The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1883-06-14
SLICK BlACkMAiLERS.
How Pretty Wife and Her Husband Piled
Their Art.

NEW YORK, June ia Boston special
TO the World says; Mr.. and Mrs. Geo. f.
Pearson, who for some time have been
known as swindlers throughout New Eng.
land, were arrested to-day on q charge Of
extorting $500 from Thomas E. Mann Of this
city. The story Of their transaction has
been told by Mann and corroborated by the
accused since their arrest. Mann Is about
seventy years old. Recently he attended a
spiritualist gathering or seance In Payne
Hall which Is a resort for all kinds OF anti.
religious bodies. While there be noticed
handsome woman reckoning to him from
window. He was surprised and startled.
The woman ran down TO the door Of the hall
in great haste to greet the aged gentleman,
wlom she pretended to know and whom she
finally induced TO accompany her home. She
was evidently
INFATUATED WITH HIM.
suddenly; so suddenly, that the old gen.
tleman' hair fairly curled, he was con-
fronted by man who said that he was the
husband. Tha newcomer a ffsosea he 81, az
OF oho who bad sustained uu irreparable In :
jury. Mr.. Mann, who Is somewhat imbe-
Gle, or In his second childhood, begged to
be allowed TO 20 In peace and offered 500
Iosecure his freedom and 10 settle the AZ.
fair. His proposition was not satisfactory
and 500 was demanded. which he paid and
for which he obtained a receipt signed
George +. Pearson.n When he got
away from the house be realized that ne
had been swindled, He soughtlegal advice
and the swindIers were arrested. Pearson
admitted his guilt and refunded $500 OF the
800. He besought the court TO release his
wife as she simply acted under his orders,
but the record against both Of them was 40
bad that the court decided to prosecute
them. For some time past 1t Is said that
the two have pursued a uniform scheme OF
Dlackmailing,. the woman being used to
ensnare the victims by her beauty and her
persuasive manners. They were both ma.
tiyes OF Bangor, Me-. where seven years
ago Pearson charged an ex-judge with
improper conduct toward his wife, whose
maiden name was Nellie Shaw. The ex.
Judge, who Is westhy old gentlemen, 10
avoid exposure paid
LARGE SUM oP HusH-MoNEY.
Pearson subsequently, got al divorce from
his wife but Joined her later In Boston,
where they managed to obtain a liy,ihood
by, engaging In al manner Of backmailng
schemes. They have extorted money from
numerous prominent and wealthy GENTLE
men. Pearson and wife went to Proyi.
ience and there succeeded by tho same
plan in sparing and robbing many we'll.
known and wealthy men, whom they COM
PEELED TO pay sums ranging from $500 to
$1,000. Pearson himself pretended TO be a
music teacher, He forced his wife, who
was averse to their mode OF life, to accom-
pany him to Pautucket, II. |. Here thew
caught two more victims and bled them to
the extent Of several hundred dollars each.
Having enjoyed remarkable successful
career IN New England villages, they re-
promising future WAS dawning upon their
horizon, when they were trapped by the
detectives and arrested. Among their
latest victims was well.known million.
aire, who was induced to part with $20,-
600. Pearson and his wife were held to-
day In ", 500 each for trial.