Omaha daily bee., 1911-07-16
mrs. ARMOUR FILES SUIT
Widow of Kansas City Packer Wants
Housekeeper to Return $l42, 900.
SECURITIES TAKEN FROM VAULT
Woman Who Was Acting Com
panion TO Mrs. Armour AbstrActed
Securities and sold or Hid
Them in Dog kennel.

KANSAS CITY. July lS-Mrs Margaret
Armour. the packer filed suit in the cir
cult court here today for $1,000 against
Miss Harriet Byington to cover the pecu-
lauons alleged to have been made by Miss
Byington while serving as companion and
housekeeper to Mrs. Armour.
The first inLmation the public received
concerning peculations against Mrs.
Armour came about three months ago,
when local newspapers published stories
saying that $1,000 in bonds and securities
had disappeared from Mrs. ATmour's safety
deposit box at the New England National
bank Of this city.
I he fact that the majority of the business
Of Mrs. Armour's household was conducted
by Mrs. Armour's companion. nurse and
housekeeper, and the fact that this com
panion held the keys 10 Mrs. Armour's
safety deposit box was mentioned, but the
name OF the companion was kept a secret
Mrs. Armour refused TO believe any charges
Of dishonesty against Miss Byington. Mean
while new discoveries increased the amount
Of missing securities until the Armour at
torneys stated it was $4,000.
Miss ByingtOn COnfesses.
Under pressure brought to bear by
friends Of Mrs. Armour and despite the
expressed confidence Of her employer. Miss
Byington several days after the discovery
Of the pecuIatons, confessed that during
the three years she had been in Mrs
Armour's employe, she had from time to
time extracted securities from the safety
deposit box and SOLD them to brokers on
the pretense she was doing il for Mrs
Armour, who desired the money for pri-
yate charities.
Miss Byington then directed investigators
10 a dog kennel at the Armour home where
about $500 Of the securities were found
buried in a corner. She promised to re-
store the remainder. 1t developed that thou
sands of dollars had been spent by Miss
Byington for fine jewelry and works OF
art for which she had paid fabulous prices
in some cases apparently with tie use OF
little Judgment
JeweIry and Rugs Found.
From storage houses IN this city. under
Miss Bylngtons direction. Mrs. Armour 5
representatives recovered $1,000 worth Of
JeWelry bought from one firm in the course
| OF eighteen months s. 90 worth Of oriental
rugs and Si.0oJ worth Of mezzo unts pur-
chased from a local art dealer. whose
shop she had freQUented great deal. Other
geW-gaws and flashy art works were found
/ IN Miss ByIngtons apartments at the Az
mour home
| MISS bylngtou came 10 Kansas City from
Rochester, X. y. and entered Mrs. Ar
mour's employ about three years ago. Mrs.
Armonr is &c years old. Gradually she
came 10 learn more and more upon her
companion until eventually she gave her q
large part OF the control Of the financial
mana cement Of the household. Nnen told
/ BY her attorneys OF the disappearance ol
securities, Mrs. Armour refused TO take
any action against Miss Byington and for
weeks afterward kept her In her employ.
The amount named in the suit Sl42Oo5 il
stated 10 cover the entire amount Of alleged
REGULATIONS, including the bonds ana the
value Of her properly returned. Vouchers
showing the amount returned must be pre-
sented in court and credited against the en-
/ tire amount Of the suit
According to art dealers and jewelers. Al
y hose establishments Miss By1ngton spenr
thousands Of dollars. she PAID little atten-
| ton 10 price and upon taking q fancy 10
any article ordered II without further con
soeraton. In explanation Of her pur-
chases, she usually said she was making
them for brother in south America. No
I trace OF this brother has ever been found
by those interested IN the recovery Of Mrs.
Armours properly.
NO Criminal Suit.
I believe this suit is brought merely 10
take Miss Bytngton's deposition" said Jo-
seph B. Stacey. Miss Byington's attorney.
I Mrs Armour is anxious 10 learn where
the other properly is and believe the pur-
pose Of the suit is merely TO force Miss
Byington TO tell how she disposed OF il
DO not believe e criminal suit will follow
the civil one"
Il would work my hands 10 the bone IL
could thereby recover al the property
that / took from her" Miss Byington said
today. Mrs Armour was my friend and
would never have taken the things IL
had not been temporarily demented II
there is any other property left to be dis
covered. ] can be Of no help. for / can
recall no place IN which have hidden il"