The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-07-13
MISS EGGERTON FREED; EVIDENCE
 NOT SUFFICIENT Accompanied By Sister, Brother-in-Law and Fiance She Appears In City
 Court
 BUYING ENGAGEMENT RING JeWeler Wittstein Called In Police, Declaring Woman Attempted to Take Dia-
 mond Ring
BUYING ENGAGEMENT RING

Florence May Edgerton, accused or theft of a diamond ring, was dis charged from custody in the City court today when Judge Foster. interrupting the defence in its effort to refute the charge, declared he was not willing to find her guilty on the evidence sub- mitted, and recommended that Prose cutor Delaney should press the charge no further. Guided by the suggestion of the court. Delaney nolled the case.
 Miss Edgerton was arrested late in the afternoon of July l at the store of Max Wittstein. 1126 Main street. Wittstein accused her of attempting to steal a diamond ring. The charge was substantiated by the statement of Pr1- vate Detective Chatfield, who happens to be a member of the special police department, and who was sitting in the store when the young woman en- tered
 The police were convinced that Miss Edgerton was either wholly innocent or was one of the cleverest thieves they had encountered. for she under went the ordeal of long questioning in the office of Captain Arnold with out flinching, and during her several appearances in court was never once disturbed.
 Before Judge Wilder more than a week ago the case was tried out. Witt stein and Chatfield testifying, and the woman denying the charge of theft. It was intimated at that time that she was about to marry, and had entered the store to buy an engagement ring at the request of her fiance. whose name she gave as JOhn Clancy, Car roll avenue.
 Today it was brought out that the woman was detained in the store for more than an hour, and that bargain ing was begun towards selling a. ring to her and settling the case in that man swore that Wittstein suggested that settlement. while he declared the suggestion came from the woman and her sister.
 Wittstein and Chatfield told their stories anew before Judge Foster nation by Attorney w. H. Com!ey counsel for the woman. Wittstein's s story was that he was showing the tray, filled with rings, to the woman, when another man entered to get watch from the repair department. He turned his back, and on turning to the woman again he noted the disappearance of one of the rings, worth $27. The woman selected an- other ring as her choice, and re- turned it to Wittstein, promising to call during the evening to make a deposit, and started out. Wittstein allowed her to get near the door, then forced her back to the show case. He said as he forced her left hand down on the show case the dia- mond ring that had disappeared from the tray, fell from it, with her purse.
 Detective Chatfield testified that he had been reading, and his attention was not attracted until he heard Wittstein accuse the woman. He said he saw her hand forced over the show case, and saw her drop a pocketbook, the ring and a handker- chief.
 The woman herself denying taking the ring from the case, admitted there were two diamond rings on the case when her hand was forced back there, but said she had no Knowledge of how they came there.
 Questioned as to the length of time she was detained there, she said she was given time to telephone her sis ter, Mrs. Winnifred Garrish, of $40 State street, where she lives, and that Wittstein told her sister, that the purchase of the ring would end the trouble. Then her sisters hus-