News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1885-09-10
A PECULIAR GIRL IN EASTON.
She Arranges Pretended Engagement
Between her Mother and Neigh
Dor.
From the PhiIadelphia Press. !

Rumors afoat for some time to the
effect that prominent gentleman Of
Easton, Pa, had secured considerable sums
of money from divorced woman, and
had Tilted the lady after having become
engaged to marry her, were effectually
set at rest in very peculiar manner.
About a year since the gentleman
known as Mr.. j. became a widower,
and shortly after Miss X, the
lady's daughter, a pretty girl of IA,
got to be a frequent visitor OF
the J. children. A month later the girl
handed her mother letter signed with
Us. name, and saying that he had become
financially embarrassed and would like
to borrow money. A long correspond
ence followed. From time to time Mrs.
X. gave her daughter money to be given
to Mr.. J., and received, in return, letters
that led her to believe that Mr.. J. had
fallen deeply in love with her. Mrs. X.
replied not unkindly to the letters, and
continued sending money through her
daughter.
One day the girl came home with a
gold ring, placed it on her mothers
finger, and said it was from Mr.. j.,
Mrs. X. was pleased with this evidence
of regard, and more pleased when a
subsequent letter directly proposed mar
riage. The letter requested Mrs. X. to
consult clergyman, which she did, and
arrangements were made for the we'd
ding. Mrs. X meanwhile ordered a
bridal outfit, and learned from another
letter that Mr.. ]. was making arrange
ments for his marriage. Another letter
asked for money, and it was given, and
from time to time Mrs. X. gave her
daughter small sums in response to
alleged verbal messages from Mr.. ].
Several times when the mother returned
home after being absent, the daughter
told her that Mr.. J. had called. As
yet, however, Mrs. x. had never re-
ceived Mr.. J. in her own house. This
she had all along ascribed to the fact of
his somewhat recently having become a
widower.
Meanwhile gossips were busy with the
approaching marriage and with stories
of Mr.. Us. borrowing money from the
woman who was to be his wife. These
stOriesa reached the ears of friend of
Mr.. j. and the latter was questioned
about the matter. He replied with alb
solute denial that he had ever borrowed
a penny from Mrs. X or written her
line. The friend looked surprised and
incredulous, and Mr.. j. annoyed beyond
expression insisted that two friends
should accompany him to Mrs. X. and
hear her denial of the correspon-
dence and loans, but Mrs. X made no
such denial. On the contrary, she said
that she had Mr.. j. letters in proof of
his duplicity. With feminine pluck she
declared that she wished to have moth
ing further to do with him or his big
brick house, but would have her money
back.
The puzzled J. with his half incredu-
lous friends left The angry woman's
house in great discomfort, and Mr.. J.
at once put the case into the hands of
Detective Simons. Armed with Mr.. j.
genuine signature, the Deceive examined
the ardent love letters in Mrs. x. pos
session, questioned the little go-between,
and then extracted from the frightened
child a confession that she had written
all the letters and manufactured all the
from Nr. J. to her mother, and
thus obtained for her own use $500 of
her mothers money. With the money
thus obtained she had bought the sup
posed engagement ring, an alarm clock,
handsome vases and the like, and per-
suaded her mother that they were all
presents from Mr.. J. The letters from
her mother to Mr.. J. she had destroyed.
Mr.. Us. friends congratulate him on
the success of the mystery, while Mrs. X,
is deeply chagrined over her daughters
conduct and her own notifying mis-
take.