The Washington herald., 1912-06-04
WOMAN Is LOCKED
In BANK BUILDING
Miss F. B. Hunter Confined to Lewis
Johnson Structure Five Hours.
Cries Attract Crowd.

While a crowd Of gigantic proper
tions last night thronged the sidewalk
and street in front of the Lewis John
son Company's Bank Building, 1905
Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest. op-
posIte the Treasury. and in view Of the
White House, leading scores to think
impulsively Of either a bank run or a
robbery. Miss F. B. Hunter. seventy
one year old. Of 2llh Prince Street,
Alexandria, Va. remained for more
than four hours locked in the build
ing, unable because of deafness to
communicate with those outside.
With remarkable placidity, Miss
Hunter viewed her plight philosophi-
cally and prepared to spend the night
in the building. She stoutly refused
ITO give her name to the crowd outside
the building. but requested that they
notify DR.. Warfeld, OF Alexandria, to
advise her relatives that she would
not be home for the night. She then
told the crowd that she was going up
stairs to bed, and ascended the steps
OF the bank building TO the once rooms
of her first cousin. John Sheldon.
lawyer. on the third floor. For some
time she has been sharing her cousins
ONCE for the performance OF some pri-
vate business.
MI. celQen leIL lOe once yesterday
afternoon about o'clock. Upon leav-
ing, Miss Hunter requested him TO lock
the door, explaining that she had
key with her. Mr.. Selden locked the
door and departed. About S o'clock a
little girl was passing the building when
she heard a tapping on the ponderous
bank door. She stopped and listened
and then looked through the glass panes
in the door. An elderly woman was on
the inside. The woman spoke to the lit
tie girl. but the child was unable 10
hear distinctly. The girl told passers-
by Of the occurrence, but when they re-
turned the feminine form had disap-
peared.
About o'clock the crowds passing up
Pennsylvania Avenue were startled by
feminine cries OF Police. Police" is
suing from a small window on the
ground floor Of the bank building to the
left OF the door. Pedestrians rushed TO
the window and peertng through dis
cerned an elderly woman with white hair
standing on the inside shouting She
wore spectacles and a black bonnet
with strings tied neatly under her chin.
The persons who were attracted by the
cries rushed to the corner. where they
saw Policeman W. H. Lambert who was
preparing to station himself at the
Belasco Theater in preparation for the
JnedIeT lNTOQBS. ne hurried 10 the WIN
dow and asked the woman her name, but
she declined to make it known. Police
man Lambert told the prisoner that he
would soon have her freed. but she
seemed little concerned.
A big crowd soon collected. Persons
saw the policeman and those who sur |
rounded him, and sped to- the scene !
that there was either a run be- |
ing made on the bank or that a robbery |
had occurred.
About 9 o'clock William Bell. Of the |
Arlington Fire Insurance Company, |
which occupies the upper part OF the /
and William A. Mearns. Of the |
Lewis Johnson Banking Company, made |
their appearance with a key.
Entering the once Of John Selden. they |
discovered the woman seated at a desk |
beneath an electric lamp writing. The /
men announced that she was free TO
eave, and she put up her papers and |
started down stairs.
Miss Hunter lives in Alexandria with
hree spinster sisters. Mr.. Selden was
surprised last night to learn Of his
cousins plight. He said that Miss Hunter
las had a great deal OF personal busi-
less to transact Of late, and that he
her TO share his ofices.