River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1880-05-06
THE BAG OF GOLD.
Lost by Man Foolish Enough to Trust
i'm s'GypSy Queen"

II could tell you some queer stories
about gypsies," said Mr.. Robert A.
Pinkerton. the well-Enown detective, to
a writer of The Neto York Star. The re-
mark was suggested by the case
recently reported in the papers of Ma
tilda Worton, the gypsy queen who
swindled an Indiana man out of 81, 100,
and was traced to Brooklyn, where she
was arrested. The man visited her in
her camp in Indiana, and asked her to
tell his fortune. She told him that, in
order to get Supernatural aid" it was
necessary that he should put 81, 100 IN
an envelope and deposit it in her keep.
ing. She confscated the money and
returned him an envelope stuffed with
brown paper. When he discovered,
the next day, that he had been swim
died, he went to look after the woman,
but she had disappeared. BY shrewd
piece of detective work she Was traced
to Brooklyn and arrested. Mr.. Pinker-
ton said that his father, Mr.. Allan Pink
erton, the veteran detective, could fill a
book with his experiences with gypsies.
For instance, there was, not many
years ago, O. case where, through gypsy
manipulation, $4,000 in gold dwindled
down to fifty cents. According to the
elder Pinkerton's narrative, there was,
on bright Sunday morning in June,
1864, a gypsy camp on the bank of Red
river about two miles above Clarksville,
Tenn. 1t was a small camp, number
ing but three men, three women, and
four children-two boys and two girls:
Two wagons, covered when on the road,
but whose covers were removed and
converted into tents when IN camp,
stood at either edge OF the little open
ing. The queen of the camp was a wo
man apparently As years of age. Ii
was TO this camp that a young girl, Miss
Lizzie Redford. the daughter of neigh
boring planter, came to have her for
tune told. Taking Miss BEDFORD into
her tent, the queen said: Nov, you
must know, the true gynsy knows every
thing" And then, quickly uncovering
her wrists and showing some mysteri-
Gus characters upon them, she contin-
ued: "With these charms nothing can
be kept from me-nothing." Having
thus scared the girl.lnto his condition
with her shrewd manipulation, and
through information already IN her
possession regarding the Redford fami-
ly affairs, she could not only secure any
additional information she might de-
sire, but give the girl enough mysterious
hints at past events to startle her into
certain convection Of her supreme
powers at divination. Lizzie Redford
was wholly in her power. Gradually
the queen drew fcom the girl the
fact that her father had $751; 900 of gold
coin concealed in his house. 81 can
work q charm that will double your
fathers gold," said she to Miss Red
ford. The upshot of the matter was
that the girl told her father what the
gypsy woman had said. Mr.. BEDFORD
made up his mind that he also would
visit the camp, and ascertain if it was
fact that his gold could be doubled.
Reaching the camp, he called one of
the children to him, and putting some
money into her tawny hand, asked the
child to tell the queen that gentle
man wished to see her. The queens
ears were very sharp, or her eyes very
keen, for scarcely had the child time to
have got fifty feet toward the tents
when the queens voice was heard civ.
ing directions to inform Mr.. Redford
that Mr.. Redforc must come to the
queen, not the queen to him. de
heard 1.-THE message was evidently in
tended for his ears Director, before
the child had returned, he was striding
sullenly into the centre of the camp.
"Good evening, queen" said Mr.. Red
ford, coming toward to where the gyp-
sy sat in a comfortable camp-chair.
Good evening" she replied, pleasantly,
but still with considerable dignity. "My
daughter Lizzie was here this morning"
he remarked. Eyes, she was here"
said the fortune-teller. Glow did you
find out about the gold coin in my gar
retY" he inquired. The gypsy replied
to this by raising her sleeves and hold
ing her barred wrists TO the light OF the
Goals. He looked at them moment
and saw the magic characters upon
them, and then, without speaking, look
ed in her face for an explanation. she
further informed him that, if he would
trust her, she would, by magic charm,
double his gold. She assured him that ne
youldfind hidden at the roots OF q certain
mulberry tree on his place an old iron
ketllb COLidiulIlS uhO hCA RAOtOSS - -
coins to match his $4,000 but 1t was
impossible to discover its whereabouts,
with all her power, unless she had a
like amount with which to assist IN
wori ing her charm. The next day Mr..
BEDFORD took his SIS. 900 in gold from
his garrett and carried it to the gypsy
camp. If the poor fool had looked
about the camp he could have seen
that everything had been made snug;
that the harness which hung upon the
wagon boards was freshly cleaned and
oiled; that the boxes and bundles and
packages were all neatly tied, and the
| heaviest of them slowed away. He gave
the woman his s15. 600 in gold, and she
told him that she would return it to bis
house at sunrise the next morning;
'sThe sun has 10 rise on the charming,
said she. "Now, you go home and walt
tor me, l will double your $15 OOO ny
telling YOU where to find the other Sl5.-
OOO.n The next morning the queen
was early at the farmers house with a
bag, which she assured him contained
the gold which he had left with her.