The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1875-09-29
A Pretty Woman's Error.

On April 10th last pleasing looking
German woman, scarcely out of girlhood,
presented at Nassau lank check for
$10,400, purporting TO have been drawn
by Warden, Mitchell & Co., machinist in
Springfield, Ohio, in favor of Mrs. Caro-
line Pell. She was dressed in deep mourn
ing, and knew barely enough English to
ask, "Bees dis dc Nessow bank p The
check was not one Of unusual amount for
the firm whose name was sigAed, but the
appearance of the woman aroused sus-
picion, and the paying teller, with the as
sistance of volunteer interpreter, ques-
toned her closely She said that her hus
band, who had Just died IN Hamburg, had
bequeathed her an estate near Springfield,
Ohio, which she and her mother had come
over to possess themselves of. Mr. War
den, of Warden, Mitchell IL Co., had
bought the property and paid for it by the
check that she had Presented. She said
that her mother was waiting for her in the
St. Nicholos hotel. Pending this CONVEX
sation the signature of the check was COM
pared with those of other acceptances. of
Warden, Mitchell & Co, and the bank,
officers concluded that it was cleverly
executed forgery.
THE ARREST. los
Superintendent Walling was sent for,
and he speedily arrived with detectives
Brown and Hart. The chief engaged the
young woman in quiet, unsuspecting
conversation, in which she told romantic
stories of her family Importance and wealth.
A telegram was soon afterward received
\NorIo, Mitoho11AC- No cauirfr fhof
they had given no such check as that de-
scribed. This was shown to the young
woman, and she seemed very much an
noyed, and even indignant that her friend
Mr.. Warden should have palmed off a
worthless check upon her. She at last
moved to 90, saying that she would join
her mother in the st. Nicholas hotel. Mrs.
Pell was permitted to. go, but the dctec-'
tives went close enough after her to watch
every movement. She walked first through
several streets of tho swamp. of which she
showed marvellous knowledge, considering
that she had been in the city only aiday or
two. She then took Third avenue car,
rode to Spring stseet, and thence crossed
to Broadway. Detective Hart crossed her
path just as she was entering building
there, edo you speak German p said she,
with perfect self-possession, although she
had several times betrayed consciousness
that she was being Swallowed. The officer
replied atiirmatively, and the little woman
again toldher story, and added that she was
seeking her mother, and could not remem.
Der the number of the Office in which she
had left her.
"That makes no difference, however,
said she,sweetly. ~ perhaps will find her
in the St. Nicholas hotel, where we are
staying" nai1li
The officer escorted'her across the street,
evidently much to her-chagiin. They in
uuired at the hotel office, and found nc
such person in the hotel. The officer ther
arrested her.
She was tried for forgery in general ses
sions in May, but her counsel imposed up
on the jury such moving story of her Sc
duction and desertion by a hamburger
and Of her coming hither and finding hin
only to be made the tool OF an infamous
forgery conspiracy, that the jury disagreed
She was put on trial again yesterday a
Caroline Pel, alias Black, alias Hoffman
Assistant District Attorney Rollins estab
lished the facts recitedJ above by the testi
mony of Raphael NJ. Matteson, teller OF thu
Nassau bank Albert Schnieder, who..actet
as interpreter in her interview with TIL
bank officials and by I Detective Brown
The prisoner in her Gown behalf testifie
that she had been tic mistress of one Alois
Hammer both in Hamburg and in their lat
residence in Hoboken. He had induce,
her to take the check to the bank. Sh
was utterly ignorant of the value Of it, bu
he told her that it was ''all right :" tina
Pell was the English Of her German name
and he persuaded her to sign.the name Car
oline Pell while he Held the paper on tn
top of his hat inf the Street She had bee
instructed what replies to make, and ha
made her first inquiries in English whic
Hammer had taught her in the few min
utes while they stood together in the stree
in front OF bank. Her testimony was dt
livered with the Same fearful enbellisf
ments that imposed on the jury before.
THE SENTENCE.
Under an impartial but searching anal,
sis of the testimony by Recorder Racket
the jury returned verdict Of guilty, an
she was sentenced to two and pne-ha
years in the state prison.
After the sentence Alose Hammer, VIII
had been in the courtroom throughout tn
trial, pressed forward and took an affet
tionate leave of his dupe. He tells th
story of the forgery; He, while yet
Hamburg, in some way obtained the az
dress of Warden Mitchell & Co., and b.
gan correspondence looking to furnishin
them with metals with which 10 stamp b
wares. That firm entertained hiB prop'
sails, and he came to this country ostens
bly, to perform his share nof the contrac
On some pretense he obtained their chez
for a small amount, and soon afterwar
had completed an imitation SO hccural
that only the number of the check and IL
amount proved its worthlessness. TIL
woman convicted was, he says, the mi
tress of noted Philadelphia fofger, an
has often before been arrested for the o
fence of which she he's at last been cor