The morning call., 1890-09-14
FRAUDULENT
IMPERSONATION.
Eight Thousand Dollars Realized
by Forgery.
The Scheme Has Been Maturing Without sus
picion Since March Last-Description
of the Clever swindler.

One of the cleverest swindles that has
been perpetrated in this city for years came
to light yesterday. A woman, who repre-
scented herself to be Miss Emma L.. Dick,
succeeded after months of negotiating in
obtaining loan of $4,000 from Thomas
Crane on Wednesday last, giving as security
forged mortgage on an improved 5O-vara
lot on the corner of Ellis and Franklin
streets.
Iu the latter part OF March last, it appears
that finely dressed woman called upon j.
E. Wells, real estate broker, then at 32S
Kearny, and now at 80 Kearny street, and
introduced herself as Miss Emma l.. Dick,
niece of S. w. Dick, the deceased capitalist.
With her was an older woman whom she in
troduced as a Mrs. Whitman. The sup
posed Miss Dick explained her errand by
stating that she desired to sell the above
described property for $4,000. 1t had been
left to her, she further explained, by her
uncle, S. w. Dick, who died four years ago.
After giving directions to the broker she
departed, and did not call for some days.
ALoAN OF $1,000.
lie told her that lie could not realize
$4,000 for the property. and the woman
told him to try longer. and left the property
Ill HIS uduuS lUI oGNGIdl lllUulIS.
while she called dozen times or more, and,
finding she could not have her price, said
she had decided TO borrow $4,000 on it. The
agent said he thought he could secure the
loan, aud asked for an abstract of title. In
stead of providing this, the woman told
him to have the title searched, and Simpson
& Millar were employed to do it, finding the
title perfect.
Wells then went canvassing for the.money.
After making several applications he found
j. L. Little, who, as agent for Crane, agreed
to let him have the money at per cent. The
mortgage was drawn and placed on file late
on Saturday afternoon. sunday, Monday
and Tuesday being legal holidays the fact
that the mortgage had been placed on record
was not published, but it came in the aO-
bTeviate of records on Thursday last
The first discovery of the mortgage was
made by MIR. Burke of Madison IL Burke,
who noticed il While reading over the record
on Wednesday. He knew Miss Dick well
aud also knew that she was In no need OF
money, as she possesses a valuable estate
and has large balance with him. He called
upon her at her residence on Fair Oaks
street and she satisfied him that she had not
mortgaged any of her property.
THE CAT OUT OF THE BAG.
Suspecting that some fraud had been per-
petrated they botn called upon Crane and
he exclaimed the moment he was introduced
to the real Miss Dick that she was not the
woman to whom he had made the loan.
Then it was that they were brought to the
full consciousness that they had been out
rageOusIy imposed upon.
Moore d Moore, who had hand In the
negotiations, stated that the fraudulent Miss
Dick received the 5000 in their Office on
"Wednesday in the presence of Wells, Little
aud Crane and j. II. Moore, who examined
the signature at the time, says he hesitated
a little about it, because the author OF it was
evidently bad writer and not accustomed
at all to the use of the pen.
The mortgage was certified to by IL. A.
Cobb, notary public, who said he had met
the woman, through Wells, upon several
occasions. On Wednesday afternoon AttOr-
ney Moore was introduced to the false Miss
Dick for the first time. She had called with
Wells and Little to collect the $1,000, and in
tho presence of all the money was paid over.
A DESCRIPTION FURNISHED.
The matter has been reported to Captain
Lees, and the following description Of the
woman has been furnished:
Age % TO 80 years, height about feet ] 0
inches, dark brunette eyes, dark hair. very black
and thick full long lace. high cheek bones, thick
fun lips, scar either on cheek or between eye and
ear large mole on chm with few hairs in
broad and rather round shoulders, long body and
fiat chest, coarse masculine appearance and
voice, slow walker. speaks some Spanish.
Dresses very richly, has been seen with differ
ent suits on, VIZ: black satin diess black bugle
trimming; plaid suit of large red and white
ngufeS, Dldch suit OI taultS clOtD trimmed Win
velvet; green suit trimmed with dark velvet (;
green cape late style, peak front to match suit.
Wears gold bar-pIn set with five or six small
diamonds; also wears a gold watch with small
gold ball lob; no earrings.
The most noticeable peculiarities of the
women we're her long, lank figure, long
waist and fiat bosom, and this fact leads 10
the suspicion that the impostor was man
in female apparel. When she first made her
appearance she was asked where she lived,
hnt rafuSp1 IN q har ahd
definitely than Fair Oaks street, because
she did not want to be annoyed by agents.
The real Miss Dick is OF small statue and
quite attractive, presenting an odd contrast
10 the one who so successfully impersonated
her. 1t is most singular circumstances,
also, that this creature could have ,palmed
him or herself off for so long time and es-
capped detection.