The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-01-08
A FORTUNE FOR A TITLE.
ROMANTIC STORY FOLD BY A
TOMBS PRISONER.


The Arrest of the dever Maid OF
Princess Ruspoh Results in Her
Confessing and Rela;ing an Interest
ing Narrative of the Money Paid by
an American Woman for a Titled
husband.
From the Baltimore american
NEW York, Jan. S.-Not for many day
has a woman OF such versatility appeared
in a police court as KANE Sheridan Rickert,
who was arranged before Justice Grady, at
the Tombs court this morning. She en-
acts three roles in q remarkable story, and
all of them became public as a consequence
of her arrest on the charge Of larceny.
The stories that cane out as a result Of
her troubles involved one of the most
famous names in French history. the pres
ent Marquis de Talleyrand, and his son-in-
law Prince Ruspoli, who is attached to the
italian legation at Washington, and the
other is a story, a sort of side light on the
history of the remarkable little woman ,
and tells of Irritation by letter which she
carried on with three men in as many Ian
ruages and under different nom de plumes.
Katie Sheridan, who afterward married a
man named Rickert, whose name does not
afterward appear iu the story, was born in
ireland about twenty-five years ago. She
came to this country when very young. She
has Of late beel employed in the family of
the Prince Ruspoli, and has lived with them
in Washington and in this city during the
winter, and at Lenox, Mass, during the
summer and fall.
During the idle hours she has made a
study of private affairs Of her distinguished
hat ma no hos
carried on her polyglot correspondence.
She was q pretty, exceedingly modest ap-
pearing woman, with q taking way of cast
ing downward her black eyes, and great
was the surprise, it is said, when she disap-
peared from the Ruspoli home at W ashing-
ton, and S., 900 of fine wearing apparel and
jewels went along with her.
The case was reported to the Washing
ton police and to Supt. Byrnes, in this
city, and Detective Sergeants Wade and
Hanley we're immediately placed upon the
case. 1t was understood that she had gone
to New Rochelle. and accordingly the de-
pot at that place, as we'll as at Forty-secOnd
street in this city, were closely watched.
She was caught on Saturday at Fifth avenue
and Forty-second street, after she had
called at the depot to order her TRUNKS sent
to her rooms
The clothes the girl wore were the prop
erty Of the Marchese Ruspoli, and in her
pOoSCocAOn
as Of jewelry, that had been taken from her
employers, and she had pawn-tickets for
things which she had pawned. On one ar
ticle alone she had secured $40.
The young woman broke down and con-
fessed under the pressure of strong evidence
secured against her. But she not only told
the story OF the theftS to the detectives, but
she also went further and detailed some-
thing OF the alleged private history of the
representative of the house of Talleyrand.
According to her narrative an American
woman. Mrs. Frederick Stevens, became in
fatuated with the glamour that in some eyes
attaches to q foreign title, and conceived an
extraordinary attachment TO the gallant
old marquis Of the historical name.
The platonic love Of the fair American
was not in the least degree pleasing to the
marchese. the wife of De Talleyrand.
The elder woman made her objection so
vigorously, and continuously felt that the
story was on the brink of being published
TO the world, and IS this would never do,
and would both break Off the affair and
cause unwonted scandal, it is said by the
RIckert women. that Mrs. Stevens finally
arranged the whole matter on most salts
factory basis by agreeing to pay the mar
CHEESE an annuity to keep her hands off.
She declares that the old marquis is rich
alone in titles, but not in money. and that
perhaps the arrangement may not have
been an entirely unwelcome one all around.
The Prince Ruspoi and his father-in-law
are said to be engaged in the booming of
New Jersey real estate near Lakewood
while the former is ostensibly, at least,
connected with the Italian legation.
1t was, perhaps, the suspicion that the
young Irish girl knew more than was desir-
able, that gave her certain liberties while
she was employed at the Ruspoli home.
at the central Office, for example. they
have a number Of pictures in which she has
in q hot
pher of this city, aud the peculiar feature of
these pictures consists in the fact that the
young woman is dressed in the gowns OF the
Princess Ruspoli herself. it is said that she
had bedecked herself with, the jewels belong
ing to her mistress.
In court the young woman was dressed
plainly in black. When she was brought
before the bar to plead she seemed on the
point of breaking down. Whether it was
skillful acting or the display of real emotion
it was very hard to decide.
The history of the prisoner who was sent
to Washington in charge Of a deputy mar
shall and j. w. Mattingly of the Metropolis
tan police of Washington, d. c., to answer
the charge of larceny, has only in part been
secured by the interchangeable work Of the
central office bureau. They have not by
any means followed out all the ends of the
story.
The police do not believe that che has
ever done anything wrong before.
Katie Sheridan Rickert has been pro-
fessional nurse. She has been employed by
the wealthiest fsmilie3, and has peen able
to secure the best recommendations from
doctors in this city. She is very highly &C
complished and speaks at least three lan-
guages. These include French, Italian and
English. AT one time she was a profess
sional nurse at the insane pavilion on Black
wells Island, and it is said that at that
place she made the intimate acquaintance
OF the young doctors who have since given
her recommendations.
When the Rlckert woman appeared be-
fore Commissioner Shields. before she was
sent to Washington, she was in tears. She
was asked If she was willing to go back 80
the capital, and she said she did not know
what to do. She finally consented to go.
TArTOOING AS A FINE ART