The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-11-30
zELLA'S $4,000 CHECK.
TRUTH As TO THE VALUABLE SLIP
or PAPER OUT AT LAST.

She Got az From II Gould Hcir-He
Received II From New York While
lie Was in Chicago Attending the
worlds Fair-Indorsed IL ana
Then Got Careless.
From the New York World
Here is the true story of leila Nicolaus
and George Gould and the $40, 600 check
Much has been said and much written
about this mystery. Several explanations,
some of them clever and plausible, have
been put forward But, as is always the
case. the truth is cleverer and more inter
esting than the fiction.
George Gould's lawyers are now in Chi
cago taking dispositions which they intend
to use in the trial OF Zella Nicolaus's suit
against George Gould for the recovery of
the check which she alleges he took from
her by fraud. The doings of these lawyers,
who are thus preparing for the supreme
court at Jersey City next month, have re-
vived the talk about the affair And now
the truth is out.
Several Chicago mansions were hired
and furnished by clubs of rich New York
ers during the worlds fair. These houses
were occupied for a stated period by each
of the subscribers in turn. One of the heirs
to Jay Gould's fortune was a member of
one of these clubs. He had the right to
certain very handsome house for two
months, beginning with the middle of May,
1898 While he was living there in splendor
he met Zella Nicolaus.
The joint heir Of Jay Gould got on ex-
ceedingly Wen with the beautiful blue
eyed, baby-faeed leila and by the first
of July they We're exceedingly good
friends In the first week of July he re-
ceived a check for $40, 900 from New York
1t represented his share of the interest
on Missouri Pacific bonds for the first
six months Of 1898.
This check represented the income for
half year under the will Of the late Jay
Gould 1t is not stated how the check,
/ properly Endorsed on the back by its own
/ er came into Miss Nicolaus' possession.
/ She swears that it was given to her free
! ly. The owner says she took it. AT all
/ events the next day she appeared at the
/ window of the receiving teller of the
/ First National Bank of Chicago.
Il wish to open an account she said,
and as a beginning l wish to deposit this
The receiving teller took the check.
/ looked a the amount, looked at leila,
/ looked at the Endorsement looked at Eel
! Ia, then consulted the cashier The up
shot of the matter was that Zella was
!
ident John Walsh. He questioned her
politely, acknowledged her offers to bring
any number of people to identify her and
i then regretfully told her that he would
! have to ask her TO bring the Gould heir
! whose name was on the face and also on
| the back of the cheque. leila thanked
| him and went away.
SO She went from bank to bank, offer
| ing TO open an account with the big
check. And everywhere there was the
| same polite caution. She could not open
| the account anywhere. Everyone wished
a note from the Gould heir or the GOULD
| heir in person.
banks. She came to New York Rnd began
| her weary round.
But you recognize the signature on the
litely deprecating bank president.
| oh, yes, he said, the signature is
ders tand. You must really excuse u.s.
| leila got rather desperate. She decided
to take the check to George Gould So
one morning she appeared at his offices
! in the Western Union, and sent in a note
| saying that she wished to see Mr. Gould
on personal, family matter. She was
admitted and, when left alone with
George Gould, told him that she had a
! check which she wished TO cash, a check
that had been given TO her by one Of
/ his family. She produced the check and
| handed il to him.
George Gould glanced at the name in
! the line that begins pay TO the order or
/ and then turned the check over He
| recognized the genuineness Of the indors-
! ing signature. He understood instantly
/ what had happened and instantly prepar-
I ed TO meet the emergency. His main
idea was TO avoid the unpleasant talk
that Zela could cause and al he same
1 time TO avoid paying over $4,000
II nave not so much money mere" he
said, laying the check down on his desk
in a matter-of-course fashion. I'm mst
have this sent over 10 the bank. / see
you have Endorsed it-and it viii be paid
to-morrow. Meanwhile, you are no doubt
Ana here he touched "a bell on his desl,