New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-05-22
MRS. KATE LAIRD FACES HER ACCUSERe'
| HOTEL PRoPRIETORs TELL HOW SHE s"lNDLED

ton.
MRS. KATE LAIRD FACES HER ACCUShho'
HOTEL PRoPRIETORs TELL HOW SHE s"lNDLED
THrM-snE is NOT LIVING AT ALL.
Amid the odors of stale tobacco and the tunes OF
unnumbercd alcoholic beverages when per nauru
the courtroom at Jefferson Marke, 60 dStncted
ing person with keen nose might nave Ieteose1 %
an od0r which seemed moro akin to the PERFUMES i
Araby aud following the scent would nave 9isoof
cred that il emanatcd from neatly dressed III 70
woman, who sat within tho railing she had q
black shawl thrown dainty across heT o,na
and feet of small proportions encaSed III it
shoes we're visible beneath black satin ShlIt
With black felt pokc-bonnet, rom Wi fnntres
sconded veil that effectually hid her lest9re55
from the curious spectators in the court se
like a modestly dressed woman Oh iasl iona
in such surroundings. She had just pee, been
escorted from prison cell by q couple Oh piI ~
coated officers and at Police Headquarters on lnc
night previous had registered as Mrs; Maze Ldl'
BEFORE that she had registered at sundry hotes III
the city variously Mrs Knox Mrs BeaSley I hnd
James Mrs. Boyd, etc. For some months sno nau
demonstrated that with good looks. engaging man,
ners unlimited audacity and mendaclty m1 I,na
might live luXunonsly III NeN-1oI1S h Hm ninnrj
Her interesting social experiment had bech hIppe'l
in the bud through a circular issued by the ii9tei
Kcepcrs' Association and the astuteness OF AiHer-
man Waite Of the BIevoort House, INTO Whose
LANDS one of the circulars fell. She was IN court
10 answer charges of swlndling certain hotcl pro
prctors, whose hospitable doors she had ieit Def
hind her without going through the formallty Vi
settling her bill.
Samuel +. White, proprietor Of the Everett
House, made affidavit that Mrs Laird, under thee
name of Mrs. Beasley had run up bill al his h3toi
for food and lodging amounting TO ~, ana LA !
then suddenly disappeared SorroWlulIy, nc n T
sought for her at the Stuyyesant rats WheIe ShJ
had told him that she leased apartments, pnt liC,
! TO find her; and he now asked that she be dealt
with as the law provided. Joseph Wehrle, pIopllc-
! tor of the Hotel Bevederc depOScd that on May :
! the prisoner accompanied by mad came 10 ms us
! LouSc and registered as Mrs Knox. On May 10
! her bill was presented to her. She SAID ti't sue
| had offered a reward OF $50 for the return OF a
x"inohic diamond mn. and wished to keep her
| ready money to be prepared for p0sSiOie ciher-
! gcncy; that she would go 10 the bank III Gay
| or two and so on IN that day she vacated
| her auarfnents leaving behad her as souvenirs q
small trnnk filed with s0iled linen and an unpaid
hill for S77 40 Samuel H. Smith, proprietor OF the
| Morton House testified that he had lodged hcr anu
! fed her and provided for her creature c3hl9lI3
from April If to April 49, up to which datc hcr oiIl
| amounted to SSG She had then suddenly Hc-
! camped and he had made sorrowiuI inVes'Eatlon
ofccrtain of her statements only TO discover that
! they were false. ~. o,,
| When Mrs Laird raised her veil TO give the com
! painanis an opportunity of identifying hcr' sne
! revealed a face OF the brunette type, altracuyee
but not handsome, large "soUliul eyes, sl1l't
| mouth and perfect teeth. To the questions ASKED
! her after the aidavits had been read she Ieplleu
| feat her name was Kate Laird, that she was
eighteen wears of age was born III Mexico, anl h"u
! mo- busiucss or profession To the query w mere
DO yOu live and how long have you re.ided thcrc
| she answered | am not living at all. Nhelher
| this was meant as a joke, OF sad commentary on
her recent experience of prison fare, Justce on
! seemed unable to decide. She was held III @ooo
/ hail M each complaint.