The Washington herald., 1908-07-21

Miss Frances a. Caspari. forty-eighE
years old said 10 be connected with a
prominent Baltimore family. who has
been a resident Of Washington for the
last year, was arrested yesterday after
noon by Central Office Detectives Ba-s
and CornweII On a charge OF grand
larceny It IS alleged the woman bas
obtained more than $500 in this city by
false pretenses. She is held at the Houzs
Of Detention.
The operations Of Miss Caspa-f almost
equal in their boldrsss and in the lack
Of backing the exploits OF the famous
Cassie Chadwick While so Ear the police
have discovered only four victims os
Miss CasparL and thetts amounting %
about 5000. the detectives working On
The case are confident the amount %
money involved VIII reach . larger figure
before the matter is finished.
Mystery in the Case.
Mystery surrounds the case. t-asmuch
as Miss Caspari has always seemed
10 be IN need Of money. and while never
dressed shabbiIy. was never dressed n
the height Of fashion CT in costly cloth
ing Not a cent Of money has been found
and no evidences Of her having had de-
posits in banks discovered. She refuses
to say what she did with the money .sas
o5taiHed from he alleged victims
Another phase OF the case. showing
cleverness. the police claim. IS that sas
borrowed from Peter % pay Paul They
say she would obtain sums Of money
from one victim and pay part Of fl 70
other victims 10 retain their confidence,
and would then borrow sums from .hzr1.
greatly in excess Of what she had paid,
that she might make small payments 70
others from whom she had obtained
money.
When Miss CASPIAN drsr came 70 Wash
ington. she lived al the Womar-s Ch-fss
tan Home. I71e Thirteenth street north
west She represented herself as being
connected with a large publishing house
IN New YORK Later she moved to the
home Of Mrs Northern. 1873 Thirteenth
street northwest She lived there until
June. when she moved 10 the home %
Miss Elizabeth Gemmil. Isl9 Corcara1
street northwest
Miss GemmIu vas the one responsibIs
for the arrest Of the ~frenzied nnancie---s
Representing that she had orders for z
large number Of rare de luxe editions OF
the works Of prominent authors. Mss
Caspari obtained from Miss Gemusil ssh
10 pay the publishers Tor the books As
soon as the orders were filed and 1hs
money paid she was 10 pay back ths
loan, with prohts amounting to more than
500. She put on paying back the money
until yesterday, when she gave Miss GENE
mill a check for $3.50 on the Lincoln
National Bank Of this city
Miss Gemmiu presented the check and
was told Miss Caspari had no funds in
the bank. As she was leaving the hank
she met Miss Caspari and asked her e
make the check good Miss Caspari made
an appointment for the afternoon. a.
which tine she promised 10 pay ths
money.
When Miss Caspari failed 70 keep ths
appointment Miss Gemmiu went 10 see
Dr.. Leweilyn Jordan. lawyer. employed
in the Treasury Department Dr.. Jordan
arranged for Miss Caspari % meet him at
his of7ce and pay the money 70 Mss
GemmiIL In the meantime he notified
Capt Boardmen. chief Of detectives. and
Detective Baur was sent 20 the Treasury.
When Miss CasPari put IN an appearances
AID failed to pay the money. she was ar
reste5- She refused 10 discuss the case.
Rooms Were Searched.
Investigation by Detective Baur and his
partner. Fred Cornwen. in the course oS
which the rooms occupied by Miss Cas-
pari at the COrCOran street house vera
searched. disclosed the facts that Mss
GemmiH was not the only person 10 suf-
fer from the ''frenzied finance methods
OF the Baltimore woman.
Mrs Thomas A Robbins. Of 1853 Nassa-
chusetts avenue southeast. Ezs found "a
be the heaviest loser. and the detectives
visited her From her they learned she
had advanced the woman more than g. 30
Following her transactions stiu further
they found another victim in Mrs II. Z,
James. who conducts a small stationery
store at 172S Fourteenth street northwest
Mrs. James advanced soc TO the woman.
The fourth victim was found to be Mrs.
Edith E. Clagett. Of Brownsville. WASH
ington County. Nd.
The search Of the woman-s rooms vvas
made not only II an effort TO locate
other victims OF her Wiles but 10 learn =
possible. II she had any money secreted
or had papers OF books that would show
where she kept her money. Not a cent of
money was found. and no evidences OF
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