The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-11-01
FRANK PUNCHEON.

fined, educated lady as a companion for his
invalid wife. Good wages and an excellent
home, the advertisement stated, would be
given to the right party, also an opportun-
ity to visit the Worlds fair with the in
valid wife. In other papers he advertised
for an honest housekeeper, offering the
same inducements-good wages, excellent
home and a ance to VISIT the fair. In the
short time that Puncheon operated his
scheme he received hundreds of replies to
his advertisements from all parts of the
country. Some were from young girls Of
30, and others were from widows of uncer-
tain aRe-all anxious to obtain the situa-
ton and get a chance to see the wonders at
the exposition. Puncheon would answer
the letters and tell a one to come to
Chicago OF a certain date, when he would
be on hand at the depot to meet her.
A short time ago 4 woman called at pO-
lice headquarters and said she had been
swindled by a man named Darling. She
had answered hts advertisement, and Oar
ling had met her at the depot He told
her she would have to take lodging down
town for a day or so until his residence on
Michigan avenue could be put in shape.
To this lady he stated that his wife had re-
Gently died. Things had been going to
wreck, he said, since there was nc one to
look after the house, and that was the rea-
son he advertised for a housekeeper.
The woman said that Darling had en-
gagged her at $40 per month. She had given
him the checks for her trunks, and later
she went to the address on Michigan ave
nue given by Darling and found that there
was no such number and that she had been
swindled out of her trunks. The wearing
apparel and other property in her trunks
she valued at $500. The next day another
woman came in and told the police a SINH
lar story of how she had been swindled by
a man named Darling. She had come from
Pittsburg n was engaged by him as
housekeeper. The next day and the next
n each succeeding day from one to three
women called on Inspector Shea to tell him
about a man named Darling, all of whom
were complaining Of the loss Of trunks that
he had obtained possession of by getting
their checks. Detectives were put on the
case, but they could get no trace of the
mar
Another victim was Mrs. NJ. A. Taylor of
Louisville. She went to Chicago in answer
to one of Darling's advertisements. Mrs.
Taylor has two children. Darling met her
and at once engaged her and told her he
would go for an expressman to take her
= W. Ao SAA AAo y VI AS1
two trunks and a valise were valued at !
500. Darling drove away with them, and |
Mrs. Taylor was to follow. She was given
an address on Dearborn avenue. When
she went there, she found the place a vacant
lot. Mrs. Taylor then began a house to
house canvass of the n~eighborhood and
learned that no one of the name of Darling |
had ever lived there. With tears stream
ing down her cheeks she told her story to |
Inspector Shea.
Detectives Tierney and Mason traced
Darling to 1717 Wabash avenue, where he |
had engaged a room. He told the land |
lady, Mrs. Msiggs. that his wife had de- |
serted him for a Pullman palace car con-
ductor, and that she had run away with |
his two children. The two trunk and va |
Use which had been stolen from Mrs. Tay- |
Tor, he told Mrs. Meiggs, were the property
of his wife. He opened the trunks, and
upon finding pictures of Mrs. Taylor and
her children hung them up on the wall,
then called in Mrs. Meiggs to look at his
wife and children. He cried while he
talked of how good a woman his wife used
to be before she met the palace car conduc-
tor. To lend color to the story that his
wife had eloped, Darling told Mrs. Meiggs
that he had engaged the Pinkerton detect
1'e aSGhCy eo Ahu Inc runaway par.
The man was arrested and taken to head
quarters, where he was identified as Frank
Puncheon. He never staid at one place
more than a day or two. He would rifle
the trunk he Obtained and would pawn
the most valuable articles and leave the
rest behind. Dozens of trunks and valises
have been found in as many different places
where the swindler had roomed.
The gray walls of the prison again stare
him in the face, and if all the women whom
be has swindled in the last two months
prosecute him he will receive a cumulative
sentence of about 300 years. Under the
habitnal criminal act Of Illinois Puncheon
can be sentenced to 20 years in each case.