The San Francisco call., 1896-05-30
Marriage Proposals Made to Six
of the Male Sex in One
Evening.
ARRESTED as A BLACKMAILER.
Released From the Spell After Scan.
dalous Conduct Had Brought
Her to Prison.

PORTLAND, Or, May 2e.-About
month ago Miss Helen Beatrice Helwig
came to Portland from San Francisco on a
visit to friends, intending to remain the
greater part of the summer, but last
Monday she returned to her Golden Gate
home much sadder young woman than
when she left it. In connection with this
is story that hardly seems credible.
Miss Helwig, during the first fortnight
OF her visit here, was in the most cheerful
frame of mind, making friends of all who
met her. She was an accomplished musi-
clan and conYersationalist, and knew
something about almost everything. She
had travelled in Europe for several years,
with ample means to see and study.
After Miss Helwig had been here two
weeks decided and unaccountable change
came over her. She seemed to have an
aversion to the society OF her own sex and,
what was worse, her friends were greatly
shocked in observing the boldness with
which she courted nearly all the male
visitors to the house in which she was 8
guest. 1t is stated upon the best au-
thority that Miss Helwig went so far as
to make proposals of marriage to six
gentlemen in one evening. This was not
done in spirit of jest but in the most in
tense earnestness.
About this time several well-known
business men received impassioned letters
signed "Helen Beatrice" in which the
writer declared her unquenchable love in
the most poetic prose for the addressed.
Most of the recipients of these love-laden
missives are married men; but one of
Helen Beatrice's" objects of Affections
capitalist-innocenty got himself into an
exceedingly unpleasant domestic snarl by
not destroying "Helen's" letter at once
after reading it. It chanced that his wife
in some manner got possession of the mis-
sive.
The innocent capitalist was in q pretty
mess from which he was unable to ex-
tricate himself for day or two. At last,
though, he remembered that in her note
Helen Beatrice" solicited him to reply
through the general delivery at the post
Office. Then the idea suggested itself to
him that he take Chief of Police Mimic
into his confidence and thus attempt to
establish the identity of the person having
brought him all this trouble.
The Chief put Detective WEIGH on the
job, and two days after Welch received the
assignment he saw well-dressed young
woman step up to the general delivery
window and ask:
Anything for Miss Helen Beatrice,
pleaseP"
The capitalists decoy letter was handed
to her, and as she stepped from the Fed
eral building onto Morrison street she
was joined by a young man named Frank
Zoe Robbins, living on the East side. To
Detective WEIGH. Miss Helwig's CORE
Spondence appeared in the light of black
mailing scheme, and on Fifth and Morri-
son he politely invited the couple to
accompany him to the Office of the Chief
of Police.
During the interview OF the couple in
Chief Minto's Office said Detective Welch,
"a disclosure was made, throwing the re-
sponsibility of Helen Beatrices conduct,
who really was Miss Helwlg, upon Rob-
bins. The latter is member of the Port
land Hypnotic Club and also a friend of
the family Miss Helwig was visiting. AT
her request he one evening escorted her to
a meeting of the club, where, after expert
menting upon the girl for about fifteen
minutes, Robbins discovered her to be a
very pliable subject.
As matter of amusement and nothing
more-but it was a cruel pastime-Rob-
bins exercised his influence over Miss
Helwig, and in twenty-four hours he
metamorphosed her from a dignifed, in
telligent'young woman into promiscuous
"man-courter."
Chief Mimic, satisfying himself that this
was the true status of this peculiar case,
ordered Robbins, under penalty of severe
punishment, to release Miss Helwig from
the influence of his hypnotic power. Rob-
bins agreed to this, but it was two days
thereafter before Miss Helwig was restored
to her normal frame of mind. When ad-
vised of what she did under the hypnotic
influence she grew hysterical with shame,
and the following night returned to San
Francisco almost heartbroken.
In conclusion, Detective WeIch said that
the aggrieved capitalist and his suspecting
wife were invited to the interview of the
hypnotist and his poor victim, which re-
suited in complete reconciliation in the
family of the capitalist.