The morning times., 1897-01-22
HE ROBBED AN OLD WOMAN
The Doings of StOddard. THE Dia-
mond Prince" in Utah.
Miss Aiiriam IN Clark Was Persuaded
to Transfer Her Property 10
Him-He Sold 1t and Left.

Inspector Hollinberger has received from
the Salt Lake City authorities an interest
ing account of some of the doings of.'Prof''
stoddard, the diamond PRINCE while he
was in that city
stoddard will be remembered as the
swindler who came here with his wife sew
eral weeks ago, rented a fine large house
on Sixteenth street, for which he failed to
pay the rental, and spent money with the
reckless abandon of a Coal Oil johnny
The information received at police head
quarters tells how he hoodwinked and de-
frauded Miss Miriam Clark, sixty-five years
of age, who is a devouG member of the
Mormon Church, and believer in the hon
esty and reliability of mankind in general.
Years ago Miss Clark acquired a valuable
piece of property in Salt Lake City, and
since that time, as before. her days have
been spent laboriously over the sewing ma
chine and washtub. She has lived frugaly,
so as to be able to pay her taxes, and prac-
ticed unceasing labor and economy.
During a recent real estate boom Miss
Clark refused an offer of $4,000 for
her property, and only that it might fall
into the clutches of Prof" Stoddard,
the clairvoyant, palmist and fraud, who
gave the aged woman not a penny The
property today is rated as being worth
$4,000.
In a moment of weakness, it is said,
CLARK faH
she having heard of his alleged occult
powers. as to the status of an English
chancery suit in which she is Interested
She found the clairvOyant suave and pleas
ant, and at once fell under his power, be-
lieving in him and accepting his unsup-
portable word as a most Solemn truth
In consequence, she has been compelled
o invoke the assistance of the law to
regain the block of ground, which repre-
sents her savings of life time.
In the petition it is set forth that the
deed was fraudulently obtained by Stod-
daTd, and that no sum OF money whatever
was paid Miss Clark. Some of the money
received by the occult CON man from
the poor old wOnan's property was spent
here by Stoddard and his wife during their
recent splurge in this city, when they rode
about in liveried teams.
In order to get possession of Miss Clark s
property Stoddard told her he had con
suited with the spirits in reference to her
English chancery suit, and his astral in
| fornantS had told him a secret. 1t was
| that a great treasure was concealed on her
property-enough gold and precious stones
| to make her at once equal in wealth with
| the Eothschilds or Goulds. In order TO
| locate the wealth, however, it would be
necessary to make money sacrifice to
| the spirits. In other words, that the all
| wise shadows would only talk for Doodle.
Miss Clark fell an easy victim to StOd-
| dard and his spirit sprites, especially when
| he lied to her and informed her confiden-
| TALLY that he was high priest in the
| Mormon church. The fellow painted word
| pictures of the wealth concealed some
where about her town lot, and she yielded.
| Theproperty was temporarily transferred
| to him, as he expressed it, Then at Il
| favorable opportunity he sold the ground
and with other booty left Salt Lake far
| behind him and came to Washington where
( his escapades have already been fold by
| The Times