The Washington times., 1910-12-14

With Mrs. Columbus Alexander, the
aEed victim OF thefts aggregating thou
sands Of dollars, steadfastIy refusing TO
be the one who shall open the doors
Of the penitentiarv 70 a relative, es-
peciaIlv a woman, who is suspected, the
authorities are today facing the crisis
IN the investigation
Though the latest complaint about the
series Of thefts IN the Alexander home
was MADE BY Thomas W Hay, acting as
trustee Of the $4,000 estate, there is a
disposition on the part Of certain Tela-
ttves 10 bring the investigation 70 an
abrupt end However, Mr. Hay is
averse to having the case dropped ty
the police, although he is anxious 70
have conclusive evidence before any
member Of the family Is officially &C
cused-
One new phase Of the case IS that the
big income from the Alexander estate no
longer IS concealed in a quaint old tin
box, but Is deposited in a bank Had
this been done a dozen years ago. 1t IS
argued by relatives, there would be no
scandal in the family today. and the
aged widow probably would be richer by
more than $4,000. Rents and other rev
enues accruing from the various proper
ties belonging 70 the estate are now
placed IN the bank-beyond the reach Of
thieves and preying relatives
VIII Eliminate Malice
Before presenting the circumstantial
evidence to the grand jury. the United
States Attorneys office win conduct a
thorough preliminary examination Of all
the probable witnesses. in order that It
may be determined whether the evil
dence Is stronger than the suspicion ex-
pressed by certain members of the fam
lily
It is not the desire Of the Government
prosecutor 70 be a party 70 either side
in the bitter family feUd, and for that
reason he viii take rs hasty action that
may be urged by a revengeful relative
''AH evidence must be stripped Of
any sembIance Of revenge and vim
6ictiveness. and II must be clearly es-
tablished that justice and not revenge
is done by this Office" declared an
attache Of the United States At
tOrney's Office Then If the evidence
IS sufficient II viii be presented TO the
grand jury"
Inspector Of Detectives Boardman and
Detectives ok and Berman now refuse
70 divulEe any details Of the evidence
collected ny them They are still work
ing on tn, case, but at the suggestion
Of the Government prosecutor and
members OF the Alexander family, are
maintaining strict secrecy
Several Links Missing.
Detective Cox has talked the matter
over with Assistant United States At
torney Harvey Given, and one OF the
conclusions reached was that there are
vet several disconnected links IN the
chain OF CirCumstanIiaI evidence
Another person who has conferred
with the assistant prosecutor is Thomas
". Hay who made the original com
plant TO the police Efforts have been
made by members Of the Alexander
family to have the Investigation stop
ped because OF the threatened scandal.
but thus far the aged trustee has been
obdurcte-
Sympathy and sentiment has no
place IN this investigation asserted a
relative Of Mrs Alexander This aged
woman has been the prey of trusted
thieves for several years, and the guilty
deserve no more sympathy than was
accorded their victim It has not been
enough that she has been made the in
uOcent sufferer Of the nasty family
feud, but she has been robbed and rob-
bed without mercy