The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1864-05-04
A Confidence Woman.

Our Western exchanges contain lengthy
accounts of young married woman named
Mrs Van Yieei, who has Been swindling
the people of Michigan and illinois. The
annals of female crime and fraud during
the past Qusr,er OF a century scarcely pre-
cent parallel case. Her operations have
been distinguished BY boldness, dash of
romance, and, onuI recently, by an unVary-
ing success al oace surprising and evlGcing
talent ola high order, worthy OF better
use. Sne is described as young in appear
ancs, not over thirty yea:s OF age, oil hand
some aud peculiarly attractive manner-.-
She dresses with exquisite taste, aud moYes
in good society with all The ease and oslf-
possession OF travelled woman OF The
world. She has resided from childhood in
Monroe county aud, until her recent arres;,
has moved 10 good circles, where her re
speclabiliiy has been undoubied. lis said
lha, she has realized untold sums from her
swiniiiag operations during the past seven
or eight years. During this period she has
abseaied hersslr from home frequently
weeks al Il me, returning as mysierously
as she disappeared While at home she
lived in a style Of luxury and msgnihcence
that has been the envy of her friends and
acquaintances. Daring some OF these Pc
riodic excursions, Mrs. Van Wee. played
the literary role, and claimed 10 be- author.
ess of "Rulledge Soon after the apper-
ance Of "Ruredge" she made her advent 10
The quiet Eastern city Oh. Here she
sought out prominent real estate agent,
an1 con6dsd with him the important lnfor-
nation that che was woman OF means,
and desired 10 purchase residence in the
vicinity. The confiding man Of real estate
was fruered by the prospect oi selling
property 10 the au:horess OF "Rutedge," ~
and in 6e.crence 10 her literary fame, ipvi-
ted her to a home in his family Her olani
dishmenis secured her an introduction 10
financial men, and che was enabled 10 gel
check for two thousand five hundred dol
lars on Boston bank cashed. II was al
tered from twenty fiVe dollars, 10 two thous'
and five hundred dollars. This fraud was
soon discovered, but moi before the fair
swindler had escaped. She is SAID TO havs
operated extensively in minor swindles IN
the East, many of which transactions will
probably never see the light. She has Al
different times persona,ed Mrs General
Van Vleet, and il is stated that not long
since she put on bfisadier's nnliorm and
went 10 Chicago, where she had the, audac~
ity To pefschale Gen. Van VIeei himself
/ bar mn m
the uniform, and tie pair travelled as Gen.
Van Vleet and lady. The arrest OF this wo-
man al Dundee, Michigan, has caused con-
siderable excitement and gossip in the
nsighborhood where she is Known, aud all
kinds OF stories are ahoat. Ono is 10 the
sffec, that she donned the Uniform oi \
lieutenant, and By her dashing and brilIian nt
appearance, won the affection of a young
lady, married, and then cruelty deserted
her. She has young child about year
old, which gossip says she has abducted IL
some Of her wanderings
Her husband is said 10 be an inoiis asive
man, and has been used as the tool OF this
arlful aud designing woman. She TOOK her
arrest with tho utmost sang JfOid. anc said
/ 10 a female acquaintance as she was about
10 leave with The officers for Chicago, that
she had escaped from good many worse
scrapes than this" Her arrest and expos
/, nse will probably close career OF crime
/ ,ha, has been as romantic, a. successlu
/ and remarkable, as anything of the kind vs
have ever been called upon so fscosd.