The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-09-03
But Who Seems to Have Attempted to
xyorl. Landau stock Brokers for
Large sum of Money.
HEARING IN POLICE COURT
HER NEGOTIATIONS WITH MIR. BEE
TON AND WHY SHE FAILED.
Intimation that the Forgery was
Committed While She WAS suffer
ing from Temporary Insanity.

LONDON. Sept. 2.-Mary Josephine East
wick. of Philadelphia, was arraigned in
the Guildhan Police Court to-day
charged with having forged a railroad GER
tiicate of the value of e1OO,OOO Sensational
evidence was presented, The defendant
was accommodated with a chair and sat
the whole time listlessly, in the dock.
The public prosecutor said the defendant
had been residing in England for eighteen
months and was believed to be an Arheri-
can of wealth She had been living with
persons. said to be her father and sister,
at the Metropole, London, and had been
coaching through England and living gen
orally in the most expensive manner. Lat
tarly she had removed to Hampstead for
the benefit of her health. When she re-
turned she secured an introduction to Mr..
Beeton. a member of the Stock Exchange,
to whom the defendant represented herself
tn he the owner of securities worth, rough
ly. e5OOOOO. She said she wanted to buy
thousand shares of United States Steel
Corporation as speculation. This opera
ton required 91,OO0, which, the defendant
said, she did not have, but as she wanted
to invest Immediately she told Mr.. Beeton,
she had cabled to trust company in
Philadelphia TO break open her strong box
and forward the money to her by mail.
She added that the trustees telegraphed
to her, refusing 10 do so until they had
possession of her key.
The defendant, Aug. l., went to the
Charing Cross branch of the Credit
Lyonnaise and asked the manager to buy
two shares of Canadian Pacific, Railroad.
The manager took the order, but after
ward found it difficult to get so small
number of shares and wrote to the de-
fendant at the Red Lion Hotel, Henley,
asking if he would be allowed to get five
or ten shares. AS a result five shares were
bought, Aug. 10, and the defendant duly
sent her check. She wrote to Mr.. Beeton
Aug. 10 from Stratford-on-Avon, saying
she expected a thousand Canadian Pacific
shares from New York and wanted a loan
on them as she was desirous of buying
more United States Steel Mr.. Beeton re-
piled that he did not think there would be
any difficulty in raising a loan on such Sc
curity. She received a certificate for five
Canadian Pacific shares Aug. To- The
prosecutor says that by Aug. 26 the certi-
ficate had been altered, that the name of
the original holder had been erased, but
the name of Mary Josephine Eastwick had
been substituted. The number five and
the numerals had all been altered so that
ii appeared to be a certificate for a thou
sand instead of five shares. This was skill
fully done, three kinds of type and ink be-
ing used, showing considerable prepara-
ton. The only mistake was that the docu-
ment bore a shilling revenue stamp in
stead of one for $40, which a certificate
for one thousand shares would carry. The
defendant sent the altered document with
a letter, to Mr.. Beeton, Aug. 26, asking
him to buy thousand United States Steel
shares in the firms name. also requesting
a loan of $4,000, adding that she was GO
ing in for motor cars rather heavily, and
was about to purchase, a stud farm.
The defendant wired Mr. Beeton, Aug.
inO 10 70 ha6
In the meanwhile Mr.. Beetons clerk on
receiving the certificate. noticed the stamp
cific Railroad office. where it was pro-
nounced to be forgery Mr.. Beeton wired
this information to the defendant, asking
for an explanation. She replied: Call me
on the telephone" and then wired: Have
sent no certificate Don't understand
Mr.. Beeton notified the police of London.
and a detective arrested the defendant at
the Palace Hotel. Buxton, on Saturday
after midnight. The receipt for the reg
istered letter in which the certificate was
sent was found among the defendants ef-
The testimony of Mr.. Beeton and others
was heard, generally sustaining the pros
ecutor's statement. The detective said the
defendant told him she had practically no
defense.
The magistrate asked if the person who
was said to be her father was present and a
Well-dressed, somewhat distinguished look
ing man stood up among the seats reserved
him TO be seated. In conversation with a
representative or the Associated Press the
man said he was the father of Mary East
wick, who came from Philadelphia
The general tenor of Mr.. Beeton's evil
dence was that the defendant impressed
him as being a woman OF wealth and no
sition. She told him that while she was
in Russia the Car placed "A train at her
disposal, and that ]. PierpOnt Morgan had
written her, advising her to buy United
States Steel common, in anticipation of an
immediate rise.
The defendants father was called up bv
the court and consented, with the greatest
Willingness, that his and his daughters
trunks be searched, and the prisoner.
welcome to search them all"
The defendant was remanded until Sent
g. She will be afforded special privileges
on account of the poor state of her health.
and will be examined by doctors Her
counsel, who was interviewed by a repre-
sentat tive of the Associated Press. init
mated that the prisoner was suffering from
temporary insanity. Her father said he
could not explain matters at present but
everything would come out all right