The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-11-19

Brooklyn, Nov. 1S.-William F. VAL
entine, the alleged swindler, who is be-
leVed to be one of gang of sharperS
that has successfully operated in sew
eral cities, was arraigned this morn
ing to plead to indictments for forgery
ana grand larceny, and abduction and
assault, recently found by the grand
jury. District Attorney Backus moved
his trial on the charge of forgery in OBJ
tanning $50 from Henry Batterman on
a 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 for forgery in
the second degree, and Valentines
counsel agreed to this. The district at
torney then moved for the trial of the
prisoner on the charge of abduction and
assault In living with May Vintage at
No. 3i3 Adams street while she was un-
der age. Valentine pleaded guilty to
abduction, which plea was entered and
he was remanded for sentence.
District Attorney Backus later con-
sented to divulge the mysterious evi-
dence which he has held back so long in
connection with the alleged gang of
swindlers. 1t is the first official state
ment made, and Is to the effect that
Valentine met May Vintage in lS95 for
the first time, when she was injured
by falling from a trolley car and he
saved her from being run over. The ac-
quaintance quickly ripened. Valentine
represented himself as wealthy build
er and giving his name as Edgar The
couple met several times and afterward
went to Staten Island and Ulmer Park
fer pleasure trips. She finally consent
ed 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 il they had gone through ceremony.
Miss Vintage told her parents that she
had married Valentine in a New York
city church.
After living with him for some time.
she discovered that he had wife and
family in Hampstead, L. J., but he said
he was justified in leaving his wife,
when the girl told him of what she had
learned. n meeting of the wife and
Miss Wingate was brought about. and
when the latter discovered that Mrs.
Valentine was respectable woman,
she begged her supposed husband to
leave her and return to his rightful
wife. Before leaving the house she had
faintng spell. The girl then wrote
her parents. asking forgiveness for
having deceived them. She asked per-
mission to return home and find work.
This letter was written on paper head
STANDARD Coal and Oil company; capi-
tai stock S2,O00,OO0, fully paid, non-as-
sessable; j. II. Mclaughlin, secretary
and treasurer; Edward Tolefree, presi-
dent; main Office Washington, ID. c.;
New York office, 1913 Liberty street."
AN ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE.
On Valentines return from an abb
sence of some days, May told him she
would leave him, Then he told her
that if she did she would be prosecuted
for passing counterfeit checks, and he
would skip the country. 1t was the
first time she heard of any bad 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 tnat If
she dared to tell anything about him
she would be killed. Frightened by his
violence she remained with him. Then
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 May Vintage
were arrested for passing bad checks
on Adams & Co. Valentine got out Of
the scrape by having a 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 Valentine and went to live at 12O
Ralph avenue. where she attempted to
commit suicide on Oct. 90 last. While
she was in st. Mary's hospital, Valen-
tine was arrested for passing q cheek
for $50 on Fl. Batterman.
Valentine said that Job L. Bough
signed the name Of L. Monta to the
Batterman check.