The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1888-04-19
Two Clever Girls Caught.

The arrest at Birmingham England, of
the notorious Woodhall sisters, whose
strange influence over the late John Gill Of
New York was the means OF procuring for
them the reater part Of his fortune, is an.
nounced in a cable dispatch received from
London. The story is that Alice, the
younger OF the sisters, resisted arrest, and
endeavored to throw lighted lamp 1T the
officer.
The Woodhall sisters were of humble
parentage, and came from England about
1870. Harriet was the elder, and the first
TO arrive. She obtained EN- ploy ment as
cook in the household Of John Gill, II
wealthy manufacturer of piano hardware.
She was soon in high favor with her EN-.
| for her sister. Alice came and was INSTALL
ed as chamberlnaid. In 1871 Mrs. Gill
died. The Woodhall girls were neither
prepossessing OF countenance nor youth.
iul, but Il fair education had been added
| to their natural cleverness, and they made
the most OF their opportunities.
Mrs. Gill had not long been dead beforethe
influence OF the two English girls over Mr..
Gill became very apparent. He gave them
presents OF money, furniture and fine
! clothes, and lavishcd upon them appar-
emily more affection than he bestowed up.
on his children. Indeed the latter were
often excluded from his presence at the
will OF his two favored servants, and it is
said that one OF the daughters, no longer
! able to endure the arrogance and insults
OF her fathers favorites, was forced to
leave the house.
1t is estimated that these clever adven.
turers had obtained from Mr.. Gill not less
than 100000 when they attempted the
final stroke which made flight necessary
and eliminated in their arrest. That was
Ehp ia = hnrI ropofon oeyo.fo1
alleged, partly by cajolery and partly by
forgery. Mr.. Gill had $50, 500 in per cent
registered United States bonds. They
were cent to the treasury department at
Washington with q letter signed as
it appeared. by Mr.. Gill. requesting that
they be cancelled and reissued to
Harriet and Alice Woodhall. The
transfer blank on the back oil each bond
was properly filled out and signed. The
the new bonds he sent to Mr.. ellis nd.
dress. The request was complied with. he
two servant girls secured the reissued
bonds and disposed OF them through the
firm of Fisk & Hatch. This was in May,
1883.
About this time the courts, at the in.
stance ofmcmbers OF Mr.. ellis family, de.
clared him incapa bic OF managing his estate.
The contact OF the Woodha|l sisters was
AhVC0UISoNOus t1ilu SuuuSS UcShu SOlOOk very
squally for them. Contest was made
against the validity OF q deed transferring
to Harriet Woodhall one OF Mr.. Gi is
houses in East Twenty sixth street. The
deed was declared void, but q mortgage
given by Harriet to an uptown bank to
secure loan was held to be lien upon
the property.
Then old Mr.. Gill died and civil suit was
instituted to recover from the Woodhalls
So, 600, alleged to have been fraudulent.
ly obtained from Mr.. Gill. A judgment for
$S1, 303.12 was rendered against them.
Threatened arrest ON q criminal charge, the
sisters got together all they could take
with them. and suddenly fed to England
Several thousand dollars were left behind on
deposit id various banks. This money was
siezed to atisfy in part the judgment Sc
cured by the estate. Old Mr. Gill was worth
Mt one time quarter OF Il million. The
Woodhalls, it is said, left him not more
than $1l5, 900.
The two women disappeared about three
years ago. No trace OF them was found
until last summer. when they were dis
covered near London by Cecil Campbell
Higgins, attorney for Robert Gill, who is
administrator Of his fathers estate. They
were living quietly but sumptously.