Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1923-01-03
POLICE FIND FLAW
IN GEM THEFT YARN
Deny Mrs. SchoeIIkopf Was
Dragged or ChIoroformed,
as Previously Reported.
by the Associated Press.

0S sSvhVASfy ss~P~s &Ss
BY the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, January 3-The po-
lice. holding one man and pursuing
two others. today described as an or
binary and non-intellectual hold-up
the New Year eve robbery of Mrs.
&c. p. Hugo Schoeilkopf of Buffalo,
who claims to have lost jewelry val
ued variously at s150.00o to 100000.
Police Inspector Coughlln. who has
spent many hours questioning Mrs.
Schoellkopf and other guests at
tending q party in West SD street
apartment house. in which the rob-
berry occurred, announced that he was
gradually ironing out apparent dis
crepancies in the various stories,
and that he hoped soon to pick up the
trail of the gems.
Carman Under Arrest.
Frank Barrett Carman. former
actor and companion of the wealthy,
who was host the evening Mrs.
Schoellkopf was robbed in the apart
ment beneath his, is under arrest.
Meanwhile the police are seeking
TWO men. described as actors, VINO
sublet from Carman the apartment
in which Mrs Schoellkopf was rob-
bed and which Carman had taken
over from Fanny Brice, actress, wife
of Nicky Arnstein.
Carman told the police. CouBhlir
said, that he formerly had appeared
on the stage as an impersonator but
that Ave years ago in Newport. II. J..
he had met j. Brown Pierce of New
York. retired financier. and for four
years they travelled together. year
ago he left Pierce. but claimed still
to be receiving from him a monthly
allowance of $3.50.
Shortly after leaving Pierce he met
Mrs. Schoellkopf at tea in New York.
Last June they met again in Europe.
he said. Mrs. schoellkopf previously
had explained that Carman had
served as a dancing partner Tor his
wife, who objected seriously TO his
arrest.
Former Arrest Recalled.
Coushlin said that Carman some
time ago had been arrested here on
charge of robbing man OF jewelry
In q New York hotel. but had been
discharged when the complainant re-
fused to prosecute.
The revised story of the New Year
party. as Coughlin got ii, was that
the guests assembled In Carman's
apartment on the fifth floor about
D. M, played cards until $40. had sup
per and then resumed their game.
The party continued until the new
year was ushered in. after which.
Coughlin said, he had learned Mrs.
Schoelikopf announced she intended
to return to her hotel alone.
According to the police Mrs. Schoell-
kopf descended to the next floor.
where she claimed to have met man
introduced to her at the party. She
was drawn into the fourth-fioor apart
ment and robbed. The police denied
that she had been drugged or chloro
formed. as previously reported.
Recognized One Assailant.
j. s. Hirsh. an insurance broker. 70
whom Mr.. Schoellkopf referred all in
uuiries concerning the robbery. said
that Mrs. Schoellkopf had recognized
one of her three ASSISTANTS as man
with whom she played cards during
the party in Carman's apartment. His
account Of the robbery follows:
Mrs. schoellkopf came to New York
to spend the holidays and had rooms
at the Ritz-Carlton. She had accepted
an invitation to celebrate New Year
| End avenue. Carman, whom Hirsh
| said the SChoellkopfs had known for
several years. was to have been
guest at this party. When illness
suddenly developed in the family oi
the friend Carman is said to have
| suggested the party be given III
his apartment.
The party consisted Of five couples.
including Mrs. Schoellkopf and her
hos. She arrived at the apartment
on the fifth floor shortly before ~
o'clock.
About 10 o'clock a man knocked at
the door and announced he was alone
| downstairs and had bottle ne Wouid
like TO share, according TO hFsn
version, presumed TO have been told
him by Mrs. Schoellkopf. Invited 70
Join the Carman party, he disappear
cd. returning with q bottle OF cham
payne and eleven glasses.
stranger Left Mt 1886.
At 1916 am. the stranger left the
Carman apartment at once. saying he
lived downstairs Mrs. Schoellkopf left
next, saying she would wait in the
lobby downstairs for the others to
escort her to her hotel.
AS she descended the staircase be.
tween the fifth and fourth floors she
saw a man standing in the hall be-
fore a partly opened door, Hirsh re-
lates. The man sprang at her and
pressed a handkerchief saturated
with chloroform to her nose.
Two men rushed through the partly
opened door and carried Mrs. Schoell-
kopf into an apartment. She recalled
being beaten in the face. bound with
rope and gagged, while two men
stripped off her Jewels. as a third
covered her with a pistol.
The trio fed the apartment after
throwing blanket over their victim.
She quickly freed herself and re-
turned to Carman's apartment. Al
though a complete list OF the Jewels
stolen has not been made public, Mrs
Schoeiikopf is understood to have
worn at the party two valuable pearl
necklaces, four rings, three OF them
set with diamonds and the fourth
with sapphires. She also was robbed
of S1,400 cash, according to Hirsh.
who declined to reveal whether q
100000 bracelet, a recent gift from
her husband, was included In the loot.
Suspect Plot TO Rob All.
In searching the apartment where
the robbery occurred the police re-
ported they found large quantity of
choloroforrn and a bundle of rope cut
into handy lengths. This is said to
have led them to the belief that IL was
the intention of the robbers to hold
up the entire party. and that the plan
was frustrated by the departure of
Mrs. Sehoeilkopf in advance Of the
others.
port that the jewels were insured
at 100000, or had been insured ut