The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-01-26
A LIVELY WEIR.
Mrs. Hendricks Winning Ways Secured
$4,000 from Her Friends.


Mrs. Hendricks Winning Ways Secured
$4,000 from Her Friends.
Philadelphia Record.
Mrs. Cordela Hendricks has gone She has
left debts amounting to about $4,000, so far as
had been learned Yesterday and many of those
persons who loaned the woman money still be-
lieve in her. While no criminal charges have
been brought as yet against Mrs. Hendricks, her
case is one of the most remarkable ever heard
of in this country. 1t seemed as if she had but
to open her lips and money would flow into her
purse at her command.
The woman has disappeared. and neither her
son nor her husband. who are still residing at
the house No. 1927 Girard avenue. know where
she can be found Upon Thursday. the 18th
inst Mrs. Hendricks informed her son aud her
husband that she intended going away. but she
could not say where. She told them not to be
alarmed if she should not return for a long time,
and that she would write to them soon. Since
that time the woman has not been seen in this
city.
Mrs Annie Matthews, who resides at TWEEN
tieth and Chestnut streets. and who had been a
friend of Mrs. Hendricks from childhood,
mourns the loss of about SIS, 900, which she
says that she loaned to the woman within the
past five six years. Mrs. Matthews said that
she first began to lend money to her friend in
1879, when she gave her $500 This happened.
Mrs. Matthews said, quite naturally. Mrs.
terms said to her one day: "Annie, you have
some money which is bringing you no interest
Now happen to be in a way to get you 3 per
cent. for 1t, and, perhaps. more" Mrs. Mat
tnews did have the money lying idle, and she
did loan it. From time to time she loaned more
and moro until the total reached SIS, 900. Until
four years ago Mrs. Hendricks paid the interest
upon this money, some OF 1t at the rate OF ~
per cent When the interest was stopped
Mrs. Hendricks told a story about money due
from New York people, and she kept on Dor
rowing. Upon the 18th OF last September, al
though she had begun to be alarmed about ner
investment, Mrs. Matthews was prevailed upon
to lend her friend $3.50 more to go over to New
York with. Since that time Mrs. Matthew has
been endeavoring to get her money back, but
without avail. Mrs. Matthews says that she
would have trusted Mrs. Hendricks with her
life, and that the woman had such ready and
smooth tongue that she persuaded people to be-
lieve even the most improbable stories. ''She
so kind hearted and generous that every
one who came near her loved her, and she was
of the most hospitabls and charitable
women IN the city, giving largely Tor churcn
purposes, and a great deal to the poor directly"
But the most mysterious circumstance in con-
nection with Mrs. Hendricks financial transac-
tons came to light yesterday in the investiga-
friends and her hair-dresser, Miss Lettle kauff-
man. who resides at No. 1909 North Twelfth
street Miss kaufman, who is Mrs. Hendricks
creditor for about S.. 900. and whose father is
the womans creditor for about So, 900 moro,
said that she could not believe that her former
patron and friend a cheat. Miss Kaufman
became acquainted with Mrs. Hendricks four or
five years ago. when she was employed at
Vaunt's hair-dressing establishment on Chest
nut street. Mrs Hendricks of her
customers and when she left that place,
in few months. she began to go to
Mrs. Hendricks house and dress her hair
there. ''She was a kind friend, and she had al
ways given me Christmas presents and other
htue gifts" said Miss Kaufman in speaking of
the woman, land l would have dons anything
for her She always had carriage at hand
and would send me home in it when was tired.
Several years ago Mrs Hendricks began to bor-
row money from me. telling me that she would
invest 1t and pay me good interest When
these loans had become large she showed me
what supposed to be United States bond for
$3.50, 600, and she said that she would get that
gated So, 900, and then 1 induced my father to
and borrow more money to loan her.
We supposed that the government bond was all
right, and she told us that Secretary Fairchlid
had assured her that it was all right. had
confidence in the bond because Jules Willens,
of No. 2l45 Howard street, who is business
man, had held this bond in his safe
for over two years. and he had loaned
Mrs. Hendricks $36, 600 upon 1T, and if the
woman does not return Mr.. Willens will lose
that money. He told this himself He
went down to the Custom House at time.
when he had some doubts about the bond, and
he compared ex-Secretary Mannings signature
upon it with those affixed to the other papers.
Mr.. Willens was then convinced subsequently
Mrs. Hendricks secured the bond from Wlllens.
She said that she intended going to Washington
to collect the money. She afterward, from time
to time put off, but we thought that she
would pay All the debt by the LIST Of February
If we do not get the money we will lose every
penny and | shall lose all the money which l
have worked for night and day during the past
six or seven years. We still hope that Mrs.
Hendricks will return. Mr.. WlllenS. VINO has q
Judgment against Mrs. Hendricks for So 000
and would have been ahead of all other creditors
but for her pleading with him not to push his
claim is n family friend of the woman, and he
is her creditor for about $4,000 in addition to
the Sc. 900 of judgment"
The last known of Mrs. Hendricks in this city
Thursday of last week, when she called
upon her brother in-law. MIR. Parker. residing
on Summer street and gave him a bundle of
letters to mail. These letters were principally to
her creditors, one of them being for Miss Brown,
of Norristown, to Mrs. Matthews and one to
Miss Kaufman. The tenor of all these letters
about the same. Mrs Hendricks told her
creditors that she was in temporary trouble, and
she ask ed them to wait for two weeks when she
would return and explain everything. After
giving these letters to Dir. Parker the woman
said to him: Il am going away, but [ can't tell
you where. Goodbye until you hear from me,
but don't know when that will be-"
The mystery us to how Mrs. Hendricks spent
much money is still unexplained. She was
fond of giving card parties at her house. and al
so entertained in magnificent style. She was
fond of young company, and she would fro
quently give box parties at the theaters, paying
for everything She kept q carriage constantly
at her command but even this would scarcely
explain the swallowing up of such large
amounts. In addition to the $50, 900 obtained
from Mr.. Willens the $50, 900 from Miss Brown
and Mrs. Matthews, and the 1000 from Miss
Kaufman. the missing woman owes Charles Ken
drick. the livery man, So, 700: Joseph Chapman.
the paper hanger. g, 500 and her grocery man
81, 500.
----aar---------