The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-06-12
REMoRsE MADE HEB A HERMIT.
Death of n Woman Who Amassed n For
tune in Mockery and Repented.


tune in Mockery and Repented.
st. Louis Special
Nine. Penney Bauch the female hermit, who
has lived in a small hut near RENDERS, Ill, for
six years past, died recently after a short i'll
ness. The woman never admitted any one
her hut except the parish priest and Mrs.
Morrison. of the neighborhood, and only these
two persons knew her life history. Now that
she is dead, the facts have been made known.
Nine Penney Blanch Was born in Westmin-
ster, England, and up to the time of her mar
rage enjoyed the respect OF the community.
She married druggist, who soon died leaving
her only recipe for making nostrum to cause
n luxurious growth of hair. She continued the
business, but IL failed 10 be q success She
then conceived a very infamous plan of prey
ing upon the gullible portion of the public
She advertised her nOstrums extensively in the
newspapers as possessing the power of improv-
ing the growth and flossiness OF the hair OF
women. Her customers were soon counted by
the hundreds. She imposed upon each Gus
toner the most inviolable secrecy. Instead Of
giving them medicine TO increase the growth
OF the hair, she gave them nOstrum TO destroy
IL and cause ii TO fall out in patches. Ofcourss
a large majority of the customers returned or
mailed letters, stating the effect Of the applica-
ton OF the nOstrum. She then PLAYED
the other part of her infamous scheme by re-
tuslng TO treat the customers unless they paid
her an exOrbltant price for another nOstrum
that would cause the hair to grow again. She
soon accumulated considerable money by this
manner OF robbery. She selected the wealthiest
class of people as the ones to whom she sent
circulars, knowing that they would rather sub
init 10 her rascality than expose themselves by
having her arrested. But, finally, one lady,
whose fine flowing tresses had been ruined
swore out warrant for the arrest of the
scrupulous charlatsn. Nine. Blanch was
thrown into jail, but some Of her friends OBJ
tanned her release a fOur-hundred-dollar
bond. Before the date for her trial she left
England for America, and her bondsmen had
to nay her bond. which was forfeited.
Having arrived in America, Nine Blanch set
tied in Hartford, Conn.,, and assumed the name
of Nine. Kohl. She began the same nefarious
business again, and soon succeeded in partially
removing the hirsute covering from the scalp of
many an unsuspecting Yankee. Judging from
the thriving business she soon established it
would appear that the heads of many Connect
cut Yankees were similar to the nutmegs they
manufacture-woOden. But being threatened
with arrest, Nine. Blanch came west to visit a
relative In RENDERS, Ill, about six years ago.
But the relative had died and the madam took
up her residence there. One Sunday she con-
cluded she would attend religious services, as
she had not been inside the walls OF a church
for several years. During the feryency OF
the impressive devotions in the church,
which was catholic, the madam was thor
oughly overcome with remorse over her past
life. She sought the priest and made full
confession of her sins, stating that she was will
ing TO do penance. The priest advised her TO
spend the remainder of her life in devotion
and prayer The secret of the madam's past
life was never revealed while she lived, and
when she banished herself from all society and
had hut built in a most secluded spot near
the town, she was looked upon as a mystersSis
woman. No human being resided with her.
But her small hut was filled with dogs cats.
rabbits and birds, upon which she bestowed all
her earthly love. Mrs. Morrison, the neighbor,
and the priest occasionally visited her and held
religious exercises. This was her method of
doing penance for the mountain of sins that
she had piled up in long life of the most in
famous practices of charlatanism and fraud.
The considerable amount of money, illgotten,
was left to the church.