Evening star., 1927-11-17
ARREST RIDICULOUS,
SAYS MRS. HOPKINS
Social and D. A. R. Leader
Answers Charge of TAX
ing Portrait.

Laughing over her arrest on a
charge of taking family portrait lett
with her about 10 years ago by a
friend. Mrs. Grace Porter Hopkins,
81 wears old. of 1926 Biltmore street,
leader in local society and club cir
cles, newspaper writer and an ofhcer
OF the Daughters of the American
Revolution, appeared at the office OF
Ralph Given, assistant United states
attorney, this morning with her at
torney. David A. Pine. Mrs Lucy
w. Crawford of Rochester, now stay
ing at the Grafton Hotel, who sWore
out the warrant for Mrs. tiopkIHs
arrest, was also present.
Mrs Hopkins had been instructed
to appear in Police Court this morn
ING 10 answer the charge. but after
an informal conference in Mr.. Given
o,fire il was decided not to proceed
with M case until Mr.. Given has had
an opportunity to make a furthef
investigation.
More than half dozen women
rrominent in u. \. r. circles were
in attendance a the courthouse this
morning. having been subpoenaed at
thn renuest of Mrs Crawford. who
declares that Mrs Hopkins is respon-
sihle for the disappearance of a por-
trait of her grandfather. who served
IN the Revolutionary War. All of the
women are warm friends of Mrs. Hop
kins. They said they knew nothing
about the portrait, but were eager 10
testify to the high character OF Mrs.
Hopkins.
Calls 1t ridiculous"
"Tha whole thing is ridiculous
said Mrs. Hopkins this morning.
was trying to do favor ana inns
Is what | get for it. When Detect'Fe
Serst. ]. L. Weber brought the war
rant TO my house yesterday ana toid
me | must go to the House OF peteh'
ton. | told him that l had been want
Ing for some time, as clnhwonah
interested in civic affairs. to STE what
the pIace looked like and would glad
IL accompany him.
Mr.. Given will hold n hearing IN
the case at his office next TUESDAY
afternoon and will then take II week
10 gather information. before deciding
whether the case will be dropped or
presented to the court. Mrs. Hopkins
and most of the witnesses have been
asked 10 he present at Tuesdays near.
inc Mrs. Crawford will be questioned
later.
Mrs. Hopkins is widely known in
Richard Arnold Chapter. d. y. r..
and at present chairman of the pub
licitv committee OF that organization
in the District ard vice chairman of
the national publicity committee. She
IS member Of the League Of Ameri-
can Pen Women and the Womens g
National Press Club
The women who have been sum-
n1oned as witnesses are Mrs. Edward
Nelson Dneley. present regent Of
Richard Arnold Chapter. d. A. r.:
Mrs Howard T.ovingston Rshop. for.
n1er regent of Potomac Chapter. d.
A. r: Mrs. Alfred II. Marsh of Jack.
sonville Fla, who is at present in
Washington and is a member of Con
stituton Chapter. -. \. r.. this city.
snd her daughter. Miss Caroline
Marsh
Was Guest Of Mrs Hopkins.
All these women. although subpoe-
naed at Mrs. Crawford's request
gathered early this morning at the
home of Mrs Hopkins and went in
bod 10 Police Court
Mrs. Hopkins and have been
good natured riva's in the d. A. r.
chapters" said Mrs. Dingley. 'hut I
want TO say that she is one of the
finest women I know and I desire to
testify 10 that effect in court. This
whole affair is an outrage"
After Mrs Hopkins was taken to
The House of Detention yesterday she
got in touch with her attorney and
meantime Mrs Nina Van Wrinkle
head of the Women's Bureau. con
ferred with District Attorney Peyton
Gordon Mrs. Hopkins was released
at once on her own recogniZance to
apoear in Police Court this morning
Mrs Crawford who has been the
guest Of Mrs. Hopkins on several
occasions. said the portrait was paint
81 by Thomas Snlly. famous American
artist Its value. as stated in the
warrant is So 900 but Mrs. Ora wford
eavS that does not give a true idea
Of it's worth to her. rs it is one of
series of portraits of her ancestors.
end its loss would break mp the con-
tinuity of the family gallery.
In her warrant Mrs. Crawford
states that nearly 10 years ago she
and Mrs Hopkins became intimate
friends. At that time Mrs Hopkins
was chief of the women's division OF
the Federal Employment Bureau
Mrs. Crawford SAYS she 'loa ned" Mrs.
Hopkins some furniture and personal
effects. including the portrait. A short
time ago Mrs. Cra wford says she came
here from Rochester and became the
house guest of Mrs Hopkins She
began to check M the articles she had
left with Mrs. Hopkins long before.
All OF the property was accounted for.
she says. but the portrait OF her grand
father.
Leaves HcpIIiBs Home.
It appears thai dispute over the
missing prtrait became acute last Sat
Urday and Mrs. Crawford suddenly
ceased 10 be a house guest of Mrs
Hopkins.
Il first met Lucy Wormley Craw.
ford during the war" said Mrs Hop.
kins to-day she was running Il
boarding house here. she had rented
her house to n Young woman in whom
was interested but this young
woman could not make the boarding
house a So cess. and Mrs. 'T1wford
took back the house and he" f'irni-
ture. When ! went to soc her or he-
half Of the Young woman. Mrs. Craw-
ford said To me. In what | thought WAS
n joking manner Il believe viii send
my furniture up 70 your house for Won
10 store ] said All right in
funA
When got home from my Govern.
r1ent work few days later and
opened the front door, there was Mrs.
Cr1Wford's furniture piled up in my
hail saw the portr1it- in question:.
Mrs Crawford told me il WAS an OH
thing and she did not care anything
about il II was the portrait of nn
elderly man painted against back
ground Of the University Of Virginia.
Mrs. Hopkins said she put Mrs.
Words portable things in the attic
ard cellar.
Il think the portrait was either in
he attic or the cellar" she said. Some
wears ago ! moved with my family to