The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-04-27
INSANE FANCY
Of Miss Estella Burmeister,
Who Attracts Attention
BY Ringing wv. I'll. Fanderbilt's
Door Bell All Night.
IN HER CRAZY MIND
She Believes She is Under the
Influence
OF the Widow of the Late r.. B.
Plumb.
IN HER CRAZY MIND

From Our Special Correspondent
Washington. April 27--AIiss Estella
Burmeister the young woman who per
sisted in ringing the door bell Of W
X Vanderbilt's house ia New York all
night Tuesday night last. saying she
must see Mr.. Vanderbilt, says that a
certain woman exercised a peculiar in
nuence over her and the woman to
whom she refers, according to a Phil
adelphia paper is Mrs. Plumb. widow of
Senator Preston B. Plumb Of Kansas
In New York while in prison where
she had been sent until her sanity
could be determined. Miss Burmeister
wrote q dozen or fifteen letters to per
sons in New York and Philadelphia, In
which she stated that she had been
kidnapped by the police and was to
be locked up in an insane asylum One
Of the letters was addressed to MI De-
pew and the second to Bishop Potter
Among the letters written by the young
woman was one IN which she RAMP
lingIy alluded to M rs. Mary h. ElunlD,a
guest Of the Aldine hotel PhlladeI-
phia, as having exercised mys ferrous
influence" over her
The Philadelphia paper says. Mrs.
Mary f. Plumb to whom Miss Burmeis-
ter refers in her letter as exercising
q mysterious influence over her is the
widow of Senator Preston b. Plumb of
Kansas Mrs Plumb has lived at the
AldIne during the past winter, but lett
about three weeks ago for her home in
Kansas. She had a quantity of type
writing done at the hotel and it is
probable that Miss Burmeister did stem
ographic work for her and met her I'm
this way. But none of the persons i'm
this city who are acquainted with the
young woman ever heard or the mys-
Eerfous influence on Mrs. Elunb's part
or observed it,
Miss Burmeister's queer action at
Xanderbilt's house created wide notice
1n New York and Philadelphia
1t was a few minutes past midnight
last Tuesday when the front door Dell
of the Vanderbilt mansion was rung
violently by Miss Burmeister- To the
servant who answered the door the
yOung woman said
Il want to see Mr.. Vanderbilt"
You cannot see him. replied the
servant. Mr. Vanderbilt never re-
ceives visitor at this hour"
But when your master knows who
4 am he win be pleased to see me His Z
wife is not living with him. Allow me
20 send him a note"
Miss Burmeister wrote a note. which
she handed to the servant with a re-
quest that it be delivered at once
The servant took the note and leav-
ing Miss Burmeister standing on the
stoop, closed the front door
The bell was mudled TO prevent fur
Their annoyance during the night. But
early in the morning she was on hand
once more Shortly after o'clock !
Everhardt, the servant, heard the muf- I
fed gong pounding away at a. great |
rate. When he opened the door the /
caller Of the night before tried to push /
past him into the hall
you see I'm here again., said she, l
and there is not any use telling me Z
Mr.. Vanderbilt is not at home. I know /
that he IS"
"An right" replied Everhardt. 'go /
around to the side door and wen talk /
about it,"
AT that the woman became indig- /
nant. I'm not a servant said she. |
and 7 don't propose to apply at the /
servants entrance. came Of an good |
a family ais your master"
When Policeman Dieh1 was finally /
summoned to arrest a crazy woman [
FOR annoying Mr.. Vanderbilt" Miss /
Burmeister was found still Juggling at /
the d0or-beI- She said she represented /
influential families in Philadelphia. and |
e was nobOdy's business what her err |
rand was. So she was arrested
Later. when arraigned before Magis- /
trate Braun in the YorkvIlle police |
court. she said it was an outrage to ar /
rest her for ringing the door-bell Of an I
American citizen.
But why did you want to trouble I
Mr. Vanderbilt" asked the magis- /
trate.
II am without money" replied the /
prisoner. il" and knowing Mr.. Vanderbilt I
to be a man Of influence. determined /
10 cali upon him and obtain q situation /
have been the private secretary to /
one Of the wealthiest gentlemen in Phil |
adelphia, and i know most Of the best I
families there
Miss Burmeister from the best that |
could be learned of her intentions /
wanted to see Mr. Vanderbilt In order
to get him to take a financial interest 4
an a peculiar electrical invention which
she was projecting.
What the peculiar influence which 4
she says Mrs. Plumb exercised over Z
her was. or what she believes it was
no one has been able to determine. IT
IS probable that having Mrs. Plumb's /
name in mind she mixed it in with her
fncoherent rambilngs about her inven-
ef.--