The Indianapolis journal., 1885-03-01
DUpED BY PRETTY BLAcK-MAILERs.
Some Of the Many Schemes by Which They
Bleed Their Victims.

1bleeO 1ne1r NlctlmSs
New York Correspondence Troy Times.
Among the persons who leaned over the ice
box in the Pearl-street undertaking establish
ment, not long since, in which lay the body of
Lyman d. Minor. the Broadway merchant who
committed suicide, was woman of scarcely
twenty three years of age. She was soberly
dressed, and when she raised her veil modest
little face and pair of jet-black eyes twinkling
beneath black eyelashes were seen. With her
kid-gloved hand she smoothed back the hair
from the ugly bullet wound in the temple of the
dead man, and when she was leaving left bunch
of lilies on the box She came and went as un
ostentatiously as a sister of charity. This
woman was Annie Greenville, who, in connec
ton with Plny White, the king of confidence
men, was the unseen power that drove the mer-
chant to his grave Sergeant Frink, of the
Central police Office, said that Annie Greenvile
had heart of iron and was tool in the hands
of White. White would never leave man
while there was dollar in him. He was heart
less, treacherous and cruel
1t is perhaps ungallant thing to say but in
New York and large cities generally beauty and
black mail have come to be associated to such an
extent that the only safeguard for a susceptible
person is to steer clear of good-lookng strangers
altogether.
This black-mail is a trade that can only be-
piled successfully in the great populous cities
as there the possibilities of detection are re-
duced to mere nothing 1t takes an adroit rogue
to be firstclass swndler hence women who
have moro tact than men, are always chosen to
90 the fine work of entrapping the victim. Once
In the tolls the pucking is done by the male con-
federates and is usually an easy and safe process.
Ibelr methods are many, curious, and novel.
The latest and most novel is one recently come
to light
A beautiful and accomplished girl sought en-
ployment in a downtown business establish
ment run by father and son. She managed to
entangie both and get up escapa0e with the
young man which cost him very tidy little sum
before the end was reached He wrote her af
fectlonate letters, made short excursions around
and had lovely time generally, until one fine
ahornlng an elderly ruffian stepped up, claiming
60 be her father. The idiot was only too glad to
disgorge literally on the spot Then the ex-
charmer threatened to sue for the recovery of
her letters and a balance due on some furniture.
10 avoid a scandal he paid up handsomely. FL
nally fearing he was to be bied to death by
these vampires, he appealed to the police. A
single visit. with promise of arrest, sufced to
settle the whole business
A neat trick is for pretty black-maler to
enter the store where there are a great many
clerks. Once in the store, she plies all her fem
mime arts on the chosen victim lone who holds
pretty good position, and whose circumstances
she has learned something about) and engaging
him In conversation, lets slip some stray remark,
which she emphasizes with her eyes If he
smiles and retorts in the same vein, q point has
been gained. After that the conquest is not diff
cult visit or two, matinee, an opera night,
and then some fine day my lady sails into the
store like Spanish pirate bent on plunder.
hurried talk; the man looks glum, but hands the
money the ensnarer has demanded. After that
she rends him regularly, only at shorter and
shorter intervals, until something ''goes bust"
as the saying is. Either she gets in Jail or big
scandal breaks out OF possibly he defies her:
but as a rule he hasn't the pluck to do that.
and In many cases the pay process goes on for
years.
A well-known editor of much brilliancy and
sagacity on the metropolitan press, was badly
nY10 hxya
She first called on him, and her woful tale,
backed by her glrlish face, enlisted his sympa-
thles In her cause Then came requests for
theater ard concert tickets and other courtesies
In the compliance of which he generally sent a
gallantly worded note. On the strength of these
letters and confederate it cost him 81 900 inside
of three months He was too sensitive to public
opinion to hand her over to the police, and had
not friend of his stepped in and grappled mat
ters with an iron hand, he probably would have
been victim to-day of either her greed or lies.
Here is another case: A Broadway merchant
who makes speciality of silks and satins has
dark room fitted up in his store where he can
show the effect of gas-light upon his GOODS One
day he escorted a lady to this room to show
fine piece of satin under the gas Jet Hardly
had the door shut upon them than she tore off
her bonnet and sacque and finging her arms
about his neck shrieked at the ton of her voice
The clerks rushed in and saw the boss strug-
Cling with beautiful lady whose clothes were
half torn off her back Here was pretty kettle
of fish. 1t cost $500 to hush the matter up, but
he refuses to enter that room with lady unless
accompanied by cash boy now,
There is no limit to the resources of the busi-
ness, and like Mulberry Sellerss eye-water.
''there's millions in it," They have been known
to invade a private wedding and come off sue
cessful. Women invariably are the principals
Men suspect men always, but they are consum-
mate fools enough never to suspect handsome
woman The glamour of her face. the witchery
of her eyes, and the soft ripple of her tongue is
too much for their senses and their suspicion is
lulled until too late to be of any value One
meets these women everywhere---at the theater
on the cars, in the street The summer board
ing houses and seaside resorts are favorite
stamping grounds for them Saratoga is full OF
them in season, and not long since knew Of
one who entertained two clergymen-one a
bishop in the Episcopal Church-with their
wives at a cozy dinner OF course the guests
had no idea Of the true character of the fcharn-
ing' hostess, and perhaps some day, when |
write up her brilliant but checkered career, they
will rub their dear old ecclesiastical optics