Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-04-03
POLICE THINK R0BBER
WAS MAN IN DISGUISE
Employe, Fleeing by Back Door,
Gives Alarm, But Thief Escapes.
NEIGHB0RH00D IS AROUSED
Annie Dorsey, Living Nearby, Is
Arrested on Suspicion, But De-
nies That She Committed
the Theft.

A woman, or man IN female AZURE,
armed with a small revolver and with
heavy black veil covering the face, en-
tered the store Of the Sanitary Grocery
Company at 3Io3 NJ street this morning
about 7:4o O'clock held UP two woman
clerks and the colored porter and robbed
the cash register of about $40
So quietly was the robbery perpetrated
and So slowly did the robber walk away
from the store after getting the money
that neighbors and passersby knew
nothing of the occurrence until the clerks
cav" the alarm.
Miss Susie May Crook of 1927 NJ street,
IraEaser of the store. was behind the
counter when the robber entered. Miss
Edna F'iaherty of J9 F street northeast
was in front OF the counter arranging
canned goods on the shelves. while the
Coiored porter was in the rear of the
store
The three employees Say they are salts
fed that it was woman who committed
the robbery, but the police of the seventh
precinct and Detectives Berman and Bur
linga.le. who conducted the invest1ga-
ton today, are inclined 10 believe other
NtSE- Aulile DtTSSys tlItrtS VI dSef
was arrested at her home, S01O NJ street,
slsI icion. the clerks saying her de-
srriftion tallies with that of the robber.
Answers to Description.
The woman walked as il there was
something the matter with her left side,
tic c.erks said before they saw Miss Dor
soy. and this comment Is correct a ap-
IiyinG to the woman who was arrested.
The latter denied that she had committed
Tie robbery. however, and explained, 1t
j. said, that she was a victim of circum-
stances, having gone across the street
rom her home to make a purchase about
line time the robbery was committed. She
entered her house just after Miss Crook
lad made an outcry. Her house was
sea-ched by the police. but nothing was
found to indicate that she owned a pistol.
Miss Dorsey was searched at the house
of detention, but the matron failed to
md anything TO suggest that she had
been implicated in the hold-up.
The affair caused considera Bile eX
element along NJ street this morning.
merchants expressing surprise that the
robber had not been apprehended, in
view Of the fact that the robbery had
been committed at a time wnen there
were many pedestrians on the street,
and when. they thought, it should have
been an easy matter to have followed
the trail ana made capture.
Telephones for Police.
Ii was explained by the clerks in
the store. however. that a few minutes
must have elapsed between the time
the robbery was committed and the
time when Miss Crook reached the
stree, through an adjoining building
and called for help. She went to
store att 3lst and NJ street and tele-
pLoncd for police assistance.
Policeman Lipscomb of the seventh
precinct Was standing at Wisconsin
away. when he was told Of the rob-
berry by Engineer James Reynolds Of
NO engine company.
When LipscOmb reached the store
anu found everything in confusion he
remained only long enough to hear
that woman in black had committed
the roDDery and had gone east along
NJ street huifying in the direction in
winch the robber had gone Annie
dorsey was seen to enter her house
about that time and the policeman ar
rested her. The two clerks saw her
shortly after she was arrested and
declared there was striking similar
ify between her voice and walk and
that of the robber
But. said Miss Crook. we couldn't
see the robbers face because OF the thick
black veil. and we couldn't say il she
was white or colored.''
Threatens to Shoot.
Miss Crook was taking the record of the
cash register this morning. when q per-
sSk attired in black entered and moved
behind the counter. Thinking the new
corner was 81 customer. Miss Crock quietly
inq,Iired: What will you have:'
Much to her establishment the caller In
formed Miss Crook she wanted the con-
tents Of the cash register, at the same
time drawing a revolver from under her
coat.
Get out" the robber commanded sew
erat times. ''or I'll shoot"
Miss Flaherty. who had not heard all
that had been said up to that time, turned
10 learn what was going The robber
thereupon directed her tn get out"
And said Miss F1ahertv i'm descrih
ing what had happened. Il went out
Walter Dixon, who is about sixteen
years old. admitted that the sight of the
pistol had caused q chilly sensation all
over his body. and he did not wait to
make an effort to learn IL the intruder
was woman or a man. He went to a
room in the rear Of the store and pushed
an ice box against the door after he had
assisted Miss Crook and Miss Flaherty To
place OF safety.
After reaching the room in the rear
OF the store. Miss Crook and Miss
F1aherty found it necessary to climb a
ladder over an abandoned stone stair
way and break a heavy wire netting
coiored woman standing near the wire
netting pulled them through the open.
ing, and they were then able to reach
the street through the building ad ioin-
ing the store.
portar Wateh., rh;.S