victims recalled that
they had been followed about the streets by
a suspicious appearing man.
A few days ago the local police were asked
by the Baltimore officers to be on the look
out for the vitriol thrower. Two descrip-
lions were given by the Baltimore police
| one of the men being described as being
about forty years of age and the other as
about thirty-fve years. 1t was stated that
the former wore overcoat that reached
almost to his heels. the other not wearing
such garment. In each case it was stated
that the man had a dark complexion The
police were also told that of the men
can be fully identified by victim.
Opinion Of Detective.
Detective Evans is satisfied that the
Margaret Swartzhaupt affair did not occur
In this city. He reached the home of Mr..
Botsch about four hours after the return
of the girl from the depot, and he was I'M
able to detect the odor of acid about the
coat Margaret and her mother returned
home last night.
him are doing all they can to cause the ap-
prehension of the man if he is really in this