The morning call., 1892-12-03
MAUD is IN JAIL.
Welded One r1an and Took
AnOther's Coin.
ACCUSED OF EMBEZZLEMENT.
She Claims to Be the Wife of rlr.
Fritz, While VincelIoni Says
She Is His.

When the steamer Santa Rosa arrived
from San Diego early yesterday morning
two men stood on the wharf and greeted
two of the passengers. The men on the
wharf were Officer Charles Callahan and
George Vincell0ni, a pale-faced young man
who has made quite reputation as a scenic
painter. He was there to welcome Maud
Meyer, petite blonde who was led down
the steamers gangplank By John r. Fritz,
who brought her back from the southern
citrus belt to answer a charge of embezzle-
ment.
Pretty Maud was not given a chance to
fly into the srms of the man who had eloped
with her to San Diego and who had after
ward deserted her. Great was her chagrin
and disappointing when Fritz turned heI
over to the policeman in waiting Still
greater was the chagrin of Vincelloni when
the hard hearted guardian of the peace took
him into custody also.
AT the City Prison Maud Meyer was
booked for felony. em6eZz lement and placed
in the bird cage" Vincelloni was slowed
away in the 'hole in the wall, but no charge
was recorded against him. bis name was
merely placed on the detinue book.
Tie female prisoner is not more than is
years of age, but her face is pinched and
shows traces OF suffering.
Fritz. who is a lottery agent and an
alleged real estate dealer, is the complaining
witness against the young woman. He says
that she was in his employ for three years
and that he had implicit confidence in her
the Sth ult. when she took $500 OF his
money and eloped with Vincelloni Fritz
followed her 10 San Diego and induced her
to return with him to this city.
When questioned by reporters the fair
prisoner was at first reteen;, but in answer
tn 81 a-,c ufaan do fo1I srf
meut:
81 came to this city from Davenport,
Iowa, three years ago, when ] was but 10.
l sought employment and Fritz gave me a
situation. ! had no relatives here to look
after me and ii was not long before he ac-
complished my ruin under promise OF mar
rage. We lived together for two years and
were known as man and wife.
when Fritz was arrested in July, 1891,
he swore positively In court that l was his
wife, but he always refused to have the
marriage solemniZed Now, IL / am his
wife, as he swore. l could not under the law
steal from him. l admit that | went to San
Diego with George VincelOni, but | did
not take 5000. l will not say that did not
take any money.
at was en- election day that left. As
soon as Fritz found had gone he secured a
warrant for my arrest. He heard we were
In San Diego and a few days ago he went
there. Vincelloni had come back here in
the meantime 10 attend to some business
and when l met Fritz on the street he told
me that unless l accompanied him back by
steamer he would have me thrown in Jail.
ION the trip up he repeatedly asked me
10 resume our relations, promising not to
prosecute me if | would. He declared that
he thought more of me than of the money.
When | refused he had NE thrown into iail
and declares that he will spend all The
money he has 10 convict me- He is the
worst scoundrel in this city, and he knows
it,"
Fritz's reputation is not above reproaeh.
The records Of the police show that five
years ago he was arrested for compelling a
wealthy widow in ST. Helena, with whom he
had been keeping company, TO sign checks
aud deeds to the amount OF S1700. He in
duced her to sign them by Furnishing re-
yolver. After remaining in Jail several
months he escaped conviction. Soon after
this be entered into partnership with two
contId ence men 10 work the shell and pea
gene. He placed $500 in their hands and
"steered" victims TO the layout One of
the men he induced TO play was a confed-
crate Of the sharpers and they allowed him
&c win FritZ's $500. Fritz told q story of
having been robbed on the ocean beach and
caused the arrest OF the three sharpers
They related their story Of FritZ's duplicity
and secured an acquittal. Several times
since that little transaction Fritz has been
convicted Of selling lottery tickets.
NlncellOni is Indignant at his arrest and
declares that Maud is his wife. 1--WE were
married by contract in Oakland" said he,
several days before we started southwark
My vile is not m embeZZleT and Fritz
owes her more than he accuses her of hav-
ing taken. At the most she did not take
more than $50 and Fritz owed her ten times
that amount. While we were at San Diego
heard that Fritz was coming after US with
the intention Of killing US both. So |
decided TO return and on Thanksgiving
day started for this city to straighten out
matters. The idea of arresting me is pre-
posterous and outrageous" and the scenic
painter turned away TO hide his flushed
face and INDIGNATION,