Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-03-05
QUEEN OF SWINDLERS.
A Woman's Amazing Confess
sion of Criminal Life.
FRAUDS AMOUNTING TO $500, 900.
Marriage and Maternal Affection Min.
eled With tho Irresistible instincts Of
an Outlew--vengeance of . Woman
WronSed and Scorned.

an acknowledgements OF y woman
WronGcd and Scorned.
Scorned in poverty and hclplessness and
anxious for revenge, Mrs. Edna Gordon of
New York tells an amusing story of fraud
extending over period of Is years and
amounting to $500, 200. She was born in
California about 40 years ago and has been
married twice. BY her first husband, who
soon died, she had daughter, now with
| her.
I'm 1884," says Mrs. Gordon, "yielding
| tn the wish for adventure which had long
moved me, ran away from home and
went to Kansas City. My fate was soon
decided. was stopping at the same h0tel
with two confidence men. My curiosity
was aroused by their conversation with
the landlord. One day followed them.
saw them con man for $780, l was
fascinated by the ease with which they
made their money and by the fun of the
thing became acquainted with them
The result was that it was only week be-
foro l was working at the game myself.
"It may seem incredible that SO much
money can be made by crooks, but it is
tho truth when say THAT in the year 1889
l made 100000. Twas known among the
crooks in those days as the confidence
Queen" IpaiG off the mortgages on my
fathers property. He never believed me
capable OF wrong. told him that had
come into the money by marriage My in
| PRODUCTION to Charles Gordon came about
in an amusing way. He had been long in
tho CON business, but we had crossed
each others paths. He had frequently
told his fellow crooks that he hoped some
| day to meet the woman who always seemed
just ahead of him. was introduced to
him on tho train between st. Louis and
Chicago en- tho way to tho latter city.
While was in Chicago sprained my foot
and was sent to q hospital. Charlie heard
l was there, and after one or two calls told
| mo he would marry me. He seemed to
| take it as matter of course; never asked
| my permission, and l did not see him
again until Invent to Kansas City. While
l was there met him again, and he re-
minded me CT what he had said in Chicago.
We were married in Wyandotte.
"And now" continued Mrs. Gordon,
II come to that Part of my statement in
which am vitality Interested. Tho men
who shall be named are those who have
thrown me out of my life. They have de-
serted ne and my husband. They have let
my husband suffer for u trick for which
they Know they were accountable. They
had the power to FREQ him and would not
do SO. They are each and every one of
| them members of the most skillful, best
organized and most successful gold brick.
| sand game and green goods swindlers that
ever worked in the United States. have
| worked with them for over ten years.
Their names and addresses are: Frank
Aldridee, 225 West Ono Hundred and
Forty-cighth street; William Raymond,
100 West One Hundred and Thirtieth
| street: James Leak, who lives in East
Eightieth street.
"In 1891 Raymond, Aldridgo and Cor
don did the following work in the gold
brick and sand game tricks: Ono trick,
Portland, Or, S5,00 one trick, Vnncou-
yer, WASH, So, 900; one trick, Sacramento.
CAL, $1,000 ono trick, Spokane Falls,
WASH, $1,000. The following year nv
husband, Raymond and Aldridge went to
| california, leaving us women in New
York. In 1895 AlGridgc, Raymond and
Leak played trick on Banker Little OF
Sacramento. My husband, Charles Cor
don, was not mixed with this work. MY
husband was in New York at the time.
Gordon, Raymond and Leak went back to
California In 1896 and caught a Man
named Hostetter for $40, Geo. While trying
to work another trick Gordon, Raymond
and Leak were caught. Banker Little
learned of their capture and was present
at the trial. As it happens my husband
and Aidridge are as like as twins, except
that Charities eyes are gray and Frank
Aldridge's are brown. Raymond and Leak
were not identified, but Banker Little
sworo that my husband was the same psr
son who had swindled him. He identified
Charlie positively. My husband ut the
time OF the Little trick was with me at
Ninetieth street and Amsterdam avenue.
He got ten years.
| Now, Frank Aldridgc promised Inc
that he would furnish the means of letting