The times., 1897-10-27
DEFAULTER FOSTERS LIFE.
How and Why He Robbed Those
who Trusted Him,

who Trusted Him.
New York, Oct. 26-This is romance
of real life. and it is stranger one than
has often been printed on the pages Of
fiction. 1t is the story of William r Eos
ter, who sacrificed honor, self-respcet and
lis good name and robbed widows ard
orphans for the woman he loved.
she, Luola BelIotte. not TO be outdcne,
sacrificed her existence for him. She has
shared tae devious life oil a pursued thief
with him, reveling In his good fortune, and
cheering him ana working for him when
tickle Dame Fortune failed 10 smile.
Wren he stole s S3, 600 1f the sratuit s
fund of the New York Produce Exchange
for her sake. She was nineteen years old
pretty, vivacious and clever. He was con
sidered a hard-headed, successful law yer OF
forty-six. Now they are each nine years
older, but they seem to love each other
with the same wild abandon as Of old.
William r. Foster, !r., was "A weli-kno~n
lawyer and clubman. over six feet tall,
of magnificent physique and with a quick,
decided manner his ultra fashiouable dress
made him a conspicuous figure in business
circles.
He was counsel for the New York Produce
Exchange ant received u salary of $4,000
a year. His outside practice netted him
even more.
As far as was known ne did not gamble
| and lived regular, staid existence at his
| beautiful home at Bayport, L. L Hisfather
was wealthy and his family we'll known
and respected
= = - Ia.
6elIotte. She was the daughter OF Nine.
c. BclJtie who kept a boarding house at
Asbury ark.
Luula was beautiful and had been highly
educated She had aspirations 10 SEE the
world II. its naddest whirl, and she had
dreams OF an ideal man who was to show
it TO her. In Foster SHE met her idedi, ami
| she fascinated him.
After a time Foster induced her 20 leave
! her mother auG ostensibly enter his home
| as eovcrness. In reality she was queen
there Thel. Foster, TO avoid scandal, gave
it out that she was his niece.
low they managed To spend money is
not known. He gave her magnificent
| presents, Including the Bayport residence
| and she gave with an equally lavish hand
They denied themselves nothing aud ali
the time his practice was dwindling-
Then came u period of unrest He
needed money. A mortgage clerk or a
| big law firm had just deCampc1I with a
| large sum or money he had obtained by
| making bogus mortga ges and pDcketius
| the cash. Il was an easy way for man
| in whom absolute trust was reposeds and
| Foster tried 1t. II WAS so easy that he
| -ried IL again. LuOla aust not want Tor
| anything.
| TWO OF the trustees were talking 70
| Foster one day OF the law clerks ~. bezzle-
| Toent. Unt!iDkingly he sighed aud said
| ''lts easy u get rid Of bot Of money.
| A $500 hill does not 20 far with a woman. 90
| That set them thinking. they decided
| to examine his accounts, and September
| 26 was the deg set.
When 1t came Foster and LUOla were
| missing and 50 was 1913. 900 OF the trust
| funds TIE pair went TO Europe where
| they lived under the name OF Ward.
The American Ward soon became
| known in London as d bold stock operator
| gambler aud follower OF the race track,
and pretty Mrs. Ward was the belle OF
moro than one cotene.
They Hved in NorthamptonshiTe, where
she a. a popular patroness or fox hunt
ing and they were welcome guests in the
| homes OF many of the best known country
families.
| Then came period OF disaster. An his
| plans went tl smash and they were pra,-
| ticaIy pennilcss. LuOls went on the stage
| and sang in the music halls OF London and
| Paris u support the man she loved. He
| struggled through. however, and last yeaI
| he was on his financial feet agg,iu. In tie
| meantime. the s. goo reward offered for
his arrest had excited the cupidity OF al
| Scotland Ward. Search had been made
| for Foster all over Europe, and 600
| pictures of him We're in the hands OF the
! police. Twice hc narrowly escape. arrest
bit the imposing bluff lie made and
| the apparent absence OF all desire 20 hide
threw the detectives Completely Off tht
| scent.
| There wa another man who not only
knew Foster, but lad admired Lucia as
| well. He was Duncan c. Norvell, Clerl; Of
the gratuity fund. Last summer he was on
vacation in Europe. In Zurich he met he
pair. They Were the guest OF the United
| States consul there. Foster coIld have
blufred the matter through, but Norvel
| Could not be mistaken in Lucia. He report
| ed che matter 10 the officials OF he Pro
duce Exchange on his return and was at
| once sent back tp capture Foster. The long
/ chase until the couple were captured living
the old idyllic life at NeUiIIy. near Paris.
| followed.
While the pair have been fugitives. Eos
| ter's father paid the fund $4,000. and
dying left his son $500 900 more. The
! house at Rapport was seized and sold for
| $4,000. 7 his and the $50 900 reduces his
| Indebtedness to the fund to SlIT,OOO. This
| sum; it it believed, he can pay.
In the meantime Lucia had not deserted
| him. She has engaged the best OF counsel,
| and declares that she viii invoke the
| powers of earth and heaven to prevent his
| eNtraditi0n and imprisonment. She visits
him in prison and sees that he wants for
nothing. and her final word is
Where you so l viii go, and your lot
| shall be nay lot"