Wichita eagle., 1889-03-31
TRAPS FOR MEN.
Pretty Blackmaiers And Their
Dupes.
some of the Many Schemes by Which
Female, Confidence Operators Sue
coed In Bleeding Victims Who
Fall Into Their Clutches.
N. Y. Cor. Troy q. ~ Times.f

Fall Into Their Clutches
my Cor Troy On. ~ Timesf
Among the persons who leaned over the
(ce-box in the Pearl street undertaking es-
Establishments not long since, in which lay
the body of Lyman D. Minor, the Broad
way merchant who committed suicide, was
woman of scarcely twenty-three years of
age. She was soberly dressed, and when she
raised her veil modest little face and pair
Of Jet black eyes twinkling beneath black
eyelashes were seen. With her kid-gloved
hand she smoothed back the hair from the
pgly bullet wound in the temple of the
Head man, and when she was leaving left
3 bunch of lilies on the box. She came
and went as unostentatiously as sister Of
charity. This woman was Annie Gre en-
vile, who, in connection with Pliny White,
The king Of confidence men, was the un-
seen power that drove the merchant to his
grave. Sergeant Frink, Of the Central
Police-office, said Annie Greenville had a
heart of iron and was tool in the hands
pf White White would never leave man
while there was dollar in him. He was
heartless, treacherous, and cruel.
1t is perhaps an ungallant thing to say,
but in sNew York and large cities gen.
orally beauty and blackmail have come to
be associated to such an extent that the
only safeguard for susceptible person is
to steer clear of good-looking stran gers
altogether.
This blacknail is trade that can only
be piled successfully in the great populous
5 cities, as there the possibilities Of detec-
ton are reduced TO a mere nothing. It
takes an adroit rogue to be a first class
swindler, hence women, who have more
tact than men, are always chosen to do
the fine work of entrapping the victim.
Once in the tolls, the plucking is done by
the male confederates and is usually an
easy and safe process. Their methods are
many, curious and novel. The latest and
most novel is one recently come to light.
A beautiful and accomplished girl
sought employment in down town bust
ness establishments run by father and
son. She managed to entangle both, and
get up an escapade with the young man
which cost him a very tidy little sum be-
fore the end was reached. He wrote her
affectionate letters, made short excursions
around and had lovely time generally,
until one fine morning an elderly ruff.an
stepped up, claiming to be her father. The
IDIOT was only to glad to disgorge literally
on the spot. Then the ex-charmer threat
en- ed to sue for the recovery of her letters
and a balance due on some furniture; to
avoid a scandal he paid up handsomely.
Finally, fearing he was to be bled to death
by these vampires, he appealed to the POI
lice. A single visit with promise of ar
rest sufficed to settle the whole business
A neat trick is for pretty blackmailer
10 enter the store where there are great
many clerks. Once in the store, she plies
all her feminine arts on the chosen victim
Zone who holds pretty good position, and
whose circumstances she has learned
something about), and engaging him in
conversation. lets slip some stray remark,
which she emphasizes with her eyes If
he smiles and retorts in the same vein, a
point has been gained. After that the
conquest is not difficult A visit or two,
matinee, an opera night, and then some
fine day my lady sails into the store like
some Spanish pirate bent on plumber. A
hurrie ed talk; the man looks glum, but
hands the money the ensnarer has de-
manded. After that she rends him regu-
larly, only at shorter and shorter inter-
ValS until something goes as inc
saying is. Either she gets in Jail or a big
scandal breaks out, or possibly he defies
her; but as rule he hasn't the pluck to
do that, and in many cases the pay pro.
cess goes on for years.
A well-known editor of much brilliancy
id sagacity on the metropolitan press
as badly done for some time aso by
tetty little widow. She first called on
n, and her woful tale, backedi by her
Irish face enlisted his syInpathies in her
cause. Then came requests for theatre
and concert tickets and other courtesies, in
the compliance in which he generally sent
calamity worded note. On the strength
of,these letters and confederate it cost
\ him S, 900 ins-1- of three months. He was
TOO sensitive to public opinion to hand him
Yer to the police, and had not friend of
his stepped in and grappled matters with
an iron hand he probably would have been
victim to-day of either her greed or lies.
Herei another case: A Broadway mer-
chant who makes speciality of ks and
satins has dark room fitted up in his
store where he can show the effect of gas
light upon his goods. One day he escort
J ed lady to this room to show q fine piece
of satin under the gas jet. Hardly had the
door shut upon them than she tore off her
bonnet and sacque and flinging her arms
about his neck shrieked at the top OF her
voice. The clerks rushed in and saw the
boss struggling with beautiful lady
whose clothes were half torn Off her back
Here was pretty kettle of fish. 1t cost
$500 to hush the matter up, but he refuses
TO enter that room with a lady unless ac-
companied with cash boy now.
There is no limit to the resources of the
business, and, like Mulberry Sellers eye-
water, "there's millions in it," They
have been known to invade private we'd
ding and come OF successful. Women
invariably are the principals. Men sus-
pect men always, but they are cons um-
mate fools enough never to suspect a
handsome woman. The glamor of her
face, the witchery of her eyes, and the
soft ripple of her tongue is too much for
their senses, and their suspicion is lulled
until too late TO be of any value. Ono
meets these women every where-at the
theater, on the cars, in the street. The
summer boarding houses and seaside re-
sorts are favorite stamping grounds for
them. Saratoga is full of them in season,
and not long since knew of one who en-
tertained two clergymen-one a Bishop in
the Episcopal Oh urch-with their wives !
at a cozy dinner. OF course the guests
had no idea of the true character of the !