Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-02
WOMAN ACCUSED
OF $4,000 FRAUD
REFUSES TO TALK
Miss HoWeIIs Is Lodged at
Detention Home Pending
Formal Charges.
ALLEGED VICTIMS GIVEN
FREE" TRIP TO EUROPE
Two Nurses, Back From France,
Say Checks for Passage
Were Turned Down.

Refusing to reply to the questions of
police, Miss Alzina Howells, 4S, of 2505
Thirteenth street, whose former friends
here say she fleeced them of $4,000
since january l, steadfastly maintained
silence today in the face of charges
and sent them to Europe, their passages
paid" by worthless checks.
Dlgni1ed, attractively dressed and
apparently unruffled. Miss Howells was
brought to headquarters yesterday after
noon. where she was questioned to no
effect and then lodged at the House of
Detention on technical charge of in
Vestigation, pending the filing of formal
charges, probably late today or to-
morrow.
Detectives have evidence that two
women in particular, and possibly two
Others together with local man, were
sent abroad after their savings had been
turned over to Miss Howell, presumably
with the intention of obviating prose-
cutlon by Stranding them in Europe
Pennies and confronted by charges
OF having obtained transportation with
worthless checks.
Say She Won Their Confidence.
The alleged victims told officers they
had become acquainted with Miss How
els through the church circles in which
she associates: that she won their con-
f1dence and then suggested she could
profitably invest their savings on the
stock market" a proposal to which
they agreed and from which they have
realized nothing.
Miss Howells was arrested yesterday
bv Headquarters Detectives Ira E.
Keck and B. w. Thompson of the check
and fraud squad. after they had lis
tened to the story of two young women
both natives of England, who have
been employed as trained nurses here
for 10 years past, on their return Sun
day from Havre, France.
Subsequently it developed that Miss
Helen NJ. Rouse. an employe of the Vet
Grams Bureau. living at the Chastleton
Apartments. had been victimiZed of
$4,000 in the same manner. although
she declined a complimentary" trip
to Europe, according to her story to
detectives.
Police we're also informed that an
italian named "Massino" had been sent
to Europe by Miss Howells and that two
unidentified girls were now stranded in
Germany from the same reason.
The two nurses, Misses Lillian Gerard
and Irene Biggs, of the 200 block of
street. said Miss Howells had accepted
upward of $4,000 from them since jan
uary /, representing their entire saw
ings here, on the representation that
she would invest it for them. On their
return here and on the refusal, they
say, of Miss Howells to make show
ing, they decided to report the matter
to authorities.
One of them swore to a warrant yes
terday charging Miss Howells with false
pretenSeS.
The two women said Miss Howells I
offered them free" trip to Europe
last June, after the full amount of their
savings had been invested" with her,
explaining that she wished to do some
thing for them in return for the con-
f1dence they had placed in her
Accordingly they made arrangements
TO go and Miss Howells booked passage
with the French Lines steamship De
GrasSe, paying small cash deposit.
On July 4, the sailing date. they say
Miss Howells personally gave the steam
ship company a check for $500 for the
balance of the passage and then went
to the dock to see them off.
Their Luggage Seized.
In midocean, however, the captain |!
came to them and said he had radio |
from the New York passenger Office !
that the check was worthless and that |,
he would have to seize their luggage
and passports. which he did. When the |
steamship locked at Havre, France. |
they said they were detained for several |
days until they could draw small sum !
from a Paris savings bank, which one |
of them had established some years !
ago. to defray the return passage as
we'll as the first.
They arrived in New York Sunday |
and came on to Washington, but were |
unable to get satisfactory eXplana-
ton from Miss Howells and made the |
report to police.
Detectives have information that Miss |
Howells, who has lived here off and on
for 10 years past, has spent much Of her |
time during this period in New York |
City, and authorities there have been |
requested to post Washington police on
any knowledge they may have on her
activities.