Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1883-08-02
MRs. PElH0DI NAM.
Arrea'cd Wiih n Gang of Pension
Thieves After Mabiug ~ 5sig sshuI.

From hysI E'"niigut Thursday.
An Interesting sxpoeure of y irsud suc
cessfully practic-d upon the Passion
Office came up bsfors Unitei States Com
! missioner Gibbons yesterday, says To-
days Philadelphia Times. From the
testimony OF Mrs. Lillian l.. Peabody ol
Wilmington, Delaware, a thin, angular
woman OF about 33 years, who was the
principal witness, it appears that she was
induced by two men whom abe knew al
George Smith and Henry Frank to enter
into the conspiracy.
An application for pension for Mrs.
Priscilla Carpenter of Woodbury., N. J
for the death of her husband, John II.
Carpenter, deceased member of Com
psny C, Eighty-third Pennsylvania Vol
unteers, was prepared by the two men
and granted on June 2Sth last.
1t was arranged that Mrs. Peabody
should represent herself as Mrs. Csrpen-
ter and secure the money. Accordingly,
in company with the two men, she went
to the pension Office, in SAMSON, above
Seventh street, on Tuesday morning, the
necessary vouchers were signed, and yes
terday morning check. for 81 IS .07 was
given her, payable at the United States
.sub treasury. She went with the men
to the sub.treasury and the money was
drawn.
There was quarrel about the division
of the money, and the woman appeared
at the central station and informed De-
tectives Miller aud Wolf of the fraud,
saying that she had entered into the con
spirsey merely to further the ends of JUS
tice. She also declared that she had
never seen her two fellow -oons pirators
until they met her in Independence
Square a few weeks ago. She said Smith
proposed the plan to her, alleging that
Priscilla Carpenter was sick and dying.
lie said there would bs no trouble, as he
had been in the business for Is years.
She said that on drawing the money
Frank seized it and ran away.
Frank was arrested at Ninth aud Race
streets 10y W. Il. Shelrnire, chief clerk of
the pension Off .e, and 81, ,G35 was found
in his pocket. The man who went by the
Rankin, who is well known as profess
sionsl procurer Of "straw BAIL" He was
captured at Fifth aud Chebtuut streets.
They were eaoh committed 10 Jail in de-
fault OF 1900 bail for a further hearing
this morning Mrs, Pesboly was placed
nnder 81, 900 bail to appear IS a witness.
The woman called herself Mrs. Lillian
Peabody, an adventurous, first turned
up in this city about Is months ago in
search of a man employed by the jackson
q Sharp Company whom she claimed as
Der husband. The man, Charles
Peabody, denied that he and the woman
had ever been married, aud refused to
have anything to do with her. After
persecuting him for several days, she
was found one afternoon lying in the
rain and snow on tombstone at Old
Swades cemetery. An empty phigl,
labelled lgudanum, was at her side, from
which the woman stated she had drank a
deadly potion in hopes of ending her
miserable existence. Medical aid was
summoned, and the woman taken to the
house of neighbor where she soon after
recovered. She claimed to be- member
Of the Geneva Red Cross AsauristiOu and
wore q badge of the society aud carried
credentials OF membership of which ske
was very proud
After recovering from the etf4cts Of the
laudsnun the woman fonud employment
in the city, and devo;ed her spare time to
annoying her alleged husband.
The last time she became prominent
here was about five months ago when ahe
overlook Mr, Peabody on the train su
route to Chester with young girl tor
ths alleged purpose of marrying her. AS
the couple were boarding the train
at the station here the discarded
wife save her husband q
few stingiug outs with a COW hide. When
the couple disembArked at Chester she
renewed the la5hiug to both so vigorously
that Peabody assaulted her and in his
desperation drew revolver and
threatened to shoot her ii she further
interfered or imp.ied his trip to the
alderman's where the ceremony was to
Lave been performed For tbs assault he
was arrested ana at tue recent session
OF Delaware county courts was convicted
and aertenced to tenn in jail for carry
jrg concealed weapons, assault sud bat
itsT. The Masonic Fraternity here, the
woman alleges, assisted her in prcsecut-
ing tie man.