The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1883-11-09
FASCINATION IN FRAUD.


swindlers in Petticoats Who Work
Through the Mails-An Expert in
the Art Tells How Susceptible
Young Men Arc Made Victims Un-
awares.
New York Times
A petite woman, richly and tastily
dressed in modest colors, walked rapid
ly past Fifth Avenue Hetel just before
noon the other day. A Times reporter
came out of the hotel and started leisure
ly down the avenue just behind her.
There was about him that air of indif-
ference which unconsciously attaches
itself to oil reporters who are not con-
nected with the only paper which cir
culates Exclusively among the best fam
lies" The fact that the brilliant drip
pings of his pen were not fated to OBJ
scurity in its pages made him pensive
as we'll as indifferent, and caused him to
saunter. AS he reached the Twenty
third street corner the young woman
who had hesitated and finally stopped,
approached him and said:
Excuse me for troubling you. sir; but
might l ask you to do me a slight favor?"
The reporter lifted his hat and uncon-
sciously remarked: "You might, but 1
warn you in advance am not connected
with that paper which boasts of the
largest circulation among the best peo.
ple"
The petite woman looked up, and with
somewhat peculiar smile, said: "But
didn't think you were Police Gazette
reporter" The young reporter felt re-
lieved, and willingly offered his services
in the execution Of any commission that
might be given him. Daintily-gloved
fingers dropped dime into the hand of
the reporter as the woman said: will
you step to the newsstand in the Fifth
Avenue Hotel and get me a copy of the
Hotel Reporter of this morning? II will
cost ten cents. 1t is high-priced, and
but, unlike any other paper, it is useful
for my purposes.
The request was an unusual one. The
speaker WAS bright and intelligent, q
Woman whose manner betokened some
thing of refinement. There was, too,
something in her manner which seemed
familiar to the, Times man, and which
made him involuntarily think of his
New England home. AS the impromptu
messenger went into the hotel he met
Detective Pryor, who said, ''Be little
careful, my boy, she's shrewd one"
"Who is she, and for what does she
want to see Hotel Reporter"
"Ask her: perhaps she'll tell you.
Then go ask Hungry Joe" what. he does
for a living. He'll tell you too"
The "tip" was sufficient. Might it not
be worked successfully for solution of
the strange commission. The familiar
face and voice haunted the reporter as
stand. The picture of a little school
house in busy Connecticut town haun-
ted him, and the central figure of the
picture was the face of the little woman
outside. 1t was younger, fresher, less
careworn. Yet it was the same. There
was the same music in the voice, the
same color in the eye. The child, de-
veloped into the woman, would be like
that woman on the sidewalk. The
name came back, too. But 1t was that
OF an old playmate, the daughter of a
prominent manufacturer. Could the
two be identical?
"Your commission is fulfilled. Here is
your paper, Miss Blank"
The experiment was successful, the ef-
feet electrical. The little woman started
as though she had been struck, for the
name was an uncommon one.
"Do you know me, them" The little
woman looked at her inquisitor. sit is
YOU, if you are, as / suppose you to
be-" The little woman had called the
Questioner by his correct Christian name
and surname. The identity of both be-
ing established and acknowledged, the
little woman said: "Let us walk
down street; some one might over
hear or observe u.s."
1T is lunch-time. Let us 60 and get
luncheon, and then tell me why yon
wanted a copy of the Hotel Reporter, il
you can crafty my curiosity" The sug'
gestion was the reporters. Seated at
the table in cozy corner, the waiter
having been induced to make himsel
agreeable by watching the demolition Of
the meal from distance, the little
woman related her story. 1t was rev.
elation of a phase of life which attaches
to great cities only. 1t was
the story of an adventures
Its peculiarities are known tc
the detectives, to the victims, to the
| people of the class to which the little
woman belonged, but not to the public
at large, who are told in the newspapers
this class. The preface of her story was
the sad one which belongs to the life o
80 many hundred women. 1t is old
yet always new. Its lesson is
often taught ia never learned
| saye by experience. 1t WAS that Of a
beautiful girl. highly educated. Tnere
| was a summer Irritation with chance
acquaintance. True love was an element
in this one. 1t has remained one
through many years. Though the young
man was graduate OF Harvard, con.
| nected with one of Boston's best iamil
les and with some little fortune, her
parents opposed the marriage, which
took place clandestinely. He became q
gambler. Dropping name and associates
he went west, failed to retrieve his for
tunes in legitimate business, and became
q professional gambler. A few years
ago he made New York his home. The
wife had been pressed into service al