Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-02-20
WOMAN IS R0bbED'bURN STREET CARS.
Widow Choroormed Gagged Riots Quickly Follow Strike in
and Left in Vacant Lot Philadelphia.
s6O TAKEN FROM STOCKING THOUSANDS HAVE TO WALK
Lack Warning Leaves Crowds
Foot Unprepared for Trouble
MOUTH BOUND WITH VEIL POLICE FORCE WAS READY
Hole Dug ChildrenUnable Protect
to Account Public interests
Widow ChlorofOrmed. Gagged
and Left in Vacant Lot.
$50 TAKEN FROM STOCKING
Hosiery Used to Tie Her Hand and
Foot.
MOUTH BOUND UP WITH VEIL
Mrs. Dora Smith Found Unconscious
in Hole Dug by Children-Unable
to Give Clear Account.


Mrs. Dora Smith, forty years old, a
widow. was assaulted, chloroformed,
bound, gagged and robbed last night
about $50 o'clock She was unconscious
when found in q hole on vacant lot
near .th and Seaton streets. The hole
mad been dug -by children a long while
ago
The victim of the highwaymen was
robbed of $50, taken from her hiding
place-one of her stockings.
Her shoes and stockings had been re-
moved Her stockings had been used to
tie her hands and feet. Her hands had
been tied at the wrists behind her. Her
VEIL taken from her head had been tied
over her mouth.
Stopped at Grocer's.
From the house of DR.. f. c. Johnson.
6O6 Seaton place, where she had been to
see about nursing Mrs. Johnson, Mrs.
Smith was on her way to her home. 226
Quincy street northeast. She stopped
at the grocery of William Hussey, Sd
and X streets about thirty minutes be-
fore she found in the excavation.
Nearly three hours after she was re-
moved to Freedmens Hospital her hand
bag and tire bottle from which the chlo-
roform was administered were found by
the police Lieut.. Judge found the hand
bag near the hole. The bottle was also
found nearby.
No Evidence of Violence.
At the hospital the physicians examined
Mrs. Smith and said she had not been
sriminaly assaulted. nor had she been
beaten. There was the odor of the
.hloroform still lingering about her face
and clothing, part of the fluid having dis
.olored her forehead.
When she had regained her senses she
told the detectives she had been robbed
BY Italians. She was in no condition to
liscusS the case fully Today she will be
further questioned about her experience
Mrs Smith is the widow of James
smith, formerly an empioye in the shops
,f the Washington Railway and Electric
rompany at 4th and streets northwest
Mrs. Smiths Cries Heard.
\ colored domestic employed in the
souse of W. T. Mixsell. 312 street, was
he first person to hear the weak effort
made by Mrs. Smith to summon assist
ince. She informed MIR. MixselI and he
sent to investigate, under the impress
sion that waif had been abandoned on
The lot.
Reaching the hole. he found the woman
a y. IL,
oor, to come there.
Take that away from my mouth" Mr..
Hixsell heard Mrs Smith say before she
tad regained her senses.
G. c. Randolph 1911 Sd street, some
distance back of whose house the woman
Was found, and DR.. Johnson responded
o call for aid. The woman was cared
Tor until the arrival of the hospital am
suldnce.
\ small dose of whisky was admin
stored and Mrs Smith was covered with
blankets. There was some delay in the
arrival OF the ambulance.
Victim Is Hysterical.
As AIRS. Smith recovered from the ef-
'ects of the chloroform she became hys-
erical- While being removed to the hos
9ital she made a great outcry.
1t was some time after reaching the
hospital, the physicians say. before she
VAS fully rational and able to discuss
the affair with the police.
While in the hands of the highway
men, before Mrs Smith was fully under
he influence of the chloroform. she
tried To make herself heard. She was
able to recall that she had said to them:
The stars are looking down upon you
and viii condemn you, and Take my
money, but don't kill me-
Mrs. Smith, formerly a trained nurse,
ietected the odor of the drug and begged
hat il be taken from her. The robbers
we're deaf to her appeals.
Mrs. Smith has lived at the Quincy
street address since the death of her
husband about a year ago. Her three
.hildren-Ruth, twelve years: Jennie. ter
sears. and Marybelle, six years old-lived
With her. and she had two boarders.
Did Not Go Back to Grocer's.
several years and had always paid cash
top har .haSa niu he
BED at the store about o'clock on her
way to the house of DR.. Johnson and
left an order to be filled
Il will stop on my way back home "
the stated. Il may have forgotten al
hat i wanted.
S,e did not return. Mr.. Hussey learned
~ what had occurred To her. He lef,
sis store and hurried TO the lot, reaching
here before the arrival OF the ambu.
sIncc.
Crowd Gathers at Scene.
by the time the ambulance reached the
scene of the robbery many residents oi
lexington had gathered on the sidewalk
rhe affair had created much excitement
Ii that section.
Capt. Doyle. Lieut. Judge Sergt Whaler
md several eighth precinct policemen ane
Detectives Mullen. Warren, Pratt ant
ilowlett were among those who appeared
aron the scene and participated i'm the in
resignation. They saw persons who hac
seen Mrs. Smith shortly before she wa.
tttacked some We're engaged i'm search
nS the lot for clues. Others were at tn,
aosrtal to converse with the patient.
All Happened Quickly.
DIR. Johnson declares Mrs. Smith had
lot been away from his house more than
i've or ten minutes when he heard her
creams.
Il didn't see which way she went when
the left my house" said Dr. johnson
10 she started homeward she went west
the lot Is to the southeast of my
;ousS and on the opposite side of the
tTeet
The street is brightly lighted III Mrs
smith was grabbed after starting west.
ward she was carried a distance of abo,,,
oo feet before turn was made to take
Ter upon the lot.
The mole Is about six feet square and
hree feet deep and is about sixty fee,
rom the building line. II Is almost d.
'ectly in rear OF the house of Mr.. Ran
iolph in Sd street and Mr.. Mixseli in s
treet. and only a short distance from
house in which several Italians live.
While the investigation was being made
Continued on Second Page.)