Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-12-13
ZELLA NICOLAUS' STORY.
How She Obtained the $4,000 Check
for Which She Sues.

for Which She Sues.
Mrs. Zella Nicolaus. the young woman
who is suing George Gould for $4,000. has
| left New York.
Her friends have just made public the
story. and give the facts upon which she
bases her suit. 1t is stated that Mrs. Nico-
laus has nothing against Howard Gould as
has been claimed; that it is George J. she
is after, as he is the one who took from her
the check made out for $40 600 and signed
by him. This is true, but it is equally true,
according to her friends, that Mrs. Nicolaus
obtained the check originally from Howard
Gould when the latter was in Chicago at
tending the worlds fair. AS the story Is
| told. the $4O,OOO check materialized in a
settlement of a part of Jay Gould's estate,
Just before Howard Gould started for Chi
cago. His share in this particular division
of a portion of his fathers estate was $40,
900, and to make the account on the books
all right, George j. Gould, as executor,
made out a check for this amount to How
ard and gave 1T to him to deposit Howard
Gould, however. carried this check to Chi
cago with him. While there. they say, he
met Mrs. Nicolaus, and before he left he
gave to her the $4,000 check.
Mrs. Nicolaus' friends say that Mrs. Nico-
laus presented the check at the bank In
Chicago, but when it was pronounced mo
good, she came to New York and sought
an explanation of Howard Gould. The lat
4
right at once, and went to his brother to
know by what right he had interfered
George upbraided him for giving any such
sum. and urged his brother to break off the
acquaintance. Howard refused to cease his
attentions to Mrs. Nicolaus, and returned
to her and reported the result Of his talk
with George: Then it was that leila saw
George Gould herself and threatened to
bring suit for the payment of the check.
unless the amount it called for was at once
handed over to her.
George was obstinate and said that he
would rather suffer the notoriety and any
possible scandal than consent to the pay
ment Of the check. Then he sought the aid
or superintendent Byrnes, and the latter
sent for Mrs. Nicolaus.
IL is said by her friends that when she
called on Superintendent Byrnes and threats
TO expose her past msdeeds were made If
she annoyed the Goulds, she informed Mr..
Byrnes that no matter what her past might
nave been, or what position she might now
De IN. the $4,000 check had been paid to her
by Howard Gould, and it was as much hers
as though the amount had been paid in
cash. She claimed that George Gould, after
once signing the check and paying 1t out,
had no control over it; that he was not au-
thorized by Howard to stop payment and
that George had finally obtained the check
from her In fraudulent manner. This she
explained by saying that when she came to
New York with the check in her possession
and told Howard Gould the circumstances
ne mad endeavored to get his brother to
Withdraw the stop-order on the check. But
after several interviews between herself
and George Gould, the latter told her tina
he had decided to pay her the amount she
claimed rather than have any trouble over
II. BUT Tor family reasons. he said. he did
not want the check to go through with her
signature. so II she would give up the check
ne would give her $4,000 in bills. This she
HnaIy agreed to do, and received from
Wnen he paid her the second $500 she hand
60 MIN the check, supposing he was going
10 count out the balance of the $4,000.
S could, she claimed to Superinten-
her 10 get out of his sight, or else he womb
nave her arrested as a blackmaiier.