The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-10-17
No FOOLLIKE AN OLD ONE
A WOMAN MAKES A MONKEY OF
A CONSUL GENERAL.

After Fleeing Him Out of $4,000
She Induces Him to Indorse a Couple
of Forged Notes-She Got in With
Him by Becoming His Housekeeper
While HIS Family Was Out Of Town.
He Adopts Her as His Daughter.
Nav YoRK, Oct. 16.-Tottering and gray
haired Consul General Domingo L. Ruise,
of the republic of Ecuador, who was ar
rested on two charges Of forgery, was taken
to the jefferson Market police court to-day
and brief hearing disclosed that Ruise,
who is in his dotage, has been for some time
in the hands Of a band of conspirators who
have fleeced him out Of $4,000 and Ia their
greed for more money induced him to IN
dorse two 81, 900 notes bearing the sigma
lures of Consul Gustav Preston. Mrs.
Bertha Laws, who lives in luxu-
rious style at 225 West End
avenue, was the principal. A warrant has
been issued for her arrest. He first became
acquainted with her through an advertise
ment His wife Yves in the country and his
daughter in Europe, and he advertised for a
housekeeper. Mrs. Laws answered the ad-
vertisement and she was engaged. She
was bubu huOWh as 4A4oS DbA AGua
stads of Stockholm, Sweden. In the
course Of a few weeks she made him believe
she was his daughter by woman other
than his wife aud was very affectionate to
him. Ruise, who Is II years old, finally
adopted Bertha as his daughter This led
TO estrangement with his wife and children
and he went to live with the woman. A
short time later Bertha introduced her hus-
band to her father He was William Laws,
o,d
The father was delighted that his
daughter" had married SO we'll and readily
forgave her deception in representing herr
self as unmarried.
MONEY FLOWING LIKE WATER.
He continued to lavish his money on her
Bertha needed more money aud the old con-
sui general, acting under her guidance,
went TO Boston and called on Consul Pres
ton. He told the consul he needed SO, 600 to
make up $4,000 he was Obliged to pay
Consul Preston did not have that amount OF
money at hand, but he cheerfully gave him
his note for $4,000 as Ruise was a friend and
had secured his appointment as consul for
Ecuador at Boston. Then Ruise and
Mrs. Laws, who had accompanied
him to Boston, returned here,
aud she proceeded to spend tho
$1,000. She had introduced him to Simon
Epstein, who is well known to the police
here, and he had advanced cash on the note.
But the So, 900 did not last Mrs. Laws long,
and in few weeks she needed more money.
AS Ruise did not know where OF get any,
the conspirators concocted a forgery
scheme, believing if the truth came out tn g
consul generals friends would protect them
to save him from disgrace. But they were
mistaken. Ruise's son and his lawyer stated
in court to-day that they are cognizant Of
the conspiracy, know all concerned in it aud
intend to heve them punished.
Ruise states that in August last his
adopted daughter came to him with two
81 900 forged notes and said that "Mr.
Preston was a real nice man.
Knowing the consul general TO be hnan-
ciaily embarrassed, he had sent him by name
two notes. Ruise was only too heppyto get the
notes, which be never suspected TO be
forgeries, and at once, at her desire, in-
dorsed them, the woman then negotiating
them through Epstein and others.