Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1861-1862, 1861-12-13
susrEorxO HURDER Os A CITIZEN og new
ORLEANS CAREER OF A NOTORIOUS WO-
E,o,s tS, Va, Orleans Zee of Dee. ga.

FroH the Nsp Orleans Bee Of Doc. o ~
Three gentlemen Of this city Of them the son OF
Commodore Hoins who have returned from AeIlco,
bring intelligence OF the death Of Mr. VIM e. stephens
well knoEn wealthy orlesnisn and contractor ior
paving the streets with square blocks Al cusk on tee
evening of the Sh Of November on the read between
Corpus Chrili and Brownsville, about Say miles 'n's
side of the latter city, the gentlemen above referred 10
came uoon . wagon the horses Of which were greztng
The Texan eanser IN charge OF Il 'od them tsere vas
body In the WagOn-thas OF Mr.. Stephens, OF New W.
leans who had bees complaining OF ehils since ne ei
Corfu. Christi. had been attacked With spasm9 a. sS
o'clock that afternoon and hsd died durns the third
spism. In company there was man whom the team
ser STYLED "dOotor," woman who had general super
intendenee, and Mexican girl as servant Inc "o-
man had been sing and dOcorng Stephens IN the VA
Ron and said that Ne died Of cougVs.ve ehiils Inc
tesms,er said they going to travel all that nigh and
ne1. day. 80 a. co. yes into Brownsville by "Wednesday,
70 bury the corpse. TIE woman was then wearing ie
made apparel, bus had been travelling in mans gsEo
One Of the gentlemen asked "the doctor Uao STE
phens was ami was told he Englishmin, reurn'
ne home from the Coafsderae Safes through Mexico
Although hey knew these gentlemen were o. their way
back 20 Louisana, they made no Cher TO seld oy Wen
any intelligence Of SteDhenss DEAN 10 nus iehls As
thev came along the these gentlemen made ire
queat inquiries concerning this party and iouhd Inat
thew lad been marked With suspicion Wherever ,ney
stopped At cue rancho the woman, who vas alfred
in mems clothes, was the topc OF uncohPneuAty re-
marks in Sanish when she suddenly arose and tod the
Sstood h.n and If they said another word about her,
she would Kin them on the spot. At Houston she had
hem arrested for b1ng disguised in mems apparel, and
had 20 remain there until Stephens returned 20 New Or
le,ps and got pass for her woman. Tais fact fxes
Ire isn,iv Of the parties apparently beyond doubt
Mr WIN. G. Stephens and the notorious Mrs. Fanny
Sweet Bus the gentlemen slso describe the appe france
OF tho wama1 on the Brownsville rold, and il answers
accurately 70 that Of Mrs. Sweet who used TO live in an
eecan, residence on Gssqust street, the ccrnsr Of
Claiborne.
From the known character and reputation Of this
woman from her past history and her treatment
os otbe, mrn who fell into her power the friends OF
Mr. Stenhsus fear that he has been entrappsd by Der
In cOnspracy that has resulted ia bis being poisoned,
ard the whole Of his fortune, which he had turned
irto monev and had with him, having come into her
u,ssssio, vi ich she has csrried OF into Mexico with
thi, companion "thN doctor This, Of course Is only
a conjecture founded probability and circumstantial
evdeace, which We do not endorse, but merely report
as ii Is.
IRE connection between Mr.. Stephens and Mrs. sSet
"a a singular story 10 itself How they FIST 20.
Ouainted or bow she acquired such remarkable irf-
epes over him "a 20 irduce him 20 be mere plant Sool
10 be- designing haads is uuknovu-almost incompre.
he1s.ole Mr. stephens the "pi,k OF proprety"
o1e and said IN his habits, Jeligousy domestic man.
lis wife had did leaving him two children, with whom
n, lived in very comfortable style on Magazine street.
h wa nan Of abou. forty, church member, and so
pancpious In bis conduct that he would not enter
csf.e-ho1se.
Nsysrhsess be brought her to bis house. disguised
mar and eonccalug her features with pair Of spec
taoles and c.rOd her as bis nephew Freddy From
the time she came 20 his house he out of her
sirh, but she rode with him in his buggy and went
wa him every Shers. he followed her advice In every
thilc aud sold a hs property az great sacrnees ura-
Jog t into gold ard Ring exchange Sic also dspos
cd o. rer properly and slaves aud rasE'd some heen
OF twenty thousand dollars 10 specie. The Dducement
70 DO his ss plan holl out 20 MIN by her Of going to
H,V. 4 and bringing back large quantity OF arms and
muui ons Of War 20 be sWugsied through Mexico
TIA his nephew Freddy no other than Mrs Fan
ny Sweet Is id TO be NellesA9lsaed iact she having
bsen ro5guizsd in the disguise poken to- and aeknov
edged che identity, by gentleman 10 particular who
had had previous business relations with her To one
person she sill thst he going 20 The wars as hrs
euen1lt OF scouting party, and had just purchased
half dczsn blankets which she said we're for this CON-
maid. she then remarked, ~ have discarded petit
coats forever"
n h knogn ttas four or We weeks ago Stephens pro-
cured passports for binse ard three other O0e
of ne - comp.nioas vas Freddy" the other the doc
tor ,s be vas call BY n, Texan teamstcr and the
third vas man named L. clio, o has a wife ard
fra'iy IN this civ and formerly ~orked IS foreman
for Stephens in the 5srectp,yng busiaes Lincoln has
not returned nor has DC written home, yo he not
,,h the party met on the BroWnsvills road. i; has
bssn Suspected here that Il Fanny Sweet designed u1og
oop shs was afraid have sturdy friend OF Ste
p,eus near him. and may have SEN bin on ahead IL IL
also known that the party were stopped at Houston,
that stephens returned here huriedy aud got another
pIssport for her as 4 woman.
I, L prob.ble thai the friends of Mr. Stephens wi |
send an agent on IN, track Of MS Sweet to try and
Lean the particulars o. his deeease, and also TO overke
bsr II possibs and bring her buck to justice at ess
=, reooVer the RNy or Sky thousand dollars that he
mus, have had vh him At the time Of bis death. We
knoz that a drm vino sold him bill Of exchange on
London for $1,000 goiog to try and have It's payment
sloapsd
Mrs Fanny Sweet has obtained greater reputation
for ssduoiug aud ruuing mea than aoy woman Of tho
times whose history is known. Her hrst victim 10 this
civ was youns gentleman, widely loved Tor his anna
biy and good qualities, who became so infatuated vito
her Is % deraud the bank in which he was employ ed,
70 nader 20 her exravagance and then had TO make
his escapo 20 Havana when discovered bringing SHINE
aud sorrow upon a noble family She VS. born IN the
Sslte OF New York IN 1927 aad becoming too noori-
Ous n NsE York city, sle -st cane TO New Orleans IN
1874 o. 1915 She o0lj bal woman, a. unscrupul
ous a she vas courageous Her habi. TO sleep With
brace Of pistols under her head and sometimes bowie
knife on her pillow. Sc tried TO throw woman Of
whom she vas jsalou from secondstoTy balcony into
the street hu' bling prevented, she was satisfied with
throu1g Der down stains and breaking her eoEar-oone
g,e then passed under the Of Fanny smith, aud IN
$50 vent 70 California with old woman OF equally
had rsput.tion, named Mrs Sweet whose name she
Afterwards assumed 10 the Wild, lawless condition Oh
California at that time, she found fau opportunity Tor
tbs mi, scone Of her masculine imperious ciSposion
A the mines she carried it with high bead, quarrel.
ling ana aghting without asking or expecting any con-
idrAtion for her sex. in rough and tumble ngnt
she lad 10 baroom, three Of her rieS we're broken
n ,no,her ofrav she shot and killed sagedriver. Her
saw Ia California lasted abou; tyn. years at the end OF
bieb tine she found that State becoming too quiet ior
her ard she succeeded In entrapping W. A. NJ h'neA-
ls tho p-opreor Of the California express into marry
no her Tsey started bridal tour TO- the statea.
ba. the honeymoon was hfi-f one for him. he oied
s- suddenly 90 the Is;bmus Of Panama, and she came
a. IN Nsg Orls4ns with bis moaey, bought handsome
rsdrcs on 81 Louis Street, drove around In her car
ri,gs, and sad train OF servants But ar eployuen'
NJ h ease did not last oug for she arrested on te
charge Of causing hs deah Of one Ct her s'7e girls ~
cruel treatment She gave bill for her appearance al
ran away to Ees York SheFe enc aoar d'ned me name
"a a., uiocklev ard again returned 90 that Of Fanny
sect Sc beclme Involved in some difheul'y IN Ne"
~ that IA Got ua3srs'ocd blt vhich compelled heI
20 leave the city very suddenly and again enc returned
20 New Oflears. AL.
rs time she came almost pcnniless, and h7ed lis.l'
,t O. 90 Canal street, belos Clai 7oroe Another VIC
t vas necsssary a sh0 found Il in Al elderly gen lie
-, IS gr,at wealth the head Of a prominent business