The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-12-27
AFTER YOUNG GIRLS.
CrOOkstOn Woman Arrested on a
Serious Charge.

serious Sh8rge.
Mrs E. Lamont, a neatly dressed
woman literally bedecked with dia-
monds, occupied a cell at the central
police station last night, where she
Is held a prisoner on the charge of
being procuress. John Wilson and
Oscar Smith, two hackmen, are also
in custody accused of being accom-
plices Of the woman, and are also
charged with procuring. The woman
is accused Of being responsible for the
disappearance Of sixteen-year~old
Bessie Thomas. the daughter of Mrs.
Clara Thomas, who lives at No. Isl
East Seventh street, and it is also
claimed that she enticed another
young woman from this city, sending
both girls to become inmates of a re-
sort which she is said to conduct at
Crookston, MINI.
Mrs. Lamont is twenty-nine years Of age,
and has been in st. Paul about ten days,
during which time the police claim she has
been busily engaged in meeting young girls
whom she offered inducements of an alluring
nature TO go to Crookston. 1t is said she
represented to each of the prospective vic
tins that she was a. rich widow. and de-
sired companion, whom she would furnish
with luxurious home and the kindest treat
ment, making her play strong by the prom
Use of diamonds and plenty Of money. The
woman was about to leave town when De-
tectfves Gruber, DAILY and Murnane inter
cepted her at the Capitol hotel No. 455 Wa
basha street. and took her and huge Sara
toga trunk 10 the central police station.
Friday night the police received the first
intimation that alleged procuress was in
the city. The widowed mother of the miss
ing girl called upon Chief of Detectives
Schweitzer, in company with a married
daughter, Mrs. Judge, and related the story
of her younger daughters disappearance
Mrs. Judge had also been approached by the
woman, suspected Of spiriting the girls away
and the cEief obtained a good description of
Mrs Lamont and her methods. Chief
basha street restaurant several evenings pre-
vlous, and at once guessed whom 1t was
he wanted Detectives Daily Gruber and
Murnane were detailed on the case, and
enough learned to warrant a watch being
placed on the hotel where it was discovered
a strange woman was stopping. Detective
Gruber watched the house while Detectives
Murnane and DAILY watched the trains and
those supposed to be implicated with the
Lamont woman.
In order to secure sufficient evidence against
the accused woman it was arranged that Mrs
Judge, the sister of the missing girl should
meet her and seemingly agree to go to
Crookston, as she had proposed. The en-
gagement was made, but the Lamont woman
failed to keep 1t, and was about to leave
town when taken into custody. When ques-
toned by Chief Schweitzer she at hnst de-
MED having ever seen the young Thomas girl
but when confronted by Mrs. Judge and the
girls weeping mother, admitted having sent
the girl to Crookston last Tuesday night. She
Intimated that the girl had not yet reached
her final destination. and expressed a will
ingness TO secure her return. The police are
of the belief that they have arrested woman
who makes business of traficking in young
girls.
The Thomas girl is but sixteen years of
age, though of older appearance, and blonde
She is said to have been girl of good char
acter. She engaged to a well-to-do young
man of this city, who keenly feels the posi-
ton in which she has placed herself by her
actions: Mrs. Thomas, in speaking of her
daughter to a reporter for the l o b e, said
she was good girl but fond of gay COM
panions The mother has been out of the city
for several weeks, and the daughter has
been in the habit of frequenting public dances
in her absence. 1t was at of these her
mother says, that she met the Lamont wo-
man recently. Mrs. Judge told Chief SchWeit-
ger that the woman offered her and her
sister jewels and money to go and live with
her at Crookston. The chief of police of
Crookston has been wired description of the
girls said to have been sent there from this
city and asked to arrest them until they can
be brought back home The name of the girl
who accompanied the Thomas girl is said to
be Davis, though report of such person
being missing has been received by the police
The hackmen arrested claimed they acted
innCcently, and that they had no knowledge
of what Mrs. Lamont sought