Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-10
ALLEGED SHARP PRACTICE
Woman Accused of Conducting a swindling
Game in This City.
Secured Money in Advance on Pro-
posed PubIicatiOn-Passed Checks
Said to BE worthless.

Inc ponce are looking for woman sup
| posed to reside in New York, who is known
here as Mrs. A. A. Wallace. Mrs. Walworth
and Mrs. Mickey. A warrant for her ar
| rest on charge of false pretenses was is
| sued from the Police Court yesterday after
noon and turned over to the police. In this
writ the woman is charged with having
| passed a fraudulent check for s11.70 at the
| shoe store of Robert Cohen. Her name ap-
peared on the check as Mrs. Mickey.
Since the warrant was issued yesterday the
| police have learned much of the woman's
transactions in this city. 1t is alleged that
| she left unpaid board bills at several hotels,
passed alleged worthless checks on mer-
chants and neglected to settle with dress
maker who did a great amount of work for
her. In addition to these alleged shortcom-
ings. the woman is alleged to have collected
sums of money from a number of promi-
nent men by claiming she was going to
print a book containing pictures of their
hands Plaster casts were made of some of
the hands. and these were photographed at
the establishment of Mrs c. NJ. Bell, where
a check for $25, purporting to have been
signed by R. H: Morris, and Endorsed by
Mrs. c. NJ. Mickey, was given. She re-
ceived ST. in change at the gallery.
The proposed publication was to be en-
! titled Hands That Have Built Empires"
and, it is understood, the woman got a
large number of prominent men interested.
The result of her reading of the lines of
the hands was to accompany the pictures.
Distingufshed People Included.
President Mckinley, William Jennings
Bryan. Senator Davis of Minnesota, Speak
er Henderson and Representative Champ
Clark are among those said to have been
interviewed and solicited to take an inter-
est in the work in which Mrs. Mickey was
engaged. Miss Olga Nethersole of 'Sapho"
fame, several other actresses and others lin
other walks of life included in her
of patrons.
Representative Sulzer was also in the
list. A plaster cast was made of his hand
and the lines as read by the woman show
that his future is to be 'even better than
his past He is to become President of
the United States, according to the reading.
Whiie Mrs. Mickey has made her home at
the Hotel Gordon during most of her stay
here, she also stopped at other places.
Soon after her arrival here, some time in
January. she had cards engraved which
contained the following:
Mrs. Mickey requests the honor of cast
ing your hand in plaster to be used in an
historical manu-psychological text book en-
titled Hands That Have Built Empires
Hotel Gordon. Washington. D. c.
These cards she used when she called on
people to have them' subscribe to her In
tended publication. Incidentally. it is
stated, she made an effort to have a morn
in which she was engaged. Some of those
who subscribed, it is stated, paid SO in ad-
vance fOr the publication.
Mrs. Mickey is represented to be about
forty-five years old and her hair is almost
white. She dressed elegantly while in this
city and her general appearance was calcu-
lated to inspire respect on the part of those
with whom she came in contact. At one
hotel her conduct seemed somewhat suspi-
cious to clerk but because of her appear
ance and manner he concluded he was mis-
taken.
Mingled in Society.
While at the Hotel Gordon tbe. uorno, 10
said to have lived in fine style. She met
many society people and called on some of
| them Invitations to dinners and social
gatherings were accepted by her and she
seemed to be a general favorite at such
gatherings. About two weeks ago she left
the Gordon, but was expected to return
| there. The fact that she was so far behind
| in her board bill did not arouse any sus-
picion on the part OF the hotel people, and
1t was not until yesterday afternoon that
her room was opened and examined. In
the room the clerk found several plaster
casts of hands and few articles of wear
ing apparel that would not bring money
enough. he said, to pay for the cleaning OF
the room. The hotel proprietor has not de-
cided what he will do with the plaster casts,
but they are regarded now as souvenirs
About year ago the woman was in this
city and registered at the Oxford as Mrs.
A. A. Wallace, N. " She remained a few
days, and when her bill was presented she
rendered check for $31.
Inc check was accepted, and the fair
guest was given the difference between the
amount of the bill and the amount named
in the check. Two days elapsed thereafter
before 1t was known that she had left the
hotel permanently. The check which had
been given was on a New York bank, and
was returned, 1t is said, but the woman
could not be found.
Registered Us Mrs. WaIworth.
About the time she left the Hotel Cor
don. a little more than two weeks ago. she
is said to have called at the Colonial Hotel
about II o'clock at night and registered as
Mrs. Walworth, New York CITY," The
night was a stormy one, and she said she
preferred to remain at the hotel rather
than pay cabman dollar to drive her
to her home. She wore no wraps, and
gave the clerk the impression that she had
been to the theater or reception and did
not care to go home. Before registering
| she inquired about the terms of the hotel
| and stated that she merely wanted lodging
| for the night. Her bill was paid and she
was assigned to a room. Three days later
| the clerk was surprised to find that Mrs
, Walworth'' was still in the hotel, and he
sent her a bill. A check for $31 was ten
dered in payment. but the clerk, having
| become suspicious refused to accept it.
The bill included several meals and Mrs
| Walworth" protested that she had not
| been in the dining room. That was true, it
| Is admitted, but she had had meals sent to
| her room.
|
| some friends at the Wellington" the wo-
| man told the clerk, land I'll have one of
them cash the check for me. I'll settle the
| bill in the morning"
Clerk Recognized Her.
About this time one Of the clerks, who
| was employed at the Oxford about a year
previously. recognized the guest as the wo-
man who had registered at the latter hotel
| as Mrs. Wallace" and he announced that
| she had passed a worthless check there for
| S37.
Since leaving the Colonial nothing has
been heard from the woman. When the
warrant was received at police headuuar-
| tiers yesterday afternoon Inspector Board
man gave the detectives description OF
the woman and instructed them to look ont
| New York.
| Two Kinds.
From the Indianapolis Journal.
what Is a bookworm. Uncle Jackr'
Il Il,