Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-04
HOWELLS FRAUD
CHARGES MOUNT
Frederick Citizens Say She
Obtained $50, 600 in County
7 Years Ago.

Disclosures made yesterday by two
new witnesses indicate that $4,000
fraud will be charged to Miss Alzina
Howells before the full story of her
activities in Washington, in Frederick
County. Md, and in New York City
Is uncovered.
Inspector william 8. Shelby and
headquarters detectives were informed
yesterday afternoon by two well-to-do
citizens Of Frederick County, whose
identities were withheld, that Miss
Howells obtained some $4,000 In that
area seven years ago, $4,000 Of which
they handed over on her promise to
invest it profltably in stocks"
The latter two, q young widow and
her uncle, who came to confer with
police here. attended by their lawyer,
after reading published accounts OF
Miss Howell'S arrest on a charge OF
investigation Thursday, declared that
the woman gave Miss Howells $4,000
and the man $4,000.
Miss HowelIs Maintains Silence.
They also related how Miss Howells
had obtained some $4,000 from other
residents Of Frederick and its vicinity.
The visitors were confronted by Miss
Howells, who was brought to head
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House of Detention, where she has
been held since Thursday.
The interview, however, was devoid
Of any admission on the part Of Miss
Howells, who contented herself with
exchanging a few words of greeting
with the visitors and relapsed into her
customary silence, an attitude she has
maintained since her arrest.
The new information was without
any indication that Miss Howells Of
fered to send her alleged victims to
Europe, as charged in the case of three
local women, and as admitted by Miss
Howells in the case of two young resi-
dents of New York City. now believed
to be stranded in Germany.
Nurses Caused Her Arrest.
Miss Howells' arrest was brought
about after Misses Lillian Gerard and
Irene Biggs, English-born trained
nurses of the Toronto apartments, re-
turned to Washington from France and
told Detectives B. w. Thompson and
Ira Keck of the check and fraud squad
how they had been fieeced Of $4,000 by
Miss Howells, who then sent them
abroad as gift" paying their pas
Miss Howells, who lives at 3505 Thir-
tenth street, is said by detectives to
have admitted she accepted the money,
together with $500 from Miss Helen
M. Rouse, Chastelton apartments, a
Veterans Bureau employe. The elder
woman, however, declined to say what
disposition she made of the sums.
It was further admitted by the
prisoner that she arranged and paid
for the passage to Germany OF two
New York girls, Martha Emily Butt ana
Magda Hagen, lot East Ihirty-fftn
street. She did not say II she had
taken money from them.
"Stock Market" Deals Charged.
An italian identified as Michael
Messina is thought to have been sent
on similar trip to Italy about the same
time-July 4.
Miss Rouse said she declined to 60
All of the alleged victims are sup
posed to have placed great confidence
in the ability Of Miss Howells to in
vest their money for them. The three
Washington women say she offered to
invest their savings on the stock
market"
For 10 years Miss Howells has been
active here in church circles Of two de-
nominations. She Is a woman of COM
manding presence, and her dign1fled de-
meanor has not been shaken by re-
peated grilling.
Detectives say the Maryland residents
gave them assurance they would prose
cute in courts of their own jurisdiction
| in the event their case has not been
outlawed by the statute Of limitations.