Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-04-04
MARRIED FORTY-THREE TIMES.
How Eveline Leal, a Handsome Englls
Girl, Accomplished the Feat.

How Eveline Leal, a Handsome English
Girl, Accomplished the Feat.
A special to the New York World from Paris
says in regard to the woman who hal duped
forty-three different men to marry her, as re-
lated several days ago in THE STAR:
The woman who has actually gone through
the marriage service with forty-three men and
swindled all but one of them within three
hours after the ceremony is the latest catch Of
the Partisan police. The woman is the daughter
of Shropshire farmer and worked all her
schemes in France.
HER SIMPLE, INGENIOUS METHOD.
Six years ago Evelins Leal, handsome
young English girl, married Frenchman,
who died within month after the wedding. leav-
ing her with no money, but with plenty Of
debts. To square herself with society Evellne
resorted to what is known in police lingo as the
marriage trick" Her method Of procedure
was simple and ingenious. She advertised,
stating she was widow possessing fortune
of ], 200 600 francs, who wished to marry a gen.
tleman in good circumstances belonging to the
nobility or to the high commercial class. An
swers were to be sent to the post Office. Her
accomplish, who occupied the position of COM
panion, seems to have had the important duty
of choosing the victims from among the appli-
cants At any rate, the suitor was never ad-
sonal appearance was in his favor Then he
was granted a rendezvous, either in her sumpt-
uous apartments in the Champs Elysees or at
one Of the best hotels.
Naturally, Eveline took different name on
every occasion. For some of the suitors to her
hand and fortune she called herself Madame
Ferbank, Madame Rappy, Madame Decomay or
Madame Burnelly. She always began by max
ing some objection to immediate marriage.
Sometimes assuming the character Of ar in
genious miss, she said her mother considered
she was too young for marriage and that the
applicant must wait awhile. On other occasions
the fortune or social position o. her sutton wac
not what she desired. but in the end she always
allowed herself to be captivated with the per-
sonal qualities Of the would-be husbands. She
she received rich presents from some of her
suitors.
HER REGULAR DISAPPEARANCE.
After getting as much as she could she would
suddenly disappear. In several cases she con-
sidered it the better policy to secure possession
of the wedding gifts by agreeing to the mar,
rage ceremony. For this she invariably
crossed the channel, expressing a preference
that the wedding should take place in England.
After a clergyman had in all GOOD faith pro-
nounced the nuptial benedictiOn she returned
with her victim to hotel, and always managed
to disappear before night, but never leaving
her wedding gifts behind her.
Eyeline had victimized thirty-two presum-
ably intelligent men in this way before she fell
into the hands Of the Paris police in the au-
tumn of 1887, when she was sent to Jail for two
years. She obtained an early release by good
conduct and at once resorted to her old trick2
again. She victimized ten lovers more without
detection. Most OF the men she swindled were
too much ashamed to inform the police, but he-
forty-third victim gave the police information
which led to Eyeline's second arrest on Good
Friday at the Hotel Meurice, Rue de Rivoli.
Her dupe this time was French viscount who
had ruined himself through gambling and who
was anxious to regild his armorial bearings with
the l, 200, 900 francs of the charming widow. II
would even seem that he was really in love
with the adventures. for he journeyed with her
and her companion, woman who is believed
to hail from New Orleans. They travelled in
England, Belgium and Norway, the viscount
paying all expenses. By borrowing money
right and left on his expectations he made
Eveline rich presents wherever they went
ONCE TOO OFTEN.
At last they got back to Paris, when the Wis
count insisted on having day fixed for the
wedding, but 1t was Of no avail ''Miss Rey-
nolds," that was the last name she had as
sumed, was memorable He must wait. This
fact awakened the suspicious of the viscount
who laid the case before NJ. Goron, the chief Of
detectives. When the officers presented them
selves at the Hotel Meurice Eveline was greatly
astonished, but she followed them bravely to
the police station. As for her companion, she
was absent from the hotel when Eveline was
arrested, and has not been seen there since
This time the fair Eveline will probably get q
sentence which will put her out OF harms way
for many years.