The Detroit times., 1910-11-17
WOMAN DRUGGED
ON. Street AND
ROBBED OF $500
Mrs. Alta Van Deventer Attacked
Just After Leaving Boarding House
and Gagged With Handkerchief
Saturated With Chloroform.
FoOtpad slashes Clothing and Secures
Money Which Was Sewed Inside
Dress.

Mrs. Alta Van Deventer, IS years
old, living in Mt. Morris. n. Y, and
boarding at the home of Mrs. C.. G..
Lillibridge. No g. Wiuder.st was at.
lacked by highway man gagged with
a handkerchief saturated with chloTo.
form and robbed Of 500. which she
had wrapped up in handkerchief and
pinned TO her waist beneath her cor.
set, about 8: 80 o'clock Wednesday
night
She was waylaid just after leaving
the Lillibridge home. on her way to
mall box with letter she was send
ing 10 h>r son Carl Shepard. barber,
in H0inell, ~ Y The assallaut
grabbed her as she was passing a va.
cant Tot. dragged her from the side
Nalb and viciously went TO work at
rippmg her clothes from her waist
evidently knowing that she had the
roll OF bills concealed within After
gntting the money, the robber left
Mrs. Van Deventcr unconscious on the
ground She was found some hours
later and taken TO ST Mays hospital
in the police ambulance Her breast
the robber in wrestling the money
from her clothing.
The police believed that Mrs Van
Deventer had tried to commit suicide,
because of tho odor OF chloroform
which came from her. but DR. Ross
Hamilton, house surgeon in st. Mary's
hospital, found that she had taken
4 no poison. He pumped ont her stonl-
ach and found no trace of drug OF
any kind He smelled chloroform on
her, however, but Is OF the opinion
1 that the drug was on her face. the
\ result OF the handkerchief being
| stuffed into her mouth by her assall-
ant.
Please deny the report that tried
| TO commit suicide" tearfully pleaded
F.. Mrs. Van Deventer with The Tines
Il when seen on her cot In st. Mary's
\ hospital. Thursday morning. IL made
1 no attempt on my life | had no rea-
/ son TO do that | was attacked by a
l robbeT. a large man, just after | left
the Liilibridge house where | have
been rooming since week ago We'd
nesday. when | came here from my
Rome in Mt. Morris. " Y. 20 receive
a payment OF 1852 in connection with
the sale Of some OF my property In
y Newaygo county, Mich
Il saw man crouching behind n
tree Just as left the Lillibridge
house. | was afraid and turned back.
Z remained on the steps for n few
\ minutes and then, thinking the fellow
had gone. I went out again. AZ
reached the vacant lot. was grabbed
and pulled off the sidewalk. The man
stuffed the handkerchief into my
mouth just as I started 10 yell. He
also pulled a revolver on me. then
seemed 10 lose my senses. and re
membered nothing more until | woke
pup in the hospital.
"The money | lost Was paid to ME
Isby Otis l.. Glsbery, Grand Rapids
/ attorney. who sold the property IN
Ncwaygo county. for me. II was last
"wednesday that | received II. Mr.. |
Glisbery was on his way out west |
Cwhen he handed over the money 70 |
me. met him here by arrangement I
Tor the purpose OF getting the pay.
meut He left for the west as soon |
as the money was paid over The |
nroperty he sold for me was left TO !
Ame by my father. George W Bern I
A,hardt. who died two years ago in /
Tuscarora village, y, y, eight mics |
from Mt Morris
When came here week ago |
last Tuesday. was perfect |
stranger. II was night when | ar
rived and I went 10 the police for Ill. |
rections as TO where TO stay. They |
sent me to the Y w. G. A. and these |
speople recommended the Lillibridge |
home 10 me had 1892 with me
when I came, hut most Of that has I
been used for expenses am sure !
nobody knew ! had the money con- |
,ealed beneath my corsets, and can
not see how that assailant knew
.Ehere to find IL"
In addition 10 having the money
Oinned tu her waist. Mrs Van Devon
er also attached the following note
~ am Mrs. Alta Van Deverter, OF M.
Morris, Livingstone county. New
York Ny Detroit address is No g.
ijVinder ST., where live with Mrs. LII. /
bridge"
Mrs. Van Deventer says that she
always keeps her name and address
concealed about her when she is in a
itrange place, SO that her Identity will
.e known should anything happen to
der.
{ Mrs Van Deventer is short,
Slump little woman, and looks mucn
younger than As. She is now a
widow. having buried her second huS'
yand. Chauncey Albert Van Deventer,
Two years ago Her first husbands
Aame was Shepard, by whom she lad
hree children. one Of them is the
ION in Hornell ~ Y. while an
sther is willard c. Shepard, "a years