The Bridgeport Evening Farmer

COURT MERCIFUL MISS ROSS, BLUE EYED GIRL SLEUTH

Elizabeth Ross, the demure detective girl whose arrest for defrauding the Atlantic hotel for a week's board was made in New Haven last Monday night, was discharged from custody in the city court today when Judge Wilder recommended that the charge against her be nolled. He said he was unwilling to give the girl a criminal record in view of the circumstances. Clad in a plain suit that displayed her well rounded figure to advantage, wearing a hat that was not calculated to show off her wealth of chestnut hair, the girl in subdued tones confessed to the court that her clothing had been left at the Atlantic hotel. During the week of July 28 when she visited here, she wore a stunning gown of blue and a hat to match which resulted in her being promptly given the name of "The Bluebird." Before the case was called in court a conference was held between the girl's lawyer, Attorney Carl A. Mears of New Haven for whom she has been doing detective work, and Assistant Prosecutor William A. Redden. It developed during the trial, that the unpaid bill had been settled since her arrest. Though it was shown that Mr. Callaghan had ordered the girl out of the hotel two days after her arrival, and had relented and allowed her to complete the week, nothing was brought out to show why she had been told to leave. Clerk William Cassen and Proprietor John H. Callaghan were the witnesses for the state, telling of the girl's arrival July 28, of her staying for the week, and leaving without paying her bill, $17.50. She neglected to take a suit case and dress from her room when she went out. In her own behalf the girl said she was but 19, and had not come to the Atlantic expecting to defraud it. She had $5 when she arrived and expected a remittance for work she was performing. She sought work here as a spotter for the trolley company but was unsuccessful. She expected her cousin, a doctor at Bellevue, to visit her also, and when she left the hotel it was not with the idea of not paying. Judge Wilder suggested to Prosecutor Redden that in view of the payment of the bill, he believed it would be hard upon the girl to give her a record of conviction, hence the case was nolled.