St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-04-22
TRAPS FOR MALE DUPES.
Schemes by Which Pretty Female
Confidence Operators Bleed
Their Victims.

schemes Dy W nIc0 Fretiy fe0aIe
Confidence Operators Bleed
Their Victims.
New York Cor. of the Troy Times.
Among the persons who leaned over the
ice-box in the Pearl street undertaking estab-
lishment, not long since, in which lay the
body of Lyman D. Minor, the Broadway
merchant who committed suicide, was a wo-
man of scarcely 90 years Of age. She was
soberly dressed, and when she raised her veil
a 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 unostentatiously as a
sister of charity. This woman was Annie
Greenville, who, in connection with Pliny
White, the king of confidence men, was the
unseen power that drove the merchant to his
grave. Sergt. Frink of the Central police
office said Annie Greenville 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 heartless, treach-
erous and cruel.
1t is perhaps an ungallant thing to say, but
in New York and large cities generally beauty
and blackmail have come to he associated to
such an extent that the only safeguard for
susceptible person is to steer clear OF good
looking strangers altogether.
This blackmail is a trade that can only be
piled successfully in the great populous cities,
there the possibilities of detection are re-
duced to mere nothing. 1t takes an adroit
rogue to be a frst-class swindler, hence
women, who have more tact than men,
are always chosen to do the fine work of en-
rapping the victim. Once in the tolls the
is done by the male confederates
and is usua lily an easy and safe process.
Their methods are many, curious, and novel.
The latest and most novel is one recently
come to light.
A beautiful and accomplished girl sought
EMPLOYMENT in downtown business estab-
lishment rup by a father and son. She man
aged to entangle both, and get up All escapade
with the Young man which cost him very
tidy little sum before the end was reached.
He wrote her affectionate letters, made short
excursions around and had a lovely time
generally, until one fine morning an elderly
ruffian stepped up, claiming to be her father.
The idiot was only too glad to disgorge liber-
ally on the spot. Then the ex-charmer threat
ened to sue for the recovery of her letters aud
a balance due on some furniture; to avoid
scandal he paid up handsomely. Finally,
fearing he was to be bled to death by these
VAN ires, he appealed to the police. A sin
ole visit with a promise of arrest sufficed to
settle the whole business.
neat trick is for pretty blackmailer to
enter the store where there are great many
clerks. Once in the store, she plies all her
feminine arts on the chosen victim Zone who
holds pretty good position, and whose cir
cumstances 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 -etorts in
the same vein, point has been gained. After
that the conquest is not difficult. visit or
two, a matinee, an opera night, and then
some fine day my lady sails into the store like
q Spanish pirate bent on plumber. A hurried
talk; the man looks GUM, but hands the
money the ensnarer has demanded. After
that she rends him regularly, only at shorter
and shorter intervals, until something ''goes
DuSI, do Tic ShN -tto Ill
Jail or big scandal breaks out, or possibly
be defies her; but as 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 brilliaucy
and sagacity on the metropolitan press was
badly done for some time ago by pretty lit
tie widow. She first called on him. and her
wofuI tale, backed by her girlish face, enlisted
=; her Then cauna
quests for theater and concert tickets and
other courtesies, in the compliance of which
he generally sent calamity worded note
On the strength of these letters and con-
federate 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 CRAP
pied matters With an iron hand he probably
would have been victim to-day of either her
greed or lies.
Here is another case: A Broadway mer-
chant who makes a specially Of silks and
satins has a dark room fitted up in his store
where he can show the effect Of gaslight upon
his goods. One day he escorted lady to
this room to show a fine piece of satin under
the gas Jet Hardly had .he door shut upon
them than she tore of her bonnet and sacque
1cI utSh
ST the top of her voice. The clerks rushed
In and saw the boss struggling with beauti-
full 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 re-
fuses 10 enter that room with lady unless
accom- panied By cash buy now.
There is no limit to the resources Of the
business, and, like Mulberry Sellers eye
sster, there's millions in it" They have
been known to invade private wedding and
come of successful. Women invariably are
the principals. Men suspect men always. but
they are cousummate fools enough never TO
suspect handsome woman. The glamor OF
her tace, the vitcnery 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 evervEhere-zt the theater, on the
ears. in the street The summer boarding
houses and seaside resorts are favorite stamp
Ing grounds for them. Saratoga is full Of
them in season, and not long since knew
Of one who entertained two clergymen-one
q bishop in the Episcopal church-with their
xive. Il coy dinner. OF course the guests
had no idea Of tie true character Of the
hostess, and perhaps some day,
zneu I write up her brilliant but cbeckered
career. they viii rub their dear old ecclesias-
teal optics
There seems 70 be Rirl trouble in Inc Can
zf5;.r Nor4h~Sst