South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1876-04-14
A Light-Finsered Arissoorat.
The Nafs~3 Wicheiaess Of The Bsu.tiJaI
Dasghser Of as Oil Yiryiaia Fsaiy.


The Cincinnati Essgssisvr says: IIab.
it0ss Of the Grand Hotel may remember
among tho guests there last fall a tall.
elegant woman, about thirty.hve ycars
or age, whose striking face and figure
and rich toilet made her noticeable eve.
rywnere, and whose sudden departure
was the occasion OF gossip. Dame Ru-
NOR connected her aristocratic name
with the gentle epithet Of kleptonamiac.
ana certainly her repeated visits to fash.
ionable dry goods stores. which found
themselves heavy losers, gave some
ground to the supposition. 4 short
time after her flight she appeared at St.
Louis, where she registered ut the Ever.
EFT House under the name OF Miss Kate
Cummings.
In the glamour Of wealth and aristo-
cratic lineage surrounding her she met
with nothing but servility and obcsiancc
everywhere in her visits to the dry goods
palaces, no suspicion attached to her
when 1t was discovered that number
OF stores were daily suffering loss Oval.
liable articles-No suspicion attached
to her when detective from the police
department was placed in q secure DO.
sltion. where he could observe every-
thing, for the purpose OF catching the
thief. And the detective could barely
believe his eyes when at Scrugg, Van.
dervoot q Barney's few days later he
saw piece of lace pocketed BY this
woman.
Inc property was found upon her.
and search of her trunks showed n
stock OF stolen goods. The police threw
a veil over the matter when they found
that she had a brother in the CITY who
was prominent and influential LAWYER.
ana consented to accept her version of
the affair as freak Of kelptomania. with
which she had been afflicted from child.
hood. In her extremity she pawned her
diamonds and other valuables. and with
the proceeds she was able to purchase
bonds from Shyster attorneys in league
with the police. who let her Jump the
town."
This woman is the daughter of hauph.
ty Virginia stock. Born and brought M
amid wealth and luxury, she married n
wealthy retired New Orleans merchant.
AS the wife Of Colonel John M. Carr
she moved in the highest circle of
New Orleans society. Her passion was
not love. but gambling. Once wear
she made trip to her home i'm Virginia.
but she took advantage of the occasion
TO go on gambling tour through the
watering places Of the east. She was
wonderfully lucky. and frequently won
immense sums. These were lavisbed
on the most costly laces, silks and lew.
ciry. These again on the other hand.
she would pawn when fortune went n.
gainst her, and more than once she was
compelled to resort to stealing to replen.
ish her exchequer.
In the fall Of 1866 she was arrested
in New York for shoplifting and thrown
into the Tombs. A well.known New
Orleans merchant, A. Pinckney Smith.
happened TO be in New York mt the
time, bailed her out, and the matter quiet
ed. In the fall of 1868, during the pro.
gress Of the Louisiana State Fair. nj
New Orleans, she was detected purloin.
ing Jewelry on exhibition belonging to
r.. a. Tayler, of that city. Her wealth
and social position succeeded i'm pre-.
venting scandal. Her own home, hea-
Willy mortgaged, fell at last under fore.
closure, and her husbands princely for.
tune went with it. Then she became a
wanderer.