The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-03-20
Declares She Is Wife of Alfred S.
Northrup, Attorney OF
Washington.
EDUCATED IN RICHMOND
Arrested for Theft of Mcshbags
From New York So
ciety Women.
Especial to The Tlmes-Dispatcn

Especial TO The Timcs-Dispatch.l
New York. March I9.-The mysteri-
Gus woman who has called herself Mrs.
Randolph Fitzhugh. arrested on March
49, charged with the larceny Of mesh
bags from society women while at
tending church. day was put through
one OF tho sevcrest cross-eNaminations
ever heard in New York court
Through series OF cleverly worded
questions put 10 her by Assistant Dis
trict Attorney Dickinson in Jefferson
Market Court, she finally declared that
she was Mrs. Alfred s. Northrup wife
OF a government lawyer in Washing
ton. and that her maiden name was
Fenncll. She explained that she had
used the name Fitzhugh, as that was
the name Of her first husband
When arraigned on Tuesday she said
That her father was a prominent Con-
federate general in Pensacola. Fla. In
response to inquiries made In that
city IL was stated that she was prob
ably the daughter OF General T. A.
Perry formerly Governor of Florida
and that she had married ono Conrad
Strong. prominent business man of
Pensacola II was further stated that
she was known socially. and was the
sister OF Mrs. Charles g. Parkhill
whose husband was Il member at one
time of the Supreme Court OF Florida
nv" 81 ItdulHS attorney III ampa.
AS the woman took the stand to-day
the court room was packed to stand
ing room with fashionably dressed
people, while numerous lawyers OF the
highest standing in New York City,
representing possible victims Of the
woman. occupied first and second rows
rs the day wore on and the woman,
who Is evidently unbalanced or the
clevcrest rogue tho police have yet had
TO deal with. calmly cvaded the per-
tincnt questions OF the district at
torncy by giving irrelevant answers
The judge ordered the court room doors
locked, and announced he would re-
main on the bench all night to get at
the truth.
Her story Improbable.
The young woman refused TO commi:
herself beyond telling "a story so un-
believablc that the magistrate sudden
~ rose and said
This defendants attitude cannot be
tolerated any longer. Her story is far
too flimsy and improbable to believe
shall remand her back to Jail for Il
further hearing on Friday morning
and shall hold her in $1,000 bail. The
only bail that I will consider. how
ever will he real estate"
When the case opened Detective Os-
valid testified to his talk with the wo-
man lie said she took him to St
Bartholomew Church and showed him
where she had hidden a mesh bag val
ucd at $500 under one of the pews. 1t
had been stolen from Mrs. Dorothy
l'iske. wife of Harvey Fiske, the bank
cr. but when the detective returned it
10 her she refused to press a charge
against Mrs. Fitzhugh. and Immediate
ly left the Jurisdiction of the court,
going to Atlantic city.
Magistrate Frcschi said he could not
hold the woman on the larceny charge
nj ipa
against her, and as Mrs. Fiske was
without the jurisdiction of The court
he would dismiss that complaint. The
woman was thercupon Immediately ar
raisncd on charge Of vagrancy. and
took the stand in her own defense. AS
sistant District Attorney Dickinson
proceeded TO question her. but she
cvadcd his questions until the court
ordered her TO answer. When asked
where she was born. she said:
IL was born I'm the West; no. ! mean
the South in 1856. | went to a CON
vent in Richmond. but ran away from
there when ! was sixteen years old.
Then ] went to Washington and mar
ricd Randolph Fitzhugh. We were
freed. and | married Alfred S. North
rup In February. 1911. After living
together for two months, I left him for
reasons that are unmentionable. and
came TO New York. where In December
Of 1911 my baby boy was born.
NY husband mas sent me money from
time TO time, but had had to dcpcnd
on relatives and friends mostly for my
maintenance. The last money he sent
me came ON March through his law
yer Joseph Solomon, OF Washington"
Magistrate froschi then trled to make
her say how she lived. what it cost her
and where she got the money. but she
parricd every question, until threat
ened with contempt proceedings. Then
she said:
II have never kept an account Of
money received or spent. but l en-
n nv nd