The Housekeeper's Revenge

At 1 o'clock yesterday morning J. H. Hewett, a gunsmith employed at Hardy Hall's gun store, called at police headquarters and complained that his housekeeper, Gertrude Hampton, had moved all of his furniture, valued at $500, out of his house and taken it whither he did not know. Hewett says that, while rooming in a lodging-house last winter, he met a widow named Gertrude Hampton. She complained of being hard up and he proposed to her to act as his housekeeper. She agreed to terms, and January 1 last, he moved all of his furniture to a house which he owns at the corner of Yesler Avenue and Windom Street. He was to pay her $2 a week and the place was to be her home. On Tuesday night Hewett took the last car on the Yesler Avenue line for home and when he arrived he was astonished to find the place in darkness. Upon entering the house a scene of desolation met his eyes. Everything in the house was gone except an old suit of clothes which had been left on the floor. Detective Cudihee worked up the case yesterday and located the runaway housekeeper at 217 Battery Street. She had all of the furniture in the house with her. During the day Tuesday, while Hewett was at work, she had engaged the services of two draymen and arranged for the removal of the furniture. The only excuse she gave the detective was that she took the furniture for money due her for services rendered. Hewett went to the prosecuting attorney and wanted the woman arrested upon a charge of grand larceny. The attorney advised him to first get out a writ of replevin for his goods, and after that, if it was shown she was not insane, a complaint would be drawn up charging her with larceny. The writ was secured, and last evening the furniture was seized. This morning Hewett threatens to begin criminal proceedings.