Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1921-03-02
" oman and
Man Caught
In Holdup
Female Bandit Cornercd After
Attempted Daring Daylight
Holdup, Blames Craving
For Drugs.
Mate Has Police Record

Her craving for narcotics led Mrs.
Jennie Van Housen, 230j Leaven-
worth street, to heed the words Of
Ivan B. Russell, burglar and pick
pocket, and aid him in the daylight
holdup of the National Fur and
Tanning company. l7l0 Douglas
street. shortly after noon yesterday.
She declared this when questioned
at Central police station this after
noon, where she is now held pris-
oner.
She and Russell were captured
after thrilling chase through down
Town streets q few minutes after
staging their daring ho!dup.
. Why did you do it," she was
asked
We'll. Russell told me it'd be
soft job" she replied. Eyes, that
my only reason needed the
money and decided to try it,
First Highway Robbery.
1t was her frs, highway robbery
ofiense,
Didn't you know Chief of De-
tectives PszanoWski had ordered
Russell to leave town." she was
asked
why did you do this when you
knew he was subject to arrest!'
We'll, lvan's a good little fellow"
she replied-and then closed up like
clam.
Russell's Bcrtillon record at Cen
tral police station. if stretched ont
in a single trip, would reach from
Sixteenth and Farnam streets to
Dundee. i'll the words OF several of
the detectives.
He has been arrested on various
charges i'll Omaha. Lincoln. Den
yer, San Francisco, Fort Worth,
Dallas, Memphis, St, Louis. Chica-
go, Minneapolis. Kansas City and
other cities. according to the Ber-
tillon records.
Ordered From City.
He was arraigned for vagrancy
only Monday and ordered to get
out Of the city by Judge Foster and
Chief of Detectives Pszanowski.
Eight years ago, he was arrested
as a pickpocket by Chief Pszan-
owski when he was a detective. He
has since been arrested several'times
by Danbaum and Palmtag, Trapp
and Munich, and Haze and English.
Mrs. Van Housen's home was
raided several weeks ago by fed
eral narcotic agents. She is alleged
to be drug addict herself by the
police.
Her husband, James Van Housen.
is now being sought by the federal
authorities on narcotic charges, ac-
cording to the police.
The holdup which the pair staged
at noon in the heart Of the bust
ness section of the city was one of
the most daring ever attempted i'll
the city OF Omaha.
When taken 10 Central police sta
ton the man was recognized as
Russell, who was released from the
county Jail Sunday. where he was
serving a sentence OF 90 days for va
grancy. His record in the Bertillou
room includes every known crime,
SSNtihliik W tiiN poiiNN' ~ SiA fciN ePS
and robberics TO theits and pick
pocket work.
Mrs Van Housen first gave the
name of Jennie Smith, 2j05 Leaven-
worth street.
Caught by Pinkerton.
The man ard woman were cap
tured by Z. II. AYcril, Pinkerton
detective who was assisted by G.. +.
Jones, secretary OF the Billings Den
;al Supply company.
.Aver;l saw the woman carrying the
suitcase and his attention was at
tracted by one Of the fur coats which
the woman had attempted to con
ceal under her own wrap.
Then when he heard the shouts OF
Mrs. Mary adams, who sounded the
alarm. he took up the pursuit and
caught the couple in the Seventeenth
stree. entrance OF the Table Supply
company.
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