Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-08-14
A QUEER STORY.
How n Girl or Thirteen is Said TO Have Ont
witted Her Mother.

How n Girl or Thirteen 10 Said 10 Have Ont
wltted Her Mother.
An Easton (Pa.) special says: One
Of the sharpest, shrewdest, and neatest
games ever played in Easton has just
come to light. Mrs. Mann, widow,
lives on Pine street near Fifth, and has
good-looking daughter, aged thirteen.
Theodore Oliver, of the firm of Oliver
x Co., sheet-iron manufacturers,
lives in a handsome house on
Fifth street near Pine. He is
also an ex-councilman and one of
the most highly-respected citizens Of
Easton. Over a year ago he became a
widower. Shortly afterward Miss
Mann began visiting his residence. A
month later the girl handed her mother
a letter purporting to have been written
and signed by Mr.. Oliver. The con-
tents were to the effect that Mr.. Oliver
had become financially embarrassed
and requesting a temporary loan. This
was the beginning of lengthy CORE
spondence. The amount asked for
was given the girl to deliver. In
few days the girl handed her
mother another letter, written with
a lead-pencil. From its tone Mrs.
Mann was led to believe that Mr.. Oil
yer had become enamored of her, and
more bright and happy future ap-
peared. There was nothing suspicious
about the letters, and. as has since been
said. Mrs. Mann thought that as Mr..
Oliver had but a short time before be-
come a widower, he had taken this me-
thod of showing his friendship for her
rather than call at the house until Seye-
raj months had passed. Mrs. Mann
answered the letter and gave it to her
daughter to deliver. The next week
Mrs. Mann received another letter, ask
ing for SIS with which to help pay Mr..
Divers employees. The money was
gwen the girl, with instructions to de-
liver it at once.
The next letter was started by Mrs.
Mann being called my dear wife,
and the recipient replied by calling Mr..
Oliver My dear husband" Several
other letters came asking for money to
pay a gas-bill, pay for a turkey, and
for money to pay the board-bill for Mr..
Divers horse. All the money asked
for was given the girl to deliver.
Matters then remained silent for
about week. One day the girl came
home with gold ring, placed it on her
mothers finger, and said it was
present from Mr.. Oliver. Mrs. Mann
was now sure that Mr.. Oliver was sin
cere in his intentions. A subsequent
letter proposed marriage, and requested
Mrs. Mann to see clergyman. The
minister was visited and arrangements
were made for the wedding. Mrs.
Mann ordered bridal outfit. and made
other preparations for the event. The
next letter stated that Mr.. Oliver had
ordered suit of clothes at a high
toned store, and that it would not be
ready for some time.
The next letter asked for more money,
and it was cheerfully given. Sums Of
money in small amounts were also
handed the girl by her mother on verbal
messages. The correspondence was
kept up nearly a year, and still Mr..
Oliver and Mrs. Mann had not met or
spoken to each other. On several oc-
casions. after Mrs. Mann had been away
from home her daughter told her " Mr..
Oliver was here and had just gone 4;
or "Mr. Oliver has just passed the
house, and if you had been here sooner
you would have seen him."
Last Friday agentleman who lives in
the same neighborhosd met Mr.. Oliver
and told him of stories that were be-
ing circulated concerning himself and
Mrs. Mann, one of which was that he
had imposed upon the woman by Dor
rowing 1900 from her, and that she had
given her daughter sums to that amount
to deliver to him. Mr.. Oliver had two
respectable citizens to accompany him
to Mrs. Mann's residence. Shortly
after the trio entered the house
Mrs. Mann said (: " You have deceived
me, and now | don't care anything at
all about you or your big brick house.
All want you to do is to pay me back
the 1900 that you swindled me out Of.
I've got all your letters, with your full
name signed to them" Seeing that he
could not convince Mrs. Mann Of her
error, and that he was not the au-
thor Of the letters, he left the
house and employed Detective Simous
to work up the case, cost what it
might. The officer began his investi-
CATION yesterday, and finished it last
evening. He first obtained Mr.. Oil
ver's signature, then had Miss Mann to
write her name and the one she had
been forging. The letters were then
produced, and the handwriting Of the
girl was found to be the same as the
letters. The girl, finding herself caught
in the game, made a full confession
and wept bitterly. Besides the ring
she had purchased an alarm-clock,
vases, &C., and had her mother
believe they were presents from
Mr.. Oliver. The letters written
by Mrs. Mann were destroyed imme-
diately after they were given her
daughter to deliver. After the confess
sion Mrs. Mann pleaded with the de-
tectiye to see Mr.. Oliver and have him
not to prosecute her for anything she
| had said about him. Thus the matter
stands. If Miss Mann had been ten
years older she could no. have planned
and carried out her expensive scheme
in more successful manner.