The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-06-26
CONFIDENCE EXTRAORDINARY.
A Keen-Witted Woman Gets
$4,000 from B. T. Babbitt.
HOW SHE IMPOSED ON HIM.
She Promised to Recover the Bonds
that Beck~ith Stole.

During the OF tho proceedings before u dgs
Bixby yesterday Of the most stupcndous schemes
Tor dciraudng man OF wealth that have OF late been
heard OF was brought 10 Hight. IL was probably
conceived by woman, ut all events It was ono
who executed IT, and 30 boldly, yet cunningy,
did she carry on her operations that six
months passed without the shadow OF
piclon resting upon her. Mr. u. T. Babbitt,. the
celebrated soap manufacturer. who the past has
peatedy suffered from the frauds and Vaccinations OF
designing people, Was the victim in this case But 1t
Is guessed that the female diplomat who figured In
has perfected by long experience III kindred
transactions Although the complainant has boon in
communication with the Court for time past IL
was only yesterday that he enabled to produce
tho offender to DO dealt with by the Law.
On Saturday last MT. Babbitt and Detective Timothy
j. Golden who brought the formers embezzug clerk,
Lewis, from England some time ago, were closetcd
with Judge Bixoy, and on Sunday there was another
long session between Them and the court magnatee.
The result OF all this the issuing OF warrant on
which Golden took into custody Monday last
Mrs Ellen +. Peck, who Is now in prison, charged
with obtaining about $40 900 unaer false pretencer
She TO court on that day with child Of hers
l,te girl about seven eght years old, and after
private examination she was taken away TO be pro-
duced again yesterday. Before tho bar sne appeared
calm and collected treadng ncr way cautiously among
the tissue fasehoods with which she surrounded
herself, and only laundering wnen denial OF one
offence drove her plump into tho admission
Of another AT tho FIRST glance she
quito an ordinary woman Dressed in
plain black, with onrcctaion OF common looking
j~wclry and assumed carc!cssncss In the adj Just
msnt OF hat and shawl, Mrs. Peck might pass among
thousands without ever attracting attention. But
M eoa eav
that indicate tnero upgucsscd powers OF thought
and observation lying behind them.
COURT.
When the prisoner came before tho bar there in
Mr.. B. T. Babbitt himself tail old gentleman,
with gray hair and quiet, Intelligent face, who sat
alone among the spectators and comm unicuted at
times with hts attorney, d. j. Newapd anu Detective
Golden HIS AFFIDAVIT had already been taken charging
her with procuring money under false pretenccs.
There wore additional charges specifying the prison
tors annexed which contained proofs OF hcr guilt.
Mrs Peck seemed unwilling 10 speak, AZ though she
wore conscious that any questioning must lend her
into satements which wouli prejudice her case. SO
Judge Bixby made out n temporary commitment TIL
the case shall DO nnaliy disposed O..
DETAILS or THE OPERATIONS.
Tho story OF this wuman's operations as furnished
by Mr. Biboitt Is peculiar one. Some time during
ito lady. VINO SAID she was In circumstances which
compelled her TO solicit his good Offices. She had
aaash.sr 9rsn. s'r o. w.a'y, wei. suuoa.d and
model CASHIER aud for this girl she solicited place In
Mr.. Rabbits West Street Hotel Tho gentleman
was amused with such proposition.
cashiers position In such place, no said, was III
suited tor young lady. From tho characters TO be
encountered there man oil Muscle most likely
TO BIO required. The lady inportunate. however,
and seemed sadly disappointed whom she wont away
unsuccessful little while after sho presented her
and requested private interview Ibis was ac-
corded. and she At once SO. about unfolding
| money Babbitt mad lost by tho Bccxwth and Lswis
roDberies. Al that time Bsckwi,h wss confined in
Sing sing. He had boon sentenced TO ten years i'm
prisonment there In ,he Deosmbsr Of the previous
your, but no mixing could bs hso n nhs. be-
visitor, however, proicssod 10 have the clsw
| to tho whole affair, ana had aiready. set
was an intima friend Of hers ana lived IN Newark
| N. J. sne WAS supplemented sort OF woman, but
ono who could keep a secret tcnaclously; There
could pc doubt that sho knew where her hus-
band had bdden MS piundcr, ana this Mr. Rabbits
visitor Was going 10 learn Sho wont on 10 say that
her name was Eiion Peck ana that she was u
most phenomenal female detective. Various In
| stances OF her tact and cunning she ci,cd and
she dweit at length upon where sho had
covered from $50 600 to 000 in government bonds
which had been stolen ana which she found Ia tho
possession OF the plundcrcd gentieman's son. All
these representations we'll authenticated
| by plausible references that they gained crcdit
with Mr.. Babbit,, but no RETAINED from seeking
her I'LL ne could carn moro about her After
short interval she appeared again. TINS time she had
letter William 7. Williams. who was war de-
tcctvc in more stirring times and was tnsn In like
capacity in tho Ninth precinct In Brooklyn. THIS
gentleman recommended Eon Il. Peck expert
most confidence could be placed He incoscd his card
on which hts address was given as No. sol Third av-
cnuc, Brooklyn.
FAVORABLE IMPRESSIONS.
Mr.. Babbitt began 80 think seriously Of enlist
ing the womans services and after she had drawn out
plan OF the operations she intended to adopt no
quite taken with It's Ingenuity and agreed to furnish
the necessary expenses for carrying out. From
that moment Mrs Peek begun tho depletion OF ner
patron's money! ags Sometimes she had servants
10 propttatc, sometimes officials 70 Guy ovev, but IN
oil schsmcs ana IN NIL places she was constantly
Is sample OF tho little missivcs which Mr. Babbitt
daily received
oIss. TO nsys 500 . s,' s% %. 70 time for
a. well tho In tho family In Jersey tho
the Lsns. Du, would prefer Immediate assistance.
The person In Utica SO darkly referred TO a
Gated in the family OF Milton H. Thompson. who wen.
on Bcckwith's bono wnon ne was transferred from
the Iomb ,sos to sing sing and who was was
other person a young lady whose tact
her best hopes rested Learning that nrs. Beck with
wanted nice companion TO act In scmi-domestic
capacity, she haa got this shrewd young person TO
take the position and keep nor informed Of all that
was going thsre. Time passed. moro money passed
TO her. but tho recovery Of the bonds seemed
nearer
ANOTHER scnsMg.
One day she TO Mr.. Bsbbitt; said that she be
gan TO despair Of getting thing out of Mrs Beck
WITH so she intended going 10 Sing Sing and seeing
ing promise OF rcpricve ana $50 900 In cash
him anew In lilo u he disclosed what he had done
block IN The way 10 success. Beckwitn was
too shrewd TO set much valuo by promises unless he
received somo assurance oil their value. Sho had
81 l 900 Of her In the bank which she would
throw into the transaction, $4,000 moro she had
ceived IRON Babott; only $4,000 wcrc wanting u
make up tho total OF the golden bribc by which she
hoped 10 loosen the convicts tongue. She got The
money aud went away in high spirits. THIS was what
she wrote from Sing Sing
Perhaps you think the too good 70 be true; bu
parties tDst have employed ana that With her
moment OF their lives where those bonds
when everything grts right put my hands night
them gu not credit IT, but IL Is truc as the Gospel
and shall claim tho credit when they In you
possession, BEING tho smartest In tho
excepted
| However, there a hitch somewhere and sbo al,
not put ner hands the bonds that time. AZ last
! conceived o brilliant Idea Mrs. Beckwith was bsinl
pressed by Mr. Fullerton, bcr iewycr, ana was u
need OF money. 80 Mrs Peek Intended 10 20 TO
friend OF hers. the cashier OF bank IN Deep River
/ Conn, and advertise through him for coupons no
yct duo. THIS she would take caro- would reach Mrs
Beckwth's eyes, and under tho watch that place,
i over her she would certainly bctray herself Th
looked plausible aud away she went TO carry u int
| execution, requiring Of course anothor advance.
i SUSPICIOUS AROUSED.
| But Mr. Bnbbitts suspicious were aroused by thu