Historic Pelham: 1904 Burglary of Mrs. Hazen's School for Girls in Pelham Manor

Archive of the Historic Pelham Web Site.
Home Page of the Historic Pelham Blog.
Order a Copy of "Thomas Pell and the Legend of the Pell Treaty Oak."

It was a dirty little secret. Headmistress Emily Hall Hazen and the faculty of Mrs. Hazen's School for Girls on Esplanade at Boston Post Road in Pelham Manor wanted to keep it as quiet as possible. The school and its students were repeated targets of robbers, burglars, and scammers throughout the history of the school. Of course, given the reputation and fame of the school, it was hard to keep the secret since newspapers reported on each such crime against the school with gusto.

Historic Pelham has written before about such burglaries and robberies including a gun battle on one occasion at the select finishing school for young women. See, e.g.:

Tue., Jun. 13, 2017: A Sensational Burglary in 1899 at Mrs. Hazen's School for Girls in Pelham Manor.

Tue., Nov. 25, 2014: Too Smart for Late 19th Century Scammers: Mrs. Hazen's School for Girls.

Thu., Jul. 12, 2007: The Infamous Burglary of the Girls of Mrs. Hazen's School for Girls in Pelham Manor in 1905.

Truth be told, Mrs. Hazen's School for Girls, known officially as "Pelham Hall," was famous. It was known throughout the United States as one of the nation's premier educational institutions for young women from wealthy families. It should come as no surprise that an institution for the daughters of affluent families was repeatedly targeted by the evil lower element of society. Today's Historic Pelham details yet another such burglary at the school -- this one in 1904.

Monday, February 22, 1904 was a holiday. It was "Washington's Birthday" (now known as President's Day). That evening the young women of Pelham Hall gathered for what most likely was a festive dinner in celebration of the holiday.

As the young women of Pelham Hall celebrated and dined in one building on the school campus, a technologically advanced thief began to prey. Carrying an early portable electric light rather than candles or matches, the thief climbed a veranda pillar to the second floor of an empty dormitory nearby. He then calmly moved from room to room, "helping himself to diamond rings, watches and chains by the dozen." By the time he had ransacked all the rooms, he had collected $3,000 worth of jewels (nearly $93,500 in today's dollars).

When the dinner ended and the young women returned to their rooms "a mild panic" ensued as the women discovered that their jewelry was missing. The school quickly summoned the Pelham Manor Police who, in turn, alerted police elsewhere in Westchester and in adjacent New York City of the robbery and the missing jewels. `

It appears that the jewels were never recovered and the the thief was never caught. Pelham Hall had been burglarized yet again.

Undated Postcard View of "MRS. HAZEN'S SCHOOL PELHAM MANOR, N.Y."

All Three "Houses" of Mrs. Hazen's School for Girls Are Depicted in the

Photograph Which Was Taken From Across the Esplanade (Both Lanes

Visible in the Foreground). Chester House is on the Left. Edgewood House

is in the Center, Slightly in the Rear (It Was Named After the Street it Was

Closest to). Marbury House, named after Anne Marbury Hutchinson, Is on

the Right. NOTE: Click on Image to Enlarge.

* * * * *

Below is the text of a pair of articles on which today's Historic Pelham article is based. Each is followed by a citation and link to its source.

"THIEF WITH ELECTRIC LIGHT.
-----
He Steals $3,000 Worth of Jewelry From Pupils of Mrs. Hazen's School.

PELHAM MANOR, N. Y., Feb. 22. -- Mrs. John Cunningham Hazen's school for girls in Pelham Manor was visited by a burglar this evening while the pupils were at dinner. He got away with about $3,000 worth of their jewelry. The police say he is the same fellow who recently robbed a house in New Rochelle. He does his work by the light of an electric lantern instead of matches or a candle. Mrs. Hazen's school has among its pupils General Chaffee's daughter and the daughter of Judge Martin J. Keogh.

The burglar climbed up one of the veranda pillars and entered the dormitory from the second floor. He left the building by the same route. When the burglary was discovered the Pelham Manor police were telephoned for and they sent out a general alarm to the police of Westchester county and New York city."

Source: THIEF WITH ELECTRIC LIGHT -- He Steals $3,000 Worth of Jewelry From Pupils of Mrs. Hazen's School, The Sun [NY, NY], Feb. 23, 1904, Vol. LXXI, No. 176, p. 1, col. 2.

"THIEF INVADES SELECT SCHOOL FOR YOUNG GIRLS
-----
Robs the Rooms During Dinner Hour, Securing Jewels Valued at Many Thousands.

NEW YORK, Feb. 23. -- Jewel cases owned by daughters of some of the wealthiest families in the East have been despoiled by a clever burglar, who obtained entrance to a select school for young ladies at Pelham Manor, near this city. The robber made off with property worth more than $3,000.

The robbery occurred during the dinner. No one saw the interloper, who must have climbed to an upper story window. He had the house to himself and calmly went from room to room, helping himself to diamond rings, watches and chains by the dozen.

When the girls returned there was a mild panic and the police were hurriedly summoned, but the thief had made good his escape."

Source: THIEF INVADES SELECT SCHOOL FOR YOUNG GIRLS -- Robs the Rooms During Dinner Hour, Securing Jewels Valued at Many Thousands, The San Francisco Call, Feb. 24, 1904, p. 1, col. 4.

* * * * *

I have written extensively about the private school known as "Pelham Hall" and "Mrs. Hazen's School for Girls." For a few of the many examples, see: