The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-11-19
4 SWELL SWINDLER.
YOUNG LADIES viCriMIZ I'D BY
A SOCIETY NAN.

Mr.. Arthur Blair Moody, Of Nav Haven,
1uducss Three Ladies' Of New York AZ
Put Money Into ~ bogus Mtntnx sche m...
ds Secures Several Thousand Dollars
frotn ihs m and Di.Appear.-A .e... la
New aaveo-tighting Dc,nnn Tor Ex
! tradition.
New York. November l7.-Three
young women, two OF them heiresses Of
this city, and the other a famous Aus
tralian artist, temporarily here. are
said TO be the victims OF an alleged
swell swindler. Arthur Blair Moody. Of
New Haven. Conn. who was yesterday
arrested in that city. Moody is now
out on bail and Is fighting the attempt
to extradite him to New York. He is %
years old and has always been a favo-
rite with women. Moody comes Of a
good family. His father Is in the in
surance, business in New Haven and
his mother is doctor. Moody stopped
for a long time at the Holland house
and cut quite q dash. When he left
the Holland he was $1,10O in debt TO
Proprietor Baumann for his board.
Moody happened to met the Rev. DR..
de Leon Nicholl. who took a fancy to
him and introduced him to Miss Mary
Van Buren, Vanderpool. who in turn
introduced him to her friend Miss Rosa
mOnd H. Owen. Both ladies hold high
positions In New York society. AS soon
as Moody felt he had gained the conf
dence Of the women he dined them at
the Holland house. There. 1t is alleged
he unfolded a great mining scheme. A
few days later Moody called on Miss
Vanderpool. and said that his partner
had told him Of q grand opportunity
for some subscribed mining stock. One
Of the men who had put down his name
for some OF the stock had failed to get
the money. and although the mayor Of
New Haven had tried to get in, he
(Moody) had managed to get the chance
for Miss Eanderpool. The latter was
delighted. but she did not have the
ready money and she recommend her
friend Miss Owen.
The latter took to the scheme and
gave Moody $4,000. That was in March.
last. On July 18th. Moody went to Miss
Owen and said that $1,000 more was
| needed and she gave him q consoli-
dated six per cent. gold bond OF the
| st. Paul, Minneapolis and Manitoba
| railroad. market value $1,l75. She told
| Moody to dispose Of 1t and return the
sits to her. He gave the bond to Pro-
| prietor Baumann. Of the Holland house.
| for a board bill OF $1,170 telling him
| that If the bond was not redeemed in
| thirty days he might sell 1t. Moody
| never redeemed it. and it was sold. He
| did not return the SITS to Miss Owen.
| Later in July Moody went to Miss
Vanderpool and told her Of another
splendid opportunity for making money
| Miss Vanderpool says she gave Moody
! 81 900 United States gold bond with
out getting any receipt or security for
| it and she has not since heard OF it.
| In the meantime Moody had been at
| work At the Buckingham. There he
| met Miss Ellis Rowen, an artist In
| water colors from Australia. She was
| also impressed with Moody and showed
him a set Of $50 water color paintings
| Of the flora OF Australia, which she
| said was worth $4,000. Moody broach-
| ed his latest scheme to the artist and
| got $3.50 from her on the security OF
| fifty shares Of the stock OF his COM
pany. Then he wanted more money for
| the scheme and she let him take the
| pictures as security. He was to raise
E1,5O0 on them, the pictures to be
placed in a safe deposit vault as securi-
| ty. After time she became anxious
and asked for the pictures. He gave
| back, she says. all but thirty and said
| that he did not know where the others
| were. Then he told her that he could
sell the pictures to George Vanderbilt
| who wanted to decorate his house at
| BiltmOre, N. G.
| About two months ago he disappear
ed. He owed Proprietor Baumann q
| 81, 400 board bill when he left The po-
lice happened to hear Of the matter and
| Moody was indicted in the case OF Miss
Vanderpoops 81, 900 bond.