The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1888-05-31
Maude st. Pierre

The Mobile Register has some new
developments in the case of the eccen-
trio Maude st. Pierre. About four
years ago the news was circulated
through the country of "the myster.
ious disappearance of John w. Neal,
of Huntsville, Ala, the private secre-
tary OF Maude st. Pierre, lady oil
great wealth." The newspapers OF
the time were filled with the affair.
In June, 1884, Maude st. Pierre
went to the house of Col. John F. An
derson, of Anderson station. She
said she was possessed of enormous
wealth, and had made trip to An
derson for the purpose of purchasing
vast ranges OF mineral land in that
section. She added that her private
secretary, John w. Neal, would also
want accommodations. They were
admitted as guests at the Anderson
mansion. Miss .Maude st. Pierre was
about 35 years of age. She claimed to
be an English lady of unlimited re-
sources. She negotiated with Col.
Anderson and bought from him !, 400
acres OF mineral land, the price being
SO per acre. She paid for this in
checks, which was not honored at
bank, but she managed to make
the amount Of her options good.
She said she was arranging for estab-
fishing an immense coal and iron COM
pany, with capital of S5,OOO,OOO.
She paid Col. Anderson S7OO OF the
entire option. OF this amount $3.50
went toward the payment of the pro-
tested check held by the Murfrees-
boro bank. She spent about 81, 500
at Anderson, and her stay there cre-
ated big stir, as she said she wished
to buy all the mineral lands in east
and west Tennessee. She represented
herself as being worth S3,OOO,OOO.
About this time Neal disappeared.
The whole country was carefully
searched, but not trace of him was
found until last month, when his
skeleton remains were discovered at
the foot of a cliff near Anderson
station. 1t was rumored thai Miss
st. Pierre had something to do with
the matter, but she had long since
lett the country, going, it was said, to
Florida. The skeleton Of Neal show
ed no evidences of how death was
brought about.
1t seems from what was learned that
Maude St. Pierre really did 60 to
Florida. She went to Milton, Fla.
where she pretended to be a woman
OF affairs. After a short stay she
took journey to see about some
transaction Or other, and did not
return. She lett several heavy trunks
behind, and as her board bill was
unpaid, the trunks were opened and
found to contain nothing but wood. =;
1t was In January, 1887, that she
appeared in Brooklyn, Escambia
county. She called herself Maude St.
Pierre. She came to take charge of q
school at Brooklyn, but did not get
the desired position. She took lodg-
ings with q couple who were in very
straitened circumstances, but she
paid no money, and at last, after
year and quarter had passed, de-
mand was made upon her for the
amount due tor board. In the mean
time she had been doing large busi-
ness IN purchasing timber lands in
Conecuh and adjoining counties. She
made an inspection of large tracts of
land and purchased them. No money
passed, and when payments became
due the contracts were forfeited. To
settle her board bill she gave a draft
on party in Washington, d. c., but
requested that it be not presented be-
fore June next.
She has moved to point in the
woods fifteen miles east OF Brewtcn.
where she is staying with some people
who are anxious to get rid of her.
She is q woman OF handsome fea-
lures. OF fine education. understands
music and fine arts, and is accom-
pllshed. She always dresses we'll and
has the modest demeanor OF a lady.
Nevertheless, she associates exclusive
ly with the poorer classes, and with
the illiterate she seeks seclusion; and
the impression of the people OF Cone
cub IS that she is in hiding, having
committed some fearful crime. Those
who have had opportunity have
questioned her about her past his
tory, but can get no statement from
her. Her secret still remains with
her, and there is no answer to the
question: "Who is she?"