The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-06-05
Oracle ST. JOHN CLEMANCE.
A Dashing Female Jack Shepperd.
A CONFIDENCE WOMAN VICTIMIzES
MAINE PEOPLE.

A CONFIDENCE WOMAN vICTIMIzES
MAINE PEOPLE.
Arrested in this City, She Breaks out of
Prison.
Mr.. j. s. Spring of Fryeburg some years
ago went to California and engaged in mining.
He was very successful struck profitable vein
of ore and became wealthy mine owner. He
resided at first at Grass Valley, but subsequent
ly at Ophir, having his mine at Oakland, near
by, and doing business also in Sacramento
About three years ago the family met lady
at Grass Valley who pleased them very much.
She gave her name as Oracle st. John Glenn
ance, said she was a sister of ex-Gov. Tod OF
Ohio, and professed to be the widow of W. ii.
Cemance, and to have inherited large prop
erty from her father. Mrs. Clemance and the
Spring family became very intimate, so much
so that she resided from that time continually
with them. She appeared to have money OF
her own, and so conducte herself that no sus-
picions were aroused as to the genuineness OF
all her statements.
LII OcCcmUtr 1910, MI. spring Jooh Ills NlO
and daughter and came ON to Fryeburg, az
irving in January. At the time of his depart
ure he left $500 with Mrs. Clemance, of
which sum she was to use what was required
for household expenses, about $500, and the
other thousand she told him she could loan to
Senator Sharon and get enough interest there
on to pay the expenses of the trip east. The
Springs reached Fryeburg in January of this
year and, soon after, Mrs. Spring wrote to
Mrs. Clemance to come on and join them. To
this Mrs. Clemance returned answer that on
ing to the Eastern climate, and her deli
cate health at the time, iG would not be adj
visable. Furthermore, she said she had no
money to spare for the purpose. Later, on the
first on March, Mr.. Spring sent her 1850, and
told her what was not required for her use in
coming East she must deposit in the Sacra-
mento Savings Bank for Mr.. Springs daughter
Ida, as it was a legacy left to that lady.
The last of March Mrs. Clemance arrived at
Fryeburg, and soon after she went with the
Springs to visit Mr.. Sweat's family in Brown
field While there she stated to the Springs
that instead of putting the money in the saw
ings bank she had taken it, added $1,000 to it
from her own property (Which she had receiy-
ed) and let Senator Sharon have it, taking his
note for sic, 500 payable in January $780, The
$500 she said was the interest he was to pay.
She offered this note to Mrs. Spring aud told
her to put it in her trunk, but Mrs. Spring re
piled that it would be as safe in Mrs Glenn
ance's as her own.
May 18th Mr.. Spring started from Fryeburg
on trip to Sacramento, intending to wind up
his business there and return and settle down
in Fryeburg, leaving his family and Mrs.
Clemance in Brownfeld. The day following
Mrs. Clemance stated she must make trip to
Dixon, ILL.,, to visit some relations, and she
made arrangements for Mrs. Spring to meet
her at Albany, N. Y, on her return, and travel
with her. On his way to Sacramento Mr.
Spring thought he would travel through Cleve-
land and inquire something about Mrs. Glenn
ance's antecedents. He there ascertained that
Gov. Tod left daughter Oracle who mar
ried man named Clemance, but the couple
were living at Youngstown, Ohio.
Mrs. Clemance in the mean time telegraphed
Mrs. Spring from. Chicago to meet her at AL
bany, and direct her answering telegram to
Syracuse. Mrs. Spring replied she could not
accept On May 2Sth Mrs. Spring received a
telegram from Mrs. Clemance, dated Albany
asking her to come on and she could find her
at the Delavan House. This telegram was
also answered, declining the invitation.
On the Sunday Mrs. Clemance sent the last
telegram Mr.. Springs brother, in Fryeburg, re-
ceived a telegram from Mr.. j. S. Spring, stat
loI ~,
to May 21st and drew the money, $4,000, which
she had deposited in the savings bank there
this being the whole amount Mr.. Spring had
sent her since he and his family first came east,
and inquiring if she was there, in Fryeburg.
The next day he telegraphed he was about to
leave for Maine with requisition from the
Governor of California for her arrest; that an
officer would be sent ON the day following, and
that the chief of police would send telegram
to Marshal Bridges to arrest her on her arrival
in Portland.
Before this telegram arrived Mrs. Clemance
appeared in Portland, reaching here the same
day, the 2Sth, the telegram was sent to Mrs.
Spring from Albany She sent to Mrs. Spring
to forward her trunk to the Preble House,
where she was stopping. The next day the
telegram came from the Sacramento chief of
police. Mrs. Springs brother was in town and
spotted Mrs. Clemence without her seeing him.
He notified Marshal Bridges, who proceeded to
the hotel and took her into custody. She was
treated with politeness, and placed in the fe-
male lodging room at the station to await Mr..
j. E. Springs arrival. The same day Mr..
Spring telegraphed that the $4,000 note was
forgery 1t has been ascertained that a note
without signature and without any date, except
the year, but in other respects duplicate of
the Sharon note, was written in this city last
Fast day. 1t was Immediately after Fast Day
that Mrs. Clemance produced the Sharon note
at Brownfeld, saying she received it by mail,
and explained the reason why it was in an en-
velope postmarked Portland, was, that it was
remailed from this city. Mrs. Clemance ad-
mits having had the form for the note written
for her on Fast Day, saying she did it merely
to compare it with the Sharon note, and to see
if it was correctly written. Her statement now
is the money for the note was left with a law
yer in San Francisco named Gorham, who was
to exchange it for the Sharon note and send
her the note by mail.
When first arrested Mrs. Clemance wrote
letter proporting to be addressed to brother,
Edward D. Tod resident in Washington, who
she said he would be here last Monday. There
are no indications that she has communicated
with any confdant while here. There is little
doubt the Sharon note was made in Portland.
Before she left Brownfeld she borrowed $50
from DR.. Sweat and $50 from Mrs. Spring.
Yesterday morning Mrs. Clemance sue
ceeded in making her escape from the station.
She broke out between midnight and 5 a. m.
She Lad managed probably to cut the wooden
bars of the window of the lodging room where
she was confined with the kkife with which
she cut her food for supper, and hid the shay
ings under the bed, She then raised the win
dow and squeezed through into the narrow
walk back of the station, scaled the fence into
Chestnut street and cleared. 1t is thought it
may have been Mrs. Clemance and con-
federate, who broke into the stable and stole
the horse and beach wagon of Mr.. Motley at
Pride's Bridge, for it is said she can drive the
widest horse that was ever seen. She left be-
hind her a trunk filled with an expensive
wardrobe. $500 in money, superb quartz and
gold chain, pair of very expensive bracelets
and other ieWelry Blame cannot be attached