The Red Cloud chief., 1896-12-25
Good lot he

There are many women III TINS
country who live by their wits ana
roguery, and Inspector iiollinberger,
chief Of detectives. says the onnuehc
women, blackmailcrs and shopiliters'
who have visited Washington. were
found to be equally a. shrcwd and cum
ming as males in the same profession,
Photographs of some of the most no
table OF these tricky females. WI"
have piled their shady vocation mere.
can be found in the roguos' gallery,
located In the inspectors Office. De
tective Joseph Carter, one Of the veter-
ans at headquarters, relates some inter
esting "reminiscences of the light nm
gcred ladies" who have turned tricks
in this city. Perhaps the best known
of these was Ollie Ellis. better known
as the Duchess of California she
was a native OF Cincinnati and at the
time of her arrest here by Detectives
Block and Ran, Feb. %, 1856, was 80
years OF age. The duchess was
plump of figure and pretty Of face. She
was also a most accomplished and
agreeable conversationalist and always
wore stylish and costly clothing. She
came here from California to escape
the vengeance Of relatives of a million
aire she had ruined there, leaving
him a derelict on the sea OF bankrupt
cy.
She is entered upon Inspector llol-
.inberger's records as n shrcwd conf
dence woman Her game In Washing
ton was blackmail and her victims
prominent men high in official life.
She represented herself as "A real
duchess and produced manufactured
cadence to support that claim. The
first game she tried to work was on
Col. Sncllbakcr. Her right name was
Olive Chumley and she was the daugh-
ter of n Cincinnati policeman. who was
shot and instantly killed by Snellbak-
or, while he was chief of police In that
city. Olives father charged Smell
baker with beng the cause OF the
downfall Of a younger daughter and
n day, in a fit OF rage, the patrolman
with appraised club, rushed into Smell.
bakers office and attempted to brain
him. The colonel drew his pistol and
killed Chumloy on the spot. When
the Duchess" came here she called
upon Snellbaker and demanded $1,000
as hush money. lie refused to give
her the money and at once complained
to Mai. Dye, then chief of police here
that Ollie was attempting to blackmaiI
him. Detectives Raff and Mahan arrest
ed her as a suspicious character under
the yagrancy act. She was tried in the
police court and found guilty, but hav-
ing plenty of ready cash the fair Ouch
ess purchased a bondsman and was re-
leased from custody, being under 500
security for her good behavior for d
period of six months. She vas after,
ward arrested three times on the same
charge. for trying to blackmail promi,
nent men, and served two terms In
the workhouse. Upon her release the
last time the duchess disappeared, and
has not since been seen In this vicinity
She came here in purple and fine lin
ems" said Detective Joe Carter last
evening to a reporter. land went away
%bedraggled. soilcd and f~orlorn, a vic
tim of her W %iniquity." Dora Straw
bridge, alias Cartwright, was another
female crook OF high degree who fel
into the hands Of the law. She was {
native OF Sweden, 80 years OF age, ant
not very prepossessing in either face OF
form when she was arrested by Sergt
Moore Of the lst precinct for forger.
and larceny on July IA. 1887. Dora