The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-08-08
POLICE NOW
upon I RAIL
Of BANKER
Missing Financier Said to Have
Been Intimate Friend of
Clarke Woman.

ORLANDO, Fla, Aug. 8.-Tele-
grams and letters from friends who
express confidence in her innocence
continued today to pour in on Miss
Lena M. T. Clarke, former post
mistress at West Palm Beach, Fla,
who is held in Jail here on a charge
of numbering Frederick A. Milti-
more, Orlando restaurant proprietor.
She spends most of her time at a
tiny typewriter sent her by one
Of these friends, writing letters and
occasionally poetry. 49,
Money From Elwell.
Little excitement was caused here
by a statement Miss Clarke is said to
have given Sheriff Karel, In which
the name of Joseph Bovine Elwell.
New York sportsman who was mys-
teriously slain, was brought into the
story.
The statement had been promised
by the sheriff several days ago ana
contained no facts that had not previ-
ously been touched upon.
AS for the Elwell angle, 1t only
speaks of him as having loaned Miss
Clarke money with which to cover
q shortage several years ago. This
money, she said, was paid back, after
which she covered and kited accounts
in her postoffice to hide the thefts.
Widespread search is being made
for a leading West Palm Beach bank
er, who had been sued by Miltimore
several months previously for alleged
trifling with Miltimore's daughter.
Questioning of this banker, who was
friend of Miss Clarke, Is now re-
garded by the police as having an i'm
portant bearing on the case.
All Of today this community was
agog with discussions of the dual per-
sonality of the pretty postmistress,
who, through her confession. revealed
herself as a feminine Jekyll and Hyde.
A Queer Combination.
Lena Mary Thankful Clarke. II you
please, is q queer combination - a
bundle OF contradictions. In personal
appearance and dress she Is 1ar from
attractive. Her figure Is heavy and
uncorseted and her clothes smack Of
the backwoods.
Her shoes arc generally without
heels and her stockings OF cotton. Her
skin is very fine in texture but COW
cred with large, disfiguring RECKLESS.
Miss Clarke's only assets In appear
ance are her hair, which 10 decidedly
Titan and naturally wavy. and her
eyes, deep blue In color and absolutely
straight and unwavering in their gaze.
She has cultivated a habit OF a
straight and steady look, believing
q directness of gaze to psychological
winner in dealing with human nature.
Miss Clarke is a firm believer in the
power of will. She informed the post
office inspector when he confronted
her with supposed knowledge that her
shortage was known to him, that 1t
was a question of his will against hers
and that hers was the master mind,
defying him to place the blame on her.
Charitable Nature.
Miss Clarke was a generous con-
tributor to all worthy charities-local
and national; a member Of the Cham
Der of Commerce. and of church
society for young people, whom she
banaueted on Monday prior to her
trip to Orlando. She quite frequent
" played for midweek services at
the church, where her family regu.
larly attended services, and gem
orally was looked upon as woman
OF strong religious beliefs.
The only time Miss Clarke ever ap-
peared before the public in any ex-
cept a business way was during the
last Seminole sun dance, a festival
held each March in Palm Beach,
when she took first prize on the
night of phantasmagoria as BRIDE
groom in a wedding party in which
Joe Farman, political boss during
Governor Cats administration, was
dressed as the bride.
Knowing her tendencies to avoid
society and taking into consideration
la,r al iva 20
personal attractiveness, people have
marvelled at the reported revelings
in which whiskey played an i'm
portant part.
Little old Grandpa Collins. care
talter of the J. e. Chambers home,
No. 323 South Poinsetta street, where
$500 of the missing post office
funds were found In studio
maintained on the top floor by Miss
Clarke characterized tho woman rs
O crank on cards.
A Fortune-TeI
Every time she came into tho
house, Grandpa Collins said, she
would sit down and cut the cards
and tell fortunes. He said:
"I used to tell her that some Of
the fortunes she told were bound to
come true because she told so many
of them"
The name NJ Frederick A. Mill
more and Lena Clark were con-
nected in an unpleasant way eight
or nine years ago and Mlltimore left
the post office. Later he became
again an employee Of the post office
and a candidate for the office of post
master, for which Miss Clarke also
was n candidate.
Miltimore accused Miss Clarke Of ir-
Irregularities in the office. but the af-
fair was hushed. Both lost out In
the race for postmaster and j. ID.
Argyle was named. He named Miss
Clarke as an assistant because OF her
fifteen years service. Upon Argyle's
resignation early in 1920, Miss Clarke
became acting postmistress and later
was appointed to the post.
Rev. T. A. Clarke, father OF Miss
Clarke. who is founder of a corre-
spondence course In theology taught
by an Atlanta seminary, declared to-
day:
THE law OF man may declare our