Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-05-14
TROUBLE IN BIG HAT
Purchase of One Causes Ar
rest of Young Girl.
NABBED IN F STREET STORE
Mabel Alberta Granger to Face False
Pretense Charge.
LOVE OF FINERY DISASTROUS
Prisoner Accused Of Securing Wear
ing Apparel Valued at $3.50
in Another's Name.

Miss Mabel Alberta Granger. seven
teen years old. dressed in charming
suit of white, and with white shoes
peeping delicately from beneath her
skirts, just enough to give a hint of
silk stockings; went into an F street
store yesterday and ordered hat
which took a hat box almost as big as
herself. Before she could leave the
store to Join the afternoon F street
promenade, however, a large detective
from headquarters, James Springman
by name, bowed politely and arrested
her. She is charged with obtaining
goods under false pretenses.
When Detective Springman walked
into police headquarters at the District
building with Miss Granger and the
hat box four other detectives emitted
sighs of relief, for they were assigned
to the case, and are of the opinion that
in the arrest Of Miss Granger the de-
partment has solved one of its hard
given out by the police last night is
correct, Miss Granger had outfitted her
self with about a hundred and fifty
dollars worth Of finery from various
stores, about all of which has been
found, according to the detectives who
made a hurried call to the girls board
ing place on Sth street northeast.
Miss Granger was not at all broken
up over her arrest She was taken to
the house Of detention and some of the
detectives talked to her about a list of
things which the stores have complain
ed of, saying that a young woman
bought them on a worthless order. The
detectives said last night that Miss
Granger had admitted her wrongdoings
and said s'she was in trouble and would
have to make the best Of It,"
Goods Charged to Another Woman.
The detectives say that Miss Granger
lived with her grandmother at 1101 Sd
street southeast until a short time ago.
She was recently employed by Miss s.
L. Radcliffe at 1860 U street. The orders
on which the goods left the various
stores about the city bore the name of
Miss Radcliffe. the police says, and the
goods were charged to her.
According to the police, two stores
sent out hnery on this name, and then
Miss Ratcliffe found out something
about 1t and entered most strenuous
stores that she mad not sent such a
girl for any goods. Thereupon the i've
detectives got busy. Somehow they OBJ
tanned pictures of Miss Granger and
spent many hours visiting stores show
story as far as they knew it, up to the
time.
Yesterday the merchants seem to have
been fairly well educated in the matter.
When Miss Granger called at an r street
store and picked out q thirty-six-dollar
hat she was not questioned until after
the hat had been put in one Of the big
gest millinery boxes In the place. The
people in the store looked at the order
carefully, asked Miss Granger many
questions about the signature, the order
and about herself. and meantime the de-
tective was speeding F street-wards It
was then that Miss Granger was arrested,
and she will probably answer to the
charge In the Police Court tomorrow
morning.
Ran Up Big Bill, Police Say.
The police say that Miss Granger called
at a Pennsylvania avenue store more
than week ago and ran up a DAl Of
$54 in Miss Ratcliffe's name. Her list
at that store included dress, a pair
Of slippers. vanity set. a pair Of brace
let's, handbag and some stockings She
wanted two ostrich plumes and some
fancy work and hat, but she did not
get them. Then she put on some of
these clothes, the police say. and went
to a store in 7th street. A suit, a pair
OF corsets and pair of gloves were sold
her. the police say.
While sne was In the house Of deten-
tion last night she was very penitent,
and especially bitter toward a certain
girl, whom she called by name. blaming
her for her present trouble Miss
Granger intimated that the girl she nam
ed had led her into it, The young
woman thus involved made a very en-
phatfc denial
The police say that Miss Granger was
left an orphan when she was very young,
and that part OF her life has been spent
In an orphan asylum. Her grandmother
took the orphan to live with her in the
southeast section. but Miss Granger has
preferred to live elsewhere some of the
time. About week ago, when she left
her grandmothers house. she rented a
room on Sth street northeast. near Mas
sachusetts avenue. and Is said to have
told the people at that place that she
was from the north. intending to stay
but few days in the city While she
was in the house Of detention she told
the detectives the location Of the house.
They called there and reported that they
found most Of the property they de-
scribed as coming from the stores.