The age-herald., 1900-03-18
Southerner Tells How "Conf- dence Queen" Victimized Him,
M'GLUSkY MAKES AN ARREST
Takes Into Custody Joseph 0. Metcalf a Lawyer, Who is Accused of Being an Accomplice-
 Woman in Tombs
From the New York Herald.

A story of how Ellen Peck, otherwise known as the Queen of Confidence Wom- en" and the "Woman in Black" buncoed William B. Crinkley, of Hartman, Tenn, out of a plantation worth s2O,O00 and 5000 in cash was unfolded by Captain McClusky last night. He placed under arrest yes terday her lawyer, Johseph c. Metcaf. 5S years old, of No 3O9 Tompkins avenue, Brooklyn, as a suspicious person."
 Queen Peck Is already in the Tombs. She was arrested last week under a con viction for grand larceny. affirmed by the court of appeals. Mrs. Peck is wealthy and owns a fine residence at SparkhAl, N. Y. She has swindled many in her = time.
 Among her victims have been B. T. Rabbit. soap manufacturer, whom she swindled out of s100,OOO and Dr. Christopher Lott of Reid avenue, Brooklyn, from whom she got s2O,OO0. She was to use the money, she told him, in getting big fortune that belonged to her in Washington, D. c.
 Crinkley Calls on M'CIusky
 Captain MeClusky received visit from Crinkley yesterday afternoon. He was accompanied by Lawyer Bell of No. Il Broadway, who gave him the first inti- nation that Mrs. Peck had swindled him. The captain, after hearing his story, sent out Detective Price. He brought back Metcalf, who acted as Mrs. Peck's counsel in the negotiations of the transfer of the property.
 MetcaGf claims to be innocent of having been Mrs Pecks accomplice. 1e will have to explain, though, how he came to make a certain affidavit of the correctness Of an abstract for certain fictitious property that Mrs. Peck pretended to own in Washing ton, D. c.
 MT. Crinkley advertised that he wished to sell a plantation of sixteen hundred acres and homestead in Warren county, North Carolina, with a magnesia well on it. for $200O0 In April, 1889, he received letter from Mrs. Peck of SparkhiH, who wrote under the name of Mrs. D. B. Knight" She made him an offer by mail to exchange some Washington property for his plantation. He agreed to accept a mortgage for $2O,OOO on her holdings, and had deed drawn up for the transfer of his property.
 Two Deaths in the Family
 Just about the time that Mrs Peck was to go to Washington to conclude the deal she wrote Crinkley that her daugher had died and postponed her trip He wrote her a letter of sympathy. Subsequently he wrote her another letter. asking her to meet him in Washington on October S last She answered in a black-bordered letter, telling him her daughter-in-law had just died, and again requested postpone ment.
 MT CrinlSley had occasion to visit Canada the following December, and he wired her from Niagara Falls that ne would meet her any place she would men tion. She telegraphed that she had to go to Worcester Mass, to appear In court at a litigation over her mothers will. He went there but got no trace of her.
 Finally Mrs. Peck met him in Washing ton on December 16. They took carnage and she pointed out to him property worth at least $1, ,O00, GOO which she said she owned. They then went to a hotel He told her he would like to have a local lawyer, MT. Warner conduct the final negotiations for his plantation. She held up her hands in horror and declared that she knew Warner, and that he was not to be trusted
 Transfers His P .antation
 While they were talking in walked Met calf. Metcalf said he was familiar with the negotiations about the transfer of the properties and she produced an abstract of her Washington real estate holdings Crinkley, however, was not satisfied that they were correct, and wanted the abstract certified by the register of deeds
 Lawyer Metcalf promised to get such certifcation and meet them at the home stead on the plantation. This Crinkley agreed to, and he and Mrs. Peck went south to look over the property. Metcail failed to appear for several days.
 Mrs. Peck, after enjoying MT. Crinkleys southern hospitality for week, left for home for the holidays. He loaded her down with presents old wines that been in his cellar for years. She returned to the plantation on December S.
 On the next day Lawyer Metcalf arrived with the necessary but unattested ab- stract He said he did not have time to get it properly attested. but that he had searched he titles of her property and found them clear.
 He made affidavit to the abstract for ten city lots, four. of which were mortgaged for s2O 900. Crinlley expressed himself as satisfied with this, and gave her the deeds for his plantation, taking mortgage on her propery to secure her note for $2oooo.
 Mrs. Peck had told MT. Cr1nkley or open ing a zinc mine at Joplin, Mo- After get ling the plantation she informed him that an English syndicate had offered her Sloo'- N0 Tor the mine They also offered ner