The Washington times., 1918-12-29
SAYS WAR HERO"
TOOK SABLE COAT

NEW YORK, Dec. "a man
known as Private Arthur BodlIin.
who gave his address as "any promi-
nent Broadway hotel" has been ar
rested charged with the theft OF
sable fur coat valued At 81 500, ana.
later In the west side court, was held
in S2,5O0 bail for the grand jury.
Mrs. Florence Z. Druding, twenty
seven years old. widow Of Lieutenant
Druding. Of the 314th Machine Gun
who was killed in France
II the complainant against the soldier.
It IA said by the police that a mes
sage to Camp Merritt disclosed the
fact that Bodkin. who Is twenty-four
years old, was 4 member Of Company
N, Thirty fourth Infantry, from when
he IN said to have deserted last Au-
gust. According to the police. he Is
also wanted on several charges made
BY the army officials.
Mrs. Druding. in court, told Magis-
trate Robert Ten Eyck tat she hrst
met Bodkin on Thanksgiving Day,
when he was among q number OF SOL
dIers who were her guests at dinner.
He was introduced at the time, sne
said. as ''Sergt Edward Murphy. OF
Chicago" a wounded veteran, wear
ing four "wound trlangles" and
number of service medals.
Says she Was DrugEed.
Following the dinner, Bodkin. Mrs
Druding said. made several calls
Finally. last Saturday, he tslephoned
her and invited her 20 have dinner
with him. They dined at a local res
taurant and during the meal, Mrs
Druding testified. the man in uniform
suggested that she order some liquor
for him. She refused 10 do so. she
said, and he produced small bottle
containing a liquid. She alleges that
the soldier must have drugBed heE
&C Zee. for a short time later she col
lapsed sud was taken home in a taxi
cab by Bodkin-
At her home a maid took care oil
her and a physician was called to at
tend her. The next morning she dis
covered that her sable coat was miss
ing. She had worn It when she wen;
to meet Bodkin. and II later developed
that she left 1t in the taXicab when
she was taken into her home. The
police of the West Sixty-eighth street
station were notified OF the theft and
Detectives william Mahr and Thomas
Donohue were assigned to the case.
In a pawnshop the coat was found
by the detectives. 1t had been
pawned by a person named Barbara
Lee. Miss Lee was found. She proved
to be an actress, twenty years old.
Miss Lee. according to the detec-
tiVes, said that she knew Bodkin, who
| brought the coat to her saying that
he had bought It for his sweetheart In
| the West, but his finances ran low
and he decided to pawn 1t until he re-
ceived money from home. He asked
her to pawn the coat, which she did,
she says.
Calls New. York Girls Easy.
Mrs. Druding pointed out the sus
pect to the detectives. Miss Lee also
Identified him. the police say 1t ia
said that he denied stealing ths coat
saying he only borrowed Il to renew
his funds.
In the West Side tail Dndkin is al'
legged to have remarked that the girls
of New York were easy to defraud. A
Miss Mary O'Dell ninete"l years old
called at the jail and demanded the
return of a ring, which she said Odd
kin took from her.
Bodkin is further alleged u haV'
remarked that he knew broadway
and the White Lights" too well. and
that his family At Chicago and Nlr
ginia were wealthy and prominent IL
business and social life.
The soldier prisoner was In uniform
and wore the chevrons OF sergeant
HIa medals were all highly polished