The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1888-04-27
Two Clever cIrla ca,,aht.

Tho arrest at Birmingham, England, OF
tho notorious W0otlhall sisters, whose
strange influence over tho late John Gill Of
New York was the means of procuring for
them the treater part Of his fortune, is an.
nounced in a cable dispatch received from
London. The story is that Alice, the
younger oil the sisters, resisted arrest. and
endeavored to throw u lighted lamp ut tlle
] officer.
The WoodhRll sisters were of humble
parentage and cane from England about
1870. Harriet VAS the elder and the first
to arrive. She obtained employment as
cook in the household Of John Gill. IL
wealthy manufacturer nf piano hardware.
She waa soon in high favor with her en-.
ploycr, and obtained permission to send
Tor her sister. Alice came and was install.
Ct, as chambernaid. In 1871 Mrs Gill
died. The Woodhall girls were neither
prepossessing OF countenance nor youth
tul, but IL lair education had been added
TO their natural Clevcrness, and they male
the most of their opportunities.
Mrs. Gill had not long been dead beforethc
influence OF the two English girls over Mr..
Gill became very apparent. lie 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 ot his two favored servants, and it is
said that one OF the daughters, no longer
uble to endure the arrogance and insults
oi her fathers iavorites. was forced to
leave the house.
1t is estimated that these clever advcn.
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
the famous bOnd transfer, effected, as il
alleged, partly by cajolery and partly by
forgery. Mr.. Gill had $50, 500 in per cent
registered United States bonds. They
,.ere were sent to the treasury department at
Washington with letter signed as
it appeared, by Mr.. Gill. requesting that
Harriet and Alice Woodhall. Tho
transfer blank on tho back OF each bond
was properly filled out and signed. The
letter accompanying the bonds asked that
the new bonds he sent to Mr.. Gill'a al.
dress. The request was complied with. the
two servant girls secured the reissucL
bonds and disposed Of them through the
firm Of Fisk & Hatch. This was in May,
1888.
About this time the courts at the in.
stance oimei,lcrs Of Mr.. Gill's family, de.
clarcd him incapable Of managing his csta tc.
The contact OF the Woodlali sisters was
investigated. and things began touok very
squally for them. Contest was made
against he validity OF decd transferring
to Harriet Woodhall ono OF Mr.. Gi lis
houses in East Twenty sixth street. The
deed was declared void, but IL mortgage
given by Harriet tn an uptown bank to
secure IL loan was held to he IL lien upon
the property.
Then old Mr.. Gill died and civil suit was
instituted to recover from tho Woodhalls
$3.50, 600. alleged to have becn fraudulent.
ly obtained from Mr. Gill. a judgment for
Ssl ,3O3.l2 was rendered against them.
Threatened arrest on criminal charge, the
sisters got together all they could take
with them. and suddenly tied to England.
Several thousand dollars were left behind on
deposit id various hanks. This money was
siezed to satisfy in part the Judgment se.
cured hy the estate. Old Mr. Gill was worth
at one time a quarter Of ~ million. The
Woodhalls, it is said. left him not more
than Sll5.OO0.
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 lls fathera estate. They
we're living quietly but suu,ptously.