Wichita eagle., 1888-09-16
THb STOLEN LACBS
An Episode in the History Of Chicago
Crime.
FROM THE DIARY OF DETECTIVE DENIS
SIMMONS, OF THE BANK DETAIL OF THE
CENTRAL STATION.

Early in the spring of 1872 the boarders
at Mrs. Frelinghuysen's house, on West
Adams street, felt themselves constrained
to discuss and decide very delicate ques-
ton For some time previous the con-
duct of Mrs Alice Claypole had given
them great concern. This lady was the
wife of middle aged lawyer of good
standing, who seemed devotedly attached
to her, and was blind to the many weak
nesses Of her character, and oblivious of
the fact that her bearing in male society
was a subject of unfavorable comment in
the well conducted establishment of the
estimable Mrs. Frelinghuysen.
Mrs. Claypole's flirtations were the talk
of the neighborhood, and her bald headed,
good natured husband came in for a
goodly share of that pity and compassion
which the world has ever in store for per-
sons apparently unconscious Of their own
misfortunes.
"Poor old Claypole" was an oft repeated
remark; "some one ought to open his eyes
and let him know the full iniquity Of his
wife's misconduct"
But none undertook this delicate mis-
sion, and poor old Claypole" continued
to idolize his charming and fascinating
spouse-charming and fascinating not
only to him, but to some half dozen other
gentlemen who were said to languish i'll
the sunshine of her smiles.
Mrs. Claypole, to make matters moro
piquant and interesting to her fellow
boarders, was not beautiful woman, as
the term goes. She was tall and shapely,
however, dressed with becoming taste,
and carried herself with stately grace
that never failed to elicit remarks of ad-
miration.
Her features were somewhat irregular
and heavy in repose, but when she became
interested in conversation, or. better still,
when she was aiming at a conquest, her
face lighted up with the ardor of her
thoughts, and her big blue eyes flashed
dangerously from beneath half dropping
lids fringed with long, dark eye lashes
that tried in vain to screen the passionate
fire of amorous glances
No; Mrs Claypole was not beautiful
woman, but she had that subtle power of
charming which is more fascinating than
beauty and plays the deuce with the vir-
tuous instincts of mankind.
Mr.. and Mrs. Claypole had lived at the
Frelinghuysen establishment two months
when the boarders thought it high time
to arrive at some conclusion as to the al
legged improprietes of her conduct.
Not content with the conquest of full
grown and bearded men, the fair Alice,
who was thirty if she was a year. had re-
Gently shown a liking for the society of
young men in their teens. Three or four
of these susceptible young fellows danced
in constant attendance upon her. They
ran her errands, escorted her to the
theatre, took her to supper after the play,
and acted spooney generally in the man.
ner peculiar tc lovesick lads.
And, what was most eXasperating to
the critics of mature age, Mrs. Claypole
seemed to enjoy this hoidenish homage.
She was soft and soothing, even motherly,
in her demeanor toward her young adj
mirers. She would stroke their cheeks
and pat their heads lovingly, call them
brave boys, and sometimes-so Miss
Goggles, the ancient spinster, who occu-
pied the first floor hall bedroom, and was
ever on the alert to spy out the moral de-
linquencies of her neighbors, averred-
kiss them tenderly and tell them to be
good and true and devoted to their
mother.
''She calls herself their mother, the
artful wretch" reported Miss Goggles,
with look of horror in her watery eyes;
"she ought to be horsewhipped!"
No wonder Mrs. Frelinghuysen's board
crs We're stirred to the very depths of their
honest hearts. Such vagaries on the part
of q married woman were reprehensibie in
the highest degree. They called for an
expression of virtuous indignation. Mr..
Claypole ought to be informed of his wife's
moral obliquity. 1t was burning, scan
dalous shame that such nice, high
minded, honorable old gentleman should
have the wool pulled over his eyes by this
wicked woman, and he lawyer, too, with
a professional knowledge of the relief
which could be speedily gained in the di-
vorce court.
Then it was that the boarders came to
the unanimous decision that Mrs. Clay
pole was q designing, heartless coquette;
that her society should be tabooed, and
that poor old Mr.. Claypole should receive
a broad hint of what was going on, with
a view to prompt disruption of his mari
tai ties.
The conveyal of this hint was deputed
to James Hadley, clerk in a downtown
lace store, who had worshiped at the
shrine of the fascinating blonde when she
first appeared at the boarding house, and
whose attentions had been suppressed
with a scornful derision which still
ranked in his virtuous breast, and made
him accept the mission with revengeful
alacrity.
And when Mr.. Hadley finished his re
cital of Mrs. Claypole's shortcomings and
suspected peccadillos, which he delivered
with many pious signs and groans about
= &c, IL 81,
petrifed by poor old Claypole's" en-
Dhatic reiOinder.