Los Angeles herald., 1910-03-09
JEWEL ROBBERY
DECLARED PLOT:
FiNkS ARRESTED
Mystery of 500 Trunk
Looting Solved, Say
Detectives
LONG SEARCH ENDS
Secret Service of Railroad
Company Weaves Net
About Couple

uous labor on the part of corps
of Southern Pacific detectives, in
volving many sensational clews and
much mystery in connection with the
disappearance of trunk declared to
have been looted of 100000 worth of
jewelry belonging to the Albert Fink
Jewelry company, in the Broadway
Central building, Los Angeles, officers
yesterday arrested Albert Fink and his
wife, Julia Fink on a charge of at
tempting to defraud the Hartford In
surance company by a clever con-
spiracy.
Fink and his wife were arraigned In
Justice Summerfield's court shortly
after their arrest yesterday and were
released under $4,000 bonds each. 1t is
claimed by the detectives that Mrs
Fink admitted she was known as Eta
Schultz while at the Argonaut hotel
San Francisco, from which place, it is
declared, a woman of that name
shipped the trunk to San Jose where
later ii was found rified except for a
small quantity of tewelry.
The $4,000 trunk mystery" as It
has come to be known, has for two
months baffled the best detectives Of
the Southern Pacific company, which
investigated the case with special dill
advisers the company would have to
pay the claim of the Fink concern If
the railroad company could not prove
what became of the missing jewelry
Trunk Shipped North
The trunk supposed to have con-
tanned the jewelry was shipped from
Los Angeles to San Francisco by
Harry Adams. a salesman for the AL
bert Fink company. on December 30
last the salesman receiving the GUS
tomary check for it,; but before his
departure for San Francisco, II is said
by the detectives, he returned to the
city from the Arcade depot and while
in the company Of Albert Fink and his
wife, 1t Is said. circumstances arose
by which Adams check was exchanged
for one for a piece of baggage which
was shipped short time previously.
Adams disclaims all knowledge of the
change, but admits he knew that the
woman who called herself Eta Schultz
went TO San Francisco shortly before
he did
On his arrival at San Francisco. ac-
cording TO Adams, he called at the sta
tion for his trunk. presented his check
and was given n suitcase, evidently
shipped from Los Angeles and checked
by the woman known as Eta Schultz
Protesting that 1T was not his baggage
and that his check called for a trunk
containing $4,000 worth of jewelry,
Adams wired to the Fink company
and the latter put in a claim for the
value of the jewelry.
simultaneously the woman known
at Eta Schultz Is declared to have
presented Adams check, secured the
trunk and later to have shipped It to
San Jose. where 1t was opened and had
the appearance of having been looted,
although small quantity of iewelry
was found in the bottom. which Fink
later said did not represent anything
like the amount of jewelry he had
given to his salesman, Adams, to carry
in the trunk
Detectives practically concede that
$4,000 worth of 1ewelry may have been
shipped and that Adams took charge
of the trunk and shipped IT with hon
est intentions but they believe his
check was changed by the woman
while he was unaware.
At the Hotel Argonaut San Fran
cisco. at which place the woman
known as Eta Schultz registered after
her arrival from Los Angeles and inst
prior to the arrival of the sales agent
Adams It was stated that the woman
pretended to be a foreigner. and TO
every one but the porter who handled
her trunk she is said to have spoken
extremely poor "pidgin" English TO
the porter it Is said. she spoke good
English, and directed him as to the
disposition of the trunk with great
care and precision.
Detectives on Trail
Declining to pay the $4,000 demanded
by Fink of the railroad company, and
sustained in this attitude by the Hart
ford Insurance company. which re-
fused to pay the other $4,000 demanded
by Fink, the Southern Pacific began
an investigation of the affair." and for
two months the actions of Fink and
his wife were closely watched, but
every effort to trap them proved un-
availing.
Monday afternoon. when two of the
employees OF the Argonaut hotel. San
Francisco, disguised as book agents,
called at the Fink home and engaged
her in conversation, they had a good
opportunity to determine If she was
the same woman who had registered
at the Argonaut hotel under the name
of Eta Schultz. They unhesitatingly
reported to Detective BoWles of the
Southern Pacific detective agency, who
has charge of the case, that she is the
same woman, and with this positive
identification Detective W. M. Free
man Of the Southern Pacific company
swore to the complaints on which the
couple were arrested.
1t is claimed by the detectives that
after their arrest Mrs. Fink was con-
fronted with evidence of her guilt. and
that she broke down and confessed
she was Eta Schultz. which latter was
her maiden name.
Fink is said TO be wealthy, and up
to the time of his arrest was doing a
flourlshing wholesale jewelry business,
it is said. and was popular about town.
His wife. also. is wei known in Los
Angeles and San Francisco.
Fink's attorneys declared last night
that their client is innocent and that
he is the victim instead of the offender.
PEARL is WORTH $165,ooo