The San Francisco call., 1896-11-19
SWiNDLER VALENTINE.
Pleads Guilty to Several Charges, Among
Others the Abduction of Miss
May Vintage.

BROOKLYN, N. Y, Nov. 1s.-William
f. Valentine, the alleged swindler, who is
believed to be one OF gang of sharpers
that has successfully operated in several
cities, was arraigned this morning to
plead TO indictments for forgery and
grand larceny and abduction recently
found by the Grand Jury.
District Attorney Backus moved his
trial on the charge of forgery in obtaining
money from Henry Batterman on forged
check. but Valentine pleaded guilty to the
indictment. Then Mr.. Backus said he
would prefer TO have his plea taken for
the second count in the indictment, which
was forgery in the second degree, and
Valentines counsel agreed to this. The
District Attorney then moved for the trial
OF the prisoner oh the charge of abduction
and living with May Vintage at 81 Adams
street while she WAS under age. Valeh-
tine pleaded guilty to abduction, which
plea was entered, and he was remanded
for sentence
District Attorney Backus later con-
sented to divulge the mysterious evidence
which he has held back so long in connec.
ton with the alleged gang of swindlers.
IL is the first official statement made as to
the effect that Valentine met May Whit
age In 1898 for the first time, when she
was injured by falling from trolley car,
and he saved her from being run over.
The acquaintance QUICKLY ripened, Valen-
tine representing himself as a wealthy
builder and giving his name as Edgar.
The couple met several times and went to
Staten Island and Ulster Park for pleasure
trips.
She finally consented to live with him
as his wife on his assurance that under
the laws OF God and man she would be
his wife, as much as If they had gone
through ceremony.
Miss Vintage told her parents that she
had married Valentine in a New York
church. Alter living with him for some
time she discovered that he had a wife
anu family in Hampstead, l.. l., but he
said he was justified in Leaving his
wife. An interview between the wife
and Miss Vintage was brought about, and
when the latter discovered that Mrs. Val
entine was a respectable woman she
begged her supposed husband to leave her
and return to his rightful wife.
Before leaving the house she had faint
ing spell. The girl then wrote her parents.
asking forgiveness for having deceived
them. She asked permission to return
home and find work. This letter was
written on paper headed:
Standard Coal and Oil Company; stock
So, 100000, fully paid up, worcestershire. J.
X. Mclaughlin, secretary and treasurer; Ed
ward Tolefree, president. Main office. Wash
ington. d. c.; New York Office, 293 Liberty
street.
On Valentines return after an absence
of several days May told him she would
| leave him. Then he told her that il she
did so she would be prosecuted for passing
| counterleit,checks and he would skip the
country. 1t was the first time she had
heard OF any bau checks having been
| passed. The girl says that when she still
| insisted on going away he grasped her by
the throat and threatened TO kill her, and
| said that If she dared To tell anything
about him she would be killed. Fright
ened by his violence she remained with
him. He wrote a postal card TO her
father saying that May did not mean what
she said in the letter, and assuring him
| that everything was all right.
Shortly after this Valentine and Nav
| " intage were arrested for passing bad
checks on Adams & Co. Valentine got
out of the scrape by having friend make
good the amount. May begged the man
! to settle all the forged checks, but he did
not do so. Miss Vintage then left Valen-
tine and went to live at 120 Ralph avenue,
where she atte mpted to commit suicide on
| October % last. While she was in ST
| Mary's Hospital Valentine was arrested
for passing a cheek on II. Batterman
| Valentine said that Job L. Bough signed
the name L. Monk to the Battermar
| check.