The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1908-07-21
MRS. BARTSCH
SAYS SHE ROBBED
TO SAVE BROTHER
HE Was Dying of Consumption
and | Had to Do 1t to
Help Him."
REMARKABLE STORY OF
CRIME UNFOLDED BY HER
Newark Man Under Arrest for
DesertiOn Observation-Disclosures
Wanted in Philadelphia.

Declaring that she had been forced
TO become n thief to save her brother
from jail, Mrs. Valeska Bartsch. now
held at police headquarters for the
theft of jewelry from houses where she
secured employment as a domestic. to-
day gave to Sergeants Tuite and Hor-
ter, of the detective bureau, who ar
rested her Sunday, information of other
robberies.
Already she has confessed to three
robberies, two being In New York.
There she posed as Mary Schneider.
and information in regard to her a
sent to Captain Carroll, OF the local de-
tective bureau, by Inspector Mccall
ferty, of the New York central office.
With this new information Tuite and
Horter ave already recovered booty
taken by Mrs. Bartsch, and are now
searching for more. One of the clues
she gave concerned Frederick Scott, of
II North Thirteenth street, who had
been presented with one of the watches
taken by Mrs. Bartsch by a woman
to whom it had been sold by the pris-
ti4t IlVN at GdoJudItV lbt PoiiNS
state. Scott is employed as a foreman
at the Crocker-Wheele plant in Am
.ere.
Early today Horter went to SCOTS
odse and learned from his wife that
she had secured a warrant for his ar
rest, the charge being desertion. Tele-
phoning to Tuite at headquarters 1t was
learned that Scott had been locked up
il the First Precinct. and today In
court he was held in $500 bail for the
grand jury on the desertion charge.
lie denied having the watch.
Brother Gave False Name.
Mrs. Bartsch's brother, who. when
found with Wilhelm Schultze In her
home, gave the name of Loreng Meyers
and posed as a boarder, but was later
recognized as George Bernhard. is
wanted by the Philadelphia police, a
telegram being received today from AS
sistant Superintendent O'Leary there.
Bernhard. while in the Quaker City.
paid attention and finally became en-
gagged to Matilda R~acebuck, of 1913 Fair
mount avenue. She had a 15-year-old
sister. Il it was on a charge made
by the latter that Bernhard was ar
rested. He Skipped the 81 900 bail IN
der which he was held and finally
reached his sisters home.
Il had to protect him; he's a con-
sumptive, and would have died in Jail"
Mrs. Bartsch told Tuite today. S 1
stole to obtain the money to keep him
free and pay the expense incurred
through his escapade."
Admits New York RObberies.
The houses she admits robbing in
New York were those of A. j. Ruhl, of
2275 Aqueduct avenue, and Mrs. d. P.
De Palkowski, 1863 West Thirteenth
street. She was at the Ruhl home one
day in May last. From it she secured
MIR. Ruhls gold watch, So in cash, Mrs.
Rihl's watch. with pearl-studded bow
knot pin, and t~wenty-four silver spoons.
Mrs. Ruhrs watch was recovered to-
day. From the DePalkowski home,
when she left on May 10, h took a
silver watch, coral beads, turquoise
ring and other jewelry. These articles
have all been recovered.
Sergeant lutte learned today that
Mrs. Bartsch always carried a revolver
and bottle of chloroform when on her
thieving expeditions. This she adj
mitted, but declared she sought revenge
upon a man who had deserted and left
her penniless after running her life. She
did not give his name, but Sergeant
lutte has so far traced the man that
Mrs. Bartsch's story is partially con-
firmed.
Schultze is still being held. He must
explain his possession of that Masonic
ring found upon him.
The woman and men will be arraigned
N the First Precinct Court tomorrow.