The San Francisco call., 1895-11-04
She Had Startled New Workers
by Her Extravagant Mode
of Living.
FLEECED MANY sHoPKEEPERs
Bills for Enormous Amounts Con
tracted in the Name of the
Magnate's Wife.

NEW YORK, \. Y, Nov 3.-Locked IN
in cell at police headquarters is a stately
woman of 46, with silvery hair, who for
the past two weeks has been masouerading
as Mrs. Coils P. Huntington, wife of the
railroad magnate. On the strength of
these representations she has swindled
several Sixth-avenue dry goods stores out
OF many hundreds of dollars worth of
goods. From one store alone she obtained
nearly $500 worth of valuable dresses. silk
underwear and other apparel. The woman
now admits that her name is Mrs. Sophia
Carolina Smith and that she was formerly
employed as housekeeper in Mr.. Hunting
tons residence at 65 Park avenue
Mrs. Smith is widow and is highly
connected. Her husband was Anthony
Ogden Smith, who for years was the man.
ager of wholesale silkhouse at Grand and
Greene streets. According to the story
told tonight by Captain OBrien of the
detective bureau, Mrs. Smith has not only
succeeded in dressing well during the past
few weeks, but has been living at very
rapid pace through her false misrepresen-
tations. He said that she had been guest
ar the Waldorf, where she successfully
posed as Mrs. Huntington.
The woman also attracted attention by
her equipages, which were furnished by
iverymen upon whom she successfully
imposed. Two of the latter are John
Walker of 5S West Fifteenth street and
Robert Jackson of los West Fifty-third
street. She would drive to the stores in a
handsome barouche, attended by a foot
man in an elaborate livery, who accompa-
MED her into the stores, addressing her as
Mrs. Huntington. In the majority of
cases the footman would carry the goods
10 the carriage, and occasionally she would
order some inexpensive article sent to the
Huntington residence TO avert suspicion.
She would then send note to the house
keeper OF the Huntington mansion, whose
name she knew, requesting that the goods
be delivered to the messenger, as the pack
age had been sent there by mistake.
On October 81 Mrs. Smith ordered a silk
dress, valued at $40, at one of the Sixth
avenue stores. 1t was not her first visit,
for she had been there almost daily for a
week, making heavy purchases in Mrs
Huntington's name and taking the goods
with her. She tried on the dress, but as it
needed slight alterations said she would
call on Saturday for it.
Before leaving she bought tea gown at
a cost of 50 30. This she ordered sent to
the Huntington house. Her note to the
housekeeper was unsigned and aroused the
latters suspicious. Instead of giving ND
the package she went to the store ana
asked why it was sent.
why, Mrs. Huntington ordered it."
said the clerk. "She was in here this
morning and left the order"
Impossible" replied the housekeeper.
"Mrs. Huntington has been in California
since March"
The clerks face dropped as he thought
OF the enormous bill, and at once reported
the matter to the proprietor, who lost no
time in communicating with the detective
bureau.
At 5 o'clock on Saturday the detectives
saw the pseudo Mrs. Huntington drive up
to the store behind spanking team OF
bays. The foOtman opened the door of
the carriage and as he did so Detective
DAILY approached and requested that she
step inside the store. There she was con-
fronted by the housekeeper, who de-
nounced her as an imposter.
'It's a lie" said Mrs Smith excitedlv.
'I'm Mrs. Smith Huntington and never
saw this person in my life before.''
lIO ucbcCI4NeS escorted nGr TO the car
riage, which was driven to police head
quarters, where she was taken before Cap
tain O'Brien. To him she again asserted
she was Mrs. Huntington and vowed that
if she was not instantly released her nus
band would see his friend. President
Roosevelt. While in the captains room
Mrs. Smith took from her POCKET postal
card and billhead and tore them into
shreds. The postal card was from her son
in Brooklyn. The bill was for carriage
hire to the amount of $19 80 from Livery
men Walker, made out to Mrs C. P. Hunt
ington.
Mrs. Smith had not been long in Cap
tain O'Brien's presence before she broke
and confessed all. She gave her address
as A West Twenty eighth street. She was
taken to Matron Travers, where she was
compelled to divest herself of her stolen
finery. Captain O'Brien took the woman
to the Jefferson Market Court yesterday
and had her remanded until tomorrow
afternoon, when, it is expected, numerous
merchants will appear against her.