The Washington herald., 1910-03-03
JEWELRY ROBBERY
BATTLES POLICE
Williams Accomplish Prob
ably Robbed Mrs. HOrnsby.
HOPE TO DEVELOP THEORY
Detectives Declare One Man Could
Not Have Committed Theft-Cabinet,
with Hinges Pried OF and Jeweiry
Removed, Found In Vacant House
Plank Used in Spanning Areaway.

Detectives investigating the $1,000 Jew
elrv theft from the home OF Mrs Rebekah
Hornsby. IT'S I street northwest on Mon
day night last. are working on the theory
that George Williams alias Glenn. alias
Smith. arrested about a week ago, charged
with perpetrating ten robberies In Wash
ington, may have an acoomplics who is
at large in the National Capital.
Although no clew has been found which
the police consider important the robbery
was committed by thief OF more than
ordinary talent who would have made
a congenial running mate for Williams.
The police have not obtained definite
information on which TO base their sup
position. Their belief that the man who
robbed Mrs. Hornsby may have worked
with Williams before hts arrest is only
a theory which they hope TO develop in
a few days.
Searched for Accomplish.
It is seldom that a second story worker
operates alone When Williams was ar
rested the police searched for several days
for HIS accomplice. Williams was put
through the Fthird degree" in an effort
10 force him 10 dlvulge information which
would lead 10 the identity of an accom-
plice.
Although Williams talked freely OF the
robberies OF which he is accused, he re-
fused TO tell anything OF his past and
denied that he had pal" The search
for the accomplce was abandoned only
10 De resumed when detectives started to
solve the mystery Of the Hornsby robbery.
Detectives say it would have been an
impossibility for one man to have COM
mitted the robbery in the street house.
1t is believed there were two men at
work when Mrs. Hornsby was out on
Monday night, and the police say these
two men were not only clever. but more
daring and skillful than any thief who
has worked in this city in years. ex-
cept Williams.
Police officials admit they are at sea
concerning the Hornsby robbery Mrs.
Hornsby Is the widow Of Isham n.
HoFnsby, who died about ten years ago.
She is the daughter of the late jeremiah
Black, who was governor of Pennsyl-
vania years ago. Col Robert Kennon.
Evans, L. S. A. a son-in-law Of Mrs
Hornsby, recently received a transfer.
and is said TO be In Yucatan with his
wife.
Prominent in Society.
Mrs HoFnsby is prominent socially in
Washington and has a host of friends.
She employs four servants and a coach
man at her home IN I street. About
O'Clock Monday night she left the house
Tor the theater. returning shortly after
10 o'clock When she retired 10 her
room she discovered that a large ma
hogany cabinet in which she secreted
part OF her jewelry was missing.
search of the house was made hut
the cabinet was not found. Mrs Hornsbv
notified the police, and detectives wers
sent 10 the house II was found that lew
eiry valued at several thousand dollars
had bsen overlooked by the thieves.
vacant house at ITl3 I street. which ia
separated from the Hornsbv home bv an
Areaway about four feet wide was
searched. In one room of the unoccupied
house was found the cabinet, its hinges
pried OF. and the jeweiry removed
II is believed the thieves secrsted them
selves IN the vacant house and watched
Mrs. Hornsby through an open window as
she moved about her room. In this way
the thieves learned where Mrs. Hornsby
hid her gems As soon as she left the
house. 1t Is thought, plank was placed
across the areaway so that the thieves
could traWi from a window OF the vacant
house into Mrs. Hornsby's room. They
probably experienced difficulty iD carry
1Hg the heavy cabinet across the plank