The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1910-01-27
Two Women WayIay Banker
in New York.
LOST $4,000 IN SCUfflE
Warner NJ. Van Norden Robbed by
Female Thugs After Politely
Picking Up Dropped
Pocketbook.

NEW lUlhs jan w 81 Nv 49, -
Norden, who is president OF the van
Norden Trust company, Is the man
who was robbed Of $4,000 In bills on
East Thirty-thlrd street on Wednes'
day night Of last week. The announce
ment of the arrest Of two women as
those suspected Of having been guilty
Of the robbery was made from police
headquarters. and Mr.. Van Norden
went there to identify them and later
signed his name to complaints.
Though one OF the women has made
a partial admission OF the crime that
is charged against her. neither OF the
two has produced the twenty-six $1,000
bills and twenty 800 bills which Van
Norden said had disappeared from
wallet in the inner pocket OF his dress
coat after an encounter he had with
the two women few doors east OF the
corner of Fifth avenue and East Thir'
tythlrd street about midnight on Wed
nesday. Mr.. Van Norden said that he
had been a victim OF pure case OF
hold-up. and the fact that two women
instead Of one or more men did the
trick did not In the least alter the
character OF the crime
Glad They Didn't Take All.
He was glad that the women high
waymen had not taken quite all that
he had when they waylaid him. The
$4,000 which they did take we're
stretched ut full length In the long
compartment OF his wallet doubled
into smaller pocket were four 500
bills and a single piece Of paper cur
rency with tho $500 mark on II. These
remnants Of the S2S 600 which Mr. Van
Norden had with him when he left tho
Hotel Waldorf to 90 to his home at I
West Fifty-seventh street had been
overlooked by the feminine thugs.
Il had been 10 the theater with
friends" said Mr.. Van Norden. We
stopped ri The Waldorf and had a 1T
tie supper. after which went into the
writing room and wrote ono or two
letters. started 10 20 home some
time about midnight ! went across
Fifth avenue and was walking mp East
Thirty-third street. intending TO take
a Fourth avenue car. ! noticed two
women just ahead Of me an old one
and a Young one. both rather hashlly
dressed.
zone Of them turned and looked at
me. and then. when was nearly up to
them. the Young one dropped her
pocketbook Immediately stopped to
pick II I'D. Just as ! dil SO the older
and heavier Of the two threw herself
on me. and felt her throw back the
lapel Of my heavy fur lined overcoat.
Wrestled with Woman.
81 rose 10 standing position and
wrested myself away from her The
younger woman was standing nearby
laughing. Don't mind her; she IS just
little bit drunk she said Just then
the older woman made another dive at
me and bit nc in the chest. I wrestled
with her for a fraction Of a minute
and then freed myself OF her.
81 don't remember that ! said any
thing. and there was nothing said by
the two women except that on remark
FROM the younger one walked on
toward the car at Fourth avenue;
since felt my watch aud the wallet In
my pocket I thought that II an at
tempt had been made 70 rob mo It had
failed. When 7 got home ! looked In
nv wallet and found that s2S0OO was
gone from the middle pocket
Mr.. Van .>,rien added that he was
not in the habit of carrying so much
money around with him in his evening
clothes. He carried II In an inside
rocket of the coat OF his evening
clothes. and ne could not understand
how Il had been possible for the wo-
man who lunged at him to find the
wallet. abstract so many bills and re-
turn It to his pocket without detec-
ton. After having discovered his loss
Mr.. Van Nnrden went early on the
following morning to headquarters and
reported the incident TO the detective
bureau. giving rrotty good descrip-
| ton OF the two women. Detectives
brought two women into headquarters
on Sunday. One Of them Is known
variously IS May. Anaie and Marble
Williams She gave her age as TWEEN
ty-four. The other. an older and heav-
Ter woman. said she was Bessie Rob-
erts. and that she was forty years old.
but she also is known in select police
society as Kitty Dowdell. OF Chicago,
one of the experts at purse grabbing.
Mr.. Van Ncrien went to headquar-
ters and promptly identified the two
women who we're being held as the
two who had robbed him. They were
held in $4,000 bail.