The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-05-04
A SCANDAL IN CA SKILL.
JHE TROUBLE mar ELSTE HhLLEN-
BECh cor HERSELF INTO.
wiring vindictive Letters to m unhappy
wiic--Tbe Trap that wnr sci for Elsie
mud How she was Caught-iier Arrest.

Writing vindictive Letters to nm unhappy
wiic--Tbe Trap that WINS set for Elsie,
mud How she was Caught-iier Arrest.
Elsie Halleubeck, charged with sending
Objectionable letters through the malls In Cats
Kill. wsivod her right to the preliminary exam
ination set down for Yesterday and gave ball In
$1,000 to appear before the Grand Jury. Her
brother, Caspar J. Hallenbeck. and John II.
Edwards, hotel keepers at Lime Street, village
near Catskill, are her bondsmen.
Six weeks ago the wife OF DR.. Calvin II. wet
more, acting upon the advice Of ox-Postmaster
Burke OF Catskill, complained to Speci- Agent
Sharratt that for two years or more she had
been tormented by the receipt weekly OF
abusive letters. She asked for protection Inc
case was referred to Anthony Comstock' Secre-
tary Of the Society for the Suppression OF vice.
He le1rncd from residents of Catskill that Mrs:
Wctmore bore an excellent character ana y q
been cruelty prosecuted. she told MN that
Elsie Hacnbeck had two years and "A half pre-
yiousIy estrnnged her husband from her, ard
had nd led 10 that offence a vindtctive perse Gu
lion through the mails. a longer time ago the
same rirl rad made trouble between her aud
her HUSBAND. but he had become convert TO
Cbiis ianiiy. and Ter a year or more following
years Ogo) ne had led an exemplary life. Then
the girl had renppeared aud annoyed the wife In
the manner described. Armed with n commits
sion ~ n deputy sheriff OF Green county, and ac-
companicd by Detective Britten, Mr.. COmstock
I'm Lame rect, on Aprii 20. 10 IN Ike his war
rant servicenOle he must obtain her confession
that she was the writer Of tho letters. lie car
red a parcel of them in his hand, and intro
duced himself ani the detective IN manner
tnat I d her to infer that they were relatives VI
Mrs. WetmOre.
:" / want to see II there is not some way In
which we can get you TO stop writing those let
tiers To Mrs. Wetmore." I'D Mr.. Comstp
:" who says I wgo'o any letters to her p the
girl asked. impud sntlv.
The officers replied that they were positive she
the uthOr.
No sum 81 money" che then ssid, " will in
duce me to stop Mrs. Wetniore l. yindictivc.
and deserves to ret them. am going tn nght
her TO The bitter end and no money Will tempt
me TO discontinue the letters"
Mr. Comstock al some OF the letters, max
ine niistakcs purpuscly. Invariably she cor
rected the errors. Icpeating the language as 1t
was IN the letters didn't write |, so,' she
SAID said she couldn't ltiT the Postmaster
not coul. int ir'ibc him didn't say mad u
bsrked seven tines"
She took Two Of the letters from Comstock's
hands aid read them, commenting ts she read
Nov" she sid, referring to charge AGAINST
Mrs. Vein, re-. tine Doctors brother told me
that MIR. Comst ok announced his orraud and
served his warrant upon ner. She be anne eN-
cited, and begged that her sister. ~ whose
hose she was might not be Informed Of ne r
arrest.
Cant we tx this in some way - she asked
again and asain. " IN tell YOU just how came
to write those letters. Mis-. " gilmore Is US vim
dictiye rs the devil. She has attacked me and
SPIT IN me IN the street. sho has kept Oh tue
while abusing me, ana talking ABOUT the doctor
and !. ana thought Id 1--WE her something 10
tllh al OUT. She was put 10 the Catskiil ~, and
tnen she avetird Ia the let css were CON posed
by Jr. We more, To be copied ana posted by her.
1ue following extracts from the letters show
their crdtl character, Lut not their scurrility
vts downto your house last Wednesday. Cal (Dr.
MetuUr,' gave ne tlO iur n hat know he only gave
you a. how is ~ % ceDt shirtf At the same time
hc rave nit Our Tor ~.
INlsh you ah.np3 rev wear. Mary. 1t two years
ago, - lislt va went 90 watch ne win Cal n II
ho not been 20 iuGdy me anu al would have had a
rice Lat night q. Mary. IA tel Vt what 1 got
Tor cSfsimis present. Nee nte T'tc6 was sent i
C4wn from far4nsE's In IludsUn. suppose Gal pad
had to-day had "a beautiful teckhanukercAicf seut
exchange IL f.r me. tor DONE Lac 1t. All heard ne
gave you was your ,eeth.
1t l. SUNDAY again, and thought would write few
lines lie hrg GU where Chi ma have this
Tel ca ucsr pictures have not come. out / viii oe
down to sec him.
Ihc year 1915 Viii be the most trying one you ever
exiciicLttu IA al your life LoON Tor letter
Mytk.
mean 10 give you good whipping n you have n e
nrrtbted - and - tprOmlneht ci;Hens) will 20 uy
Dear Mary. you ta,c seen what . beautiful pres
en deter GATED Christmasl have had OF material
TO have new Jonnet maze. | you your old
one yet Wei. suppose Cal did not feel able u
~ one time hAd OF eOurs' would not 60 without.
IL docs yOl no gooI 10 tell tat We hcea the means
OF almost hr.ng man anu wlfr. hut swear 10 accom-
plish n ~ the end. uu may depend you have
the worst Of IT, for sl do all to ue.tr0y youi
harpi.ess Tel Ca y IT, rains VIII not meet him
TIE Pr spect TO Night, for Lont wish ~ spoil the
dress he gave me.
Postmaster Burke INTERCEPTED and DESTROYED
as msnv OF the letters as he was positive were
from this source. but many escaped him, and
Of er he left the ONCE he advised Mrs. Victim ore
TO adopt the course which has resulted IN Miss
Hallenbeck's arrest. Miss Hallenbeck de
scendant Of an Old Dntcn family living at Lime
Street. she Is akl-rge. tne-looking woman, ~
years Of age.