The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-04-05
WAS IT BLACKMAIL?
Mrs. Keesling, Of Whatcom,
Again Heard From.
SAYS POLICE WERE CORRUPT.
Her Charges mt Saratoga springs, ". Y.
Create q sensation and Iexow
Investigation L. Threatened.


OF the Iate County Commissioner kses-
ing. OF Wbatcom county. and concerning
whom the Observation-Disclosures a few weeks
ago published an account OF her exploiis
with ber eoiored eoacaman. whom she al
fervard n1arrisd. now figures n lively
municipal scandal al Sara oga Springs. ~
y. The woman. whc Is again MARRIED Tor
the 9th time, has discarded her c0iored
husband. and i living in Albany. y. l..
with her latest capture sac AEs9 N
Whatcom for about fifteen years ana -
well known 10 every one ia that vicinity.
She now prefers grave charges against
TAO prominent police officials q Saratoxa
Springs, and the affair threatens 70 result
in Lexow investigation. shs charges
that the police tried 10 get S.e"o from her
20 divorce her from her maiatto husband;
that they did gst sl.1S0. The New York
World under date OF March g publishes
the following special dispatch from 5ar-
atoga Springs concerning the matter:
The attempt OF the local political ring
to reoraanlze the town OF Saratoga
Springs has brought out charges against
two prominent police officials OF having
received money from a notorious woman,
while acting in their official capacities,
TO assist her ia getting rid OF her mu-
iatfo husband, Henry j. Rnse. The wom-
an Is now living at No. I35 South Knox
street Albany. She II worth sepp. rive
times she mas been married kase VAS
her servant. The mulatto seemed 20 nave
q peculiar influence over her. ana they
were married. Afterwards they contlo-
ued 10 live. as far as the public knew as
mistress and servant. and the woman was
In constant fear lest the marriage would
be made public AT this time she owned
n handsome house on Union avenue. here.
n house In Greenfield. and yaiuanie reaa
estate In yyhatcom Wash. Besides she
had securities and money In bank
The muiatto was suspected OF MURDER
ing John Gum. a gambler. who. after be-
ing seen with a roll OF bills. vas iouhd
dead. Drained with railroad coopihs
min. In January. 1893. the woman ana
Ruse auarreled, and she accused him OF
aha murder He came near shooting ner.
and abused her so that the neighhors call
ed the police. The trouble gave the po-
lice an excuse To lock Ruse up. penang
the Investigation OF the murder. Inc
woman has made affidavit that proni-
nent Official connected with the police de-
partment went 10 her house and onereo
10 help her get divorce from the mu-
latfo. He asked her what she was worm
ana insisted on rhe greatest secrecy she
allowed him her papers. such as mort
cages and notes. and let him take her
marriage certificate TO the ponce slauoh-
"a day or two later. the affidavit con-
tinues. anothe- police Official wen, TO her
house and said that the official VINO haa
seen her frs, had sent him up TO tax
ahout ms divorce. as he thought IL would
-, ,nok well for him TO be seen visit
Ing her. This Official told her that the
divorce would cost 5000. She said she
could not raise that amount a day or
Two later he came back ana said s-y"
would do. She did not see how she coaia
raise ths money. but he came few days
later and said that the ffrst oinclal fsao
found n man. a particular friend Oh MS
who would let her have the money for
thirty days on her securities. She gave
a. security for a check for s.. 500 her house
here aud her house In Greenfield and
note for s., go She says she went to the
once of the Official who had called on her
frst. and, as her second visitor had told
her. placed the check on table there.
When the thirty days were up she was
unable 10 raise the s.. $500. So she sold
her house here for 5000 and gave that
money, with $40 added. TO her second Wis
itor. The ss.soe check was never used.
and the police official mentioned first now
denies ali knowledge of IT. The second.
however. admits indirectly that such a
check was given.
THE aIiidavit then recites that while
Rnse was tn Jail the second official had
suggested having him sent to Australia
or to the Sandwich Islands. He told her
Il could be done by having Ruse waive
examination and he allowed 20 go on his
own recogniEance. whie after that.
she ~wears. the frs. official told her that
a detective had taken Ruse 20 New York.
put him on board OF steamer and given
him 81 200 10 make him feel good. She
swears also that this official told her that
a lawyer got sAa and a police justice 500.
This was before she had found herself
unable 20 meet the s., so note. and when
II was supposed thar the $50 would De
raised instead OF the sl.n6a
s'She swears that when the second off,
eiai returned her the papers he said 'ths
hest place for them L. in the Ere and he
mat them there himself The facts seem
10 hs that Ruse was sent IL Chicago and
tesa never 20 trouble the woman again
After being arrested February H. 1885 on
n charge OF assault either in the nTSt OF
second degree. and after having lain sew
srai DAYS In Jail. RuSe was accompanied
20 the train by policeman acting under
orders from superior officer. and was
saen safety OF With a roll Of 500 and a
ttrks. to chicago The divorce. ~ Is said
cost sisa. and u took SO 90 get Fuse otit
OF the way The remainder Of the 81 a.
has not been accounted Tor. The suspi-
cions OF the woman became aroused. and
after a while she threatened 10 hiring ar
action AK AfHSt the NFfNHRi NtUf-tSf 70
cover the balance Of the money. The casa
never came 90 trial. for the official, ~ Z:
alleged. hushea IL up ny paving hack S1ss
Another man. who also had SisA 81 ths
money. paid that amount hack as soon a,
he heard that trouble was brewing Russ
T. stiil az large TYae police court docket
containing the record ~ the arrest and
arraignnaent 81 Rusc when he vas sus
rested 90 having been implicated tn ~
Cunn murhr cannot ~ found one Oh
eiai saws another has a.. and that one tha'
n is IN the possession OF thiri official
ana 50 on"
r. will BE remembered that kecSllnE
went insane and shortly afterwarf Mrs
KeesltnE won't 80 S,ellscoem with bis cof
in. Although Ne was not theu lead p,
soon dteA and she returned "a whatccys
With his h,,,is I, was rWulored a. th'
time that KeeSliug had eocn Killed, e.
order - permit his wife - wed her col
nrei cs,achunsn. % whom ~ was Fvportet
sssse was cramerct. ~ All events she as
snuaesi possession ~ The Messing estatS
ana With the eniored mau went East
marrying him NJ Winnipeg while en- r0ute
since then shs has lived 81 New NNgh
state TIE cai0rr8 man when driver
away ~ the Saratoga police. returned "a
wThatoeF, and Tor 8 tinr Mas employee
tn a barber Shos,. About Eve months aes
~ disappeared saying De AIS going q
Portland.