The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-06-01
CLEVER MRS. DAVIDS.
Making Colored Women White,
Her Latest Diseoverle ID
Speelalty-Held for
Trial.

NIf
Nellie Davids, alias Davis, and her hust
pand Clarence. who. it is alleged. have
swindled a dozen or more ladies' of cloth
ing, money and jewels, are in the County
jail awaiting trial. AS told in 1.-THE
News on Saturday, Mrs. Davids claimed
to possess remarkable curative powers.
She could heal any old kind of a wound,
she said, or drive any ailment on the
calendar away. All she required when
making her cures was to wear some cloth
ing or piece of jewelry belonging to her
patient.
Mrs. Davids is an Egyptian, twenty-five
years old. She has been in this country
only six years, but in that time she has
learned the language and has also learned
the art OF dressing SO as to make herself
an exceedingly attractive woman With
her husband Clarence. whose reputation
Chief Murphy is looking up, Mrs. Davids
appeared in this city in January last. She
procured board with Mrs. Elizabeth Bart
lett of No. 2561l4 Second street. A few
days after being installed in the Bartlett
house, Mrs. Davids began operations and
in short order possessed a pair of dia-
mond earrings and two silk dresses be-
longing to Mrs. Bartlett. Mrs. Martha
Turner, of No. 29O Seventh street; Mrs.
Matte Hannibal, of No. 1872 Seventh
street; Mrs. Mary Thompson, of No. 43s
Monmouth street; Mrs. Margaret Will
hams, of No. 3S61a First street. and Mrs.
Louisa Kale. of No. 1876 Monmouth street,
were her next victims, and from them
Mrs. Davids procured jewelry and clothes
galore. When the operations of the
woman were reported to the police, de-
tnafityar or1 5000 -, -. - - 49, MAJ
her husband she was located in a. house
in Coles street. Before the police could
reach her, however, she had flown. She
was traced to Buffalo and arrested in
that city.
Sergeant Archibald and Defective Clark
went after the couple and returned with
them yesterday morning. They had with
them their four-year-old daughter. Two
trunks were recovered and when opened
In Chief Murphy's Office they were found
Mrs. Davds had stolen from her
patients" A greater part of the stolen
property was returned to the rightful
owners.
Mrs. Bartlett and Mrs. Turner were the
principal witnesses against the woman.
Sne refused to make a statement and
Justice Potts committed, her with her
husband to await thea action of the Grand
Jury.
mouth street, is a colortH woman. While
visiting Mrs. Thompson on one occasion,
Mrs. Davids remarked In an off-hand way
that she expected in a. few days to nave
ready for use a prepar alton which would
make black people white. Mrs. Thomp-
son longed to be white and she insisted
upon having the first package of Mrs,
Davids. preparation, no matter what 1t
cost. That particular preparation was
ready for use sooner than expected. 1t
consisted of an oil which was taken In
ternally. The second part was q white
powder. Directions:-1'ake one spoonful
of oil and rub the powder on the part
desired to be made whits."
1t was q simple remedy and it certainly
made black white. at least the powder
did.
Patients were not exptected to wash that
part of their bodies where the powder
was applied.
Mrs. Thompson boo1ned Mrs. Davids'
business in great order, and in less than
five days Mrs. Dayids had a contract on
hand for making about one-half OF the
colored population of Coles street white.
Mrs. Davids' floura3or powder gave out
and she decarhped. leaving behind a half
dozen colored women with disordered
stomachs and skins just as black as the
day she began to treat them at one dollar
g. visit. Some idea of the easy time Mrs.
Davids had eff it may be imagined when
it is known nat Mrs Bartlett thfs morn
ing recovered one entire trunkfu of
clothes which she had given Mrs. Davids.
Chief Murphy says the woman is one
of the cleverest he has seen in years.