Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-14
Thieves Confine Depredations
to Housekeper's Room.
WORKMEN UNDER ARREST
One Admits Taking Coins Which Be
longed to Butler.
MISS CHILDs IS CHIEF LOSER
Brooch and Diamond Rings Stolen
From Her-Other Robberies Re-
ported to Police.

Bold burglars invaded the British en-
bassy Thursday night last. and Incidental
~ invaded British territory.
\ man and boy have been arrested IN
connection with the robbery.
4 diamond brooch and two rings, valued
at SO and $50, the property of the house
keeper. Miss Clara Childs. and several
foreign coins belonging to a butler en-
ployed at the embassy are known to be
missing.
When the robbery reported to the
police of the third precinct. Capt. Boyle
put a couple of sleuths on the job. George
Chfsm a mechanic who lives on Canal
road. and William Owen. aged sixteen,
of 1910 34th street northwest, were round
ed up.
Chism and Owens were taken to police
headquarters this afternoon. After ques-
tioninE by Lieut. Peck and Detective
Warren, the police say. Chism admitted
having taken the coins.
The two men will be held for a further
investigation. Both had been employed in
painting and repairing the embassy, and
were working on a parapet from which an
entrance could be gained to the house
keepers room which was robbed
Ambassador on Way From England.
Ambassador and Mrs. Bryce have been
in England for some weeks and sailed for
the United States last Saturday. In their
absence extensive repairs have been made
at the embassy.
During the progress of the work ladders
have been placed against the big house
and allowed to remain. Swinging scat
folds have been hung on a level with the
windows of the different stories.
1t Is supposed that by one or other of
these means the thief or thieves gained
fp fhn ir,pv he
third story from which they entered the
houSekeepers room.
In the absence of the ambassador. the
official residence of the Bryces has been
in charge of Miss Clara Chiids, the
housekeeper. All the main doors of the
embassy have been kept locked. In addi-
ton the front entrance has been gated
and chained.
Only the tradesmen's entrance, at the
rear. is kept open. But whether all the
windows were fastened is not known
Miss Childs discovered the loss when
she went TO her room Saturday morning
to get some money. After opening the
drawer in her bureau it was evident that
it had been ransacked thoroughly.
Her first thought after the discovery
was whether or not any state paper had
been taken. After making an extensive
examination of all the rooms. she came to
the conclusion that her own room was
the only one burglarized.
1t was not until late in the afternoon
tndt MISS SlllQS reported the burglary
to the police. About 4:3O o'clock she
called at the third precinct station and
made statement of the theft to Capt.
Boyle.
He detailed two officers on the case at
once. and they. as had the ser-ants made
a careful inspection of each room in the
embassy thinking that the theft of the
valuabes from the housekeeper's room
on the third floor might have been a blind
to divert suspicion from the abstraction
Of state papers from rooms on the lower
hoors. But they found no evidence Of
such a course.
the officers to suspect the two workmen
who had been employed at the embassy
TOT a week or more. This suspicion was
followed yesterday by the arrest of Chism
and Owen. The work Of these men had
been in proximity to the parapet that
Lodges the third floor.
Muzzle on at Embassy.
No one but the housekeeper and the
servants are at present at the embassy.
They are not giving out any informal
ton concerning the robbery.
A maid who answered the reporters
ring declined to give any information
whatever. painter who was at an open
window grinned when asked If he could
get in communication with an attache of
the embassy, and disappeared for a few
minutes. Then he brought the same
maid, who said she had been instructed
not 10 say anything. The housekeeper
refused to appear.
Finally. after insistent telephone calls
some one said over the phone that the
housekeeper was anxious not to have
anything appear in the newspapers about
the robbery.
To the question whether an inventory
was being made an answer was refused.
Nothing else than articles already re-
ported had been missed, 1t was declared
Other Robberies Reported
The police have received reports OF
numerous other robberies which have oc-
CURED in the city in the past few days.
Mrs. DR.. Sacks of S25 tn street northwest
reported that some time since last Tues
day a diamond brooch valued at S25;
two undershirts, valued at S14; a linen
waist, worth So, and silk waist, valued at
81; a pair of white kid gloves. valued at
$3.50; a pair of stockings. valued at 81,
and 81 in cash had been stolen from her
home.
A savings bank containing between 81
and IS was stolen from room in the
home of Lucy Jackson, Hills court
northwest
\ canvas bag containing a number of
old Spanish. Japanese and Chinese coins
Is reported missing from room on the
third floor of 1412 Belmont street north
west by Benjamin F. Wright og 2332 LIST
street northwest.
A number of carpenters tools are re-
ported stolen from beneath a porch at the
home OF Thomas c. ODea. 1149 4th street
northeast.
d. ]. Howell. a civil engineer with an
Office in the Huyler building 18th and F
streets northwest. reported this morning
that the door to his office had been forced
open last night with a chisel and that his
desk in the room had been ried. Moth
ing was missing.