The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-02-05
BEAUTY BEHIND BARS
UnfortunateS Who Loved Fin
cry to Their UndOing.
MRS VERMUELE SHRIEKS
Sweet Maggie Ross, and the
One-Armed Female Fraud.

New York, Feb. 4.-The jury which heard
the case against Mrs. Louise VeTmeule,
formerly Of Philadelphia, who was charged
With forging notes extensively on shop
keepers, came in at o'clock and an
nounced that they could not agree. They
stood g to 8 for conviction. The three
Jurors who voted for acquittal were:
Thomas Green. baker, who is % years
old, and who smiled frequently at Mrs.
Vermeule.
Alpert Abendschein, artist, % years old,
who watched Mrs. Vermeule while Judge
Mcmahon charged the jury.
Duron f. Baker, stable keeper, 40 years
old, who said after the jury had been dis
charged he would buy a big bottle for
Mrs. VermeuIe if she could beat his out
of $50
When the jury came in the clerk said:
upon a verdict"
Mrs. Vermeule arose from her chair and
Started at Foreman Walbaur.
1--WE cannot agree" said the foreman.
Then there remains nothing else for
the COURT to DO but discharge YOU" said
Judge Mcmahon.
A Shrek rang through the court room.
Mrs. VermeuIe threw up her hands and
flung herself forc5bly across the counsel
table She sobbed and cried. Her shrieks
could be heard in the street below. Colo
mel Hare caught the woman in his arms.
Assistant Dis cFict Attorney Herman
rushed TO the bar and Judge McMahon
arose from his chair.
The court officers tried to take Mrs Yer
aneule from the court room They tried
to lift her up, but she fought them off with
gil her might.
The officers finally succeeded in quieting
her.
Il thought 7 would be free tonight"
sobbed Mrs. VermeUle.
Mrs Henry p. Crosher, the wife Of the
co-defendant put her arms around Mrs.
Nermeule's neck and kissed her
'T wanted to be brave said Mrs. Yer
meule, "but ] could not help it. Il was
an awful blow to me-"
Assistant District Attorneys McClelland
and Herman announced tonight that Mrs.
vermeule would be tried again in the next
term OF the court. They said they had
st from good authority that December last
Mrs. Vermeule offered bad drafts for S, 600
70 unsuspecting shopkeepers.
The vermeule case went 10 the jury at
2:52 O'clock this afternoon. When Mrs
VermeuIe entered general sessions she was
absolutely ripping over with smiles. Oc-
casionalIy, after taking her seat, she broke
into little gusts Of merriment. She evil
IDENTIFY felt certain that a legal technicality
an error in drawing the Indictment, had
terminated her trial for forgery IN the
second degree.
Pleasantly she smiled on each juryman
IN turn. honoring two or three of them
with a saucy little nod, such as a spoilt
child would throw at an old friend.
Prettily and petulantlv she struggled to
divest herself of her trim jacket. 1t stuck
fast and with a pout she turned around to
look for help. Half a dozen manly arms
were Immediately thrust out to assist her
Then when the solemn judge walked in
she suppressed with difficulty the smiles
of expectant triumph which would bubble
10 her lips and sparkle in her eyes.
Two minutes later the little black-eyed
woman completely broke down. Judge Nc
MahOn had briefly announced that after
examinatio ne had decided TO deny the
motion of Colonel aHire to instruct the
jury that no case had been made out.
II have decided to send the case 70 the
jury" said Judge Mcmahon, and all the
hopes which had buoyed Up the woman Of
mystery seemed TO wfther. Her lips quiv-
cred, tears cOursed down her cheeks and
she buried her face in her handkerchief
That being the case said Colonel HARE.
1.-The defense rests"
This meant that no witnesses were to
be called.
LET me go 10 the stand. Oh. please do
whispered Mrs. Vermeule to the big law
yer at her side, Juggling his coat sleeve.
You viii 90 nothing of the kind" said
the colonel under mis- breath. and immedi-
ately he commenced summing up for the
defense. Throughout the speech of Mr..
HARE Mrs. Vermeule was intensely ex-
cited.
Historically she beat her hands together.
bit her lip untn It almost bied, and wins
pered repeatedly instructions and plead
ings which the counsel utterly ignored.
Assistant District Attorney NIcCIeuard,
in the course OF mis- address, became very
humorous over the effect of Mrs. Verne
ule's charms upon the susceptible credit
clerk, Mt Mears. who accepted the draft
on account Of which she Is being tried.
The prisoner grew more and more angry.
She frowned; she hit her ups: she wins
pered furiously To her counsel as the sar-
casm Of the prosecutor dashed har
Mrs vermeule tells the story of her life
very interestingly. She leaves out the part
where she ran up great bills with Phi,s-
delphla Shopkeepers. and mere, where she
wrote bad checks. She says;
81 was born in a sleepy old town near
Philadelphia on September l2. 1873. am
- years old. I was married in short
frocks nv an ambitious mother. and I
bore children before the age that most
girls know what life really means.
My mother was a very beautiful wo-
msn-hauEhty and proud of her blue
blood hut rather the type of the femme
triste.' She married al the age % IS. NY
father was stalwart young man
bright, smart and quick TO take adVan-
tage OF a business proposition. He had
come TO Philadelphia from the small
town Of -- ar the age Of Is. with a
new suit Of clothes and 500 in his pocket.
TO make his way in life His enc deter
minatiOn vas II make brains outweigh
blood. and form a brilliant marriage
Fifteen years 'ater be met. wooel and
married my mother. the most beautiful
girl in the city, belle OF th, patriarchs'
exclusive set. The marriage proved a
congenial one. The fortune my father
had acquired slowly at first. increased
with q rapidity that was like she magic
touch Of Midas