National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-03-18
THE TERROR OF MARRIED MEN.
What the Police Have to Say of the Al
legged BIacLmaiIer, Ollie Ellis.

legged Blackmailer, Ollie Ellis.
The letter addressed to Judge Edmonds
by Mrs. Ollie p. Ellis, alias the California
Duchess, alias Willis, alias Chicago Daisy,
in which she preferred charges against the
police, was referred to Mai. Dye for report
Mai. Dye, IN answer, states that Mrs. Ellis
came to this city several months ago and
registered at the National Hotel. She be-
gan to blaclimail Thomas i. Snelbaler, of
the Theater Comique, by sending him two
letters threatening his life II he did not
send her 81, 600 to procure the release Of her
brother, who is serving twelve years In the
penitentiary for murder. He refused and
complained to the detectives. Detective
Raf advised him to get warrant for
threats, which he did. The proprietor Of the
hotel asked that the warrant be not served
in the dining room. The request was
compiled with. In the meantime
the woman was notified, and she escaped
through the back way and entered car
rage. She was next heard Of through u
letter from Chief Detective Kelley, OF
Philadelphia, asking the Washington po-
lice Superintendent to locate her, as She
was under indictment in Philadelphia for
keeping n bawdy house, had Jumped her
bail, and had procured 81 900 worth Of fur
niture from q Mrs. Frederick In that city,
and had shipped them away without pay
ing for them. IL was learned that she was
at the National Hotel for ten days with a
maid and small child, which she passed
off as hers. She beat the hotel out Of her
bill and rented house on 4 street between
Eighth and Ninth. The Philadelphia po-
lice were notified and Mrs. Frederick came
on and got her furniture. Ollie then went
TO the Riggs House.
Detective RafT and Quinlan learned that
TO-, 4 L. a.
was seen, and said that Mrs Ellis came TO
Washington to blackmail q prominent
official that she had already gotten consid-
cradle money from him, and that when the
maid learned that she was to aid In getting
old men in her room, chloroform, aud rob
them, she left her and would have no more
to do with her. She told the maid that she
had made $50, 900 In that way.
The official in question admitted that she
was matchmaking him. She was arrested
at the Baltimore and Ohio depot and held
for being suspicious character, but was
allowed to leave the city, Instead Of doing
so she went to the fremont House, but the
proprietor, on learning who she was, turned
her out. She next went to the Mount Yer
non House. She was again taken to police
headquarters, when she charged Detective
Block with attempting an indecent assault
on her. She also said that Rafl and Officer
Wheelock had robbed her of $40. Detective
Raft presented her with her hotel bill for
50, and asked that 1t be paid. She was
then put on the train and sent out Of the
city.
The detectives again learned that she had
made two trips to Washington and left the
same day. TWAS learned that her business
here was to get from this official notes
amounting to $500, as he told her he
could give her no more money. She visited
| the Office OF broker, William Slater, Penn
| sylvania avenue, near Fifteenth street, and
offered to sell the notes for $780,
She came here In company with man
named David ketchum, whom she passed
off as her brother. She stated that the OIL
cial was the cause Of her being in delicate
condition, and they had come to get salts
| faction. They registered at an uptown
hotel as David Ketchum and wife, and were
arrested as being suspicious persons, but
were released by Judge Smell on leaving $40
rs bonds to leave the city. She subse-
| quently wrote from New York city charg-
ing detective with an attempt to extort
| $500 from her. The detective, IN his letter
| to the major, stated that while the officers
were taking her to photograph gallery
she remarked, "that IL they wanted Sl0O
or so why did they not come to her like
gentlemen and ask for 1t, and not drag her
through the streets and show her upn
The police also learned that In 1881 she
blackmailed number of Yale College stu.
dents She was also connected with bank
burglary in Kentucky. Mai. Dye, In his
Endorsement of the history Of the woman's
career, states that she is dangerous char
acter, and should not be allowed to remain
in any respectable community. She viii
not hesitate to make any charge against ANY
gentleman who may obstruct her way, 81
lost is she to all sclf-respect. Knowing
this, the officers always interviewed her ii
pairs.