The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-04-29
VERY CLEVER" WOMAN
SHE ClrwirTED ZOO suuEWD AND
TRUSTING MERCHANTS.
Lived Ia a. Fashionable quarter of
Philadelphia without Cost ,o Her.
~scii-iind Many Aliases.

NEW YORK, April 9S.-Tho Philadelphia
correspondent OF the Times says "Whcn
an army OF writ servers swarmod about the
residence OF Dr, George u, Wood, ut IL,
South Eighteenth street, In that exclusive
section of Philadelphia known aa ltlttan-
house square. last Friday. the entire neigh
horhood OF millionairca was agog, No such
commotion has been known In this section
for many a day, and az pr. Wood II one OF
the wealthioHt phyaicians OF the city, In
tercat was ut a fever heat, Then II bee
came known that a clever woman had FOR
several years provided for herself aud chill
dren In a lavish manner. and that, too.
without a cent of Income from any Source,
'"fhln woman, who haa shifted from ono
fashionable section 60 another In this city
under different aliases ana has eauandered
many thousands Of dollars OF money for
the atorekeepcrA who are now cut In great
squads trying Ca set some returns for their
bills. hap outwitted them all, and has GOV.
cred her tracks 80 successfully that not u
trace OF her IL left, 1--WE hundred angry
merchants are crying for u chance Ia iden-
tify Mrs, Maccarton, a. she was last
known, and an many more smile a rickly
smile when asked about her.
'Scorca OF costly plants piled In two
rooms IN the magnificent house are the only
valuable memcntocu left IA Philadelphia Go
recall the presence OF the .iaecarton fam-
ny. whose history for the last two years IN
almost Incredible. The woman Ia OF the
type of a portly prosperous matron, the
eldest daughter Ia In appearance a model
of what a beautiful twenty-two.year.old
hoirena to millions should bc. the son a
polite boy cot eighteen. the younger girls
all pretty and proud, Now their flght To.
veala unpaid bills amounting To fully s.b.-
Oo, while, when the fun tfVth ID known.
that amount may be doubled.
For days at q time these people actually
starved, Then their wits would provide "A
banquet costing oftentimes 500. and upon
the daintiea thus secured on promises they
would feast for a week. The children al
ways had a carriage at their disposal.
Florists fell over one another IN ordor 10
keep the rooms OF the family supplied with
the choicest blossoms. Valuable paintinga
were sent from the leading art stores To
deck the walls, aud a better-dressed family
could not he found In all the city,
1T now leaks out that this peculiar fam
ily has lived IA many parts Of the city, but
there II a Ions interval IN their existence
about which nothing seems to be known,
Within the last ten days, however, their
life has been one of acute misery. They
have been watched. night and day by
lIAlNNIfNNlfl0 VI NV lNNlIltl nhIla lUO uON
has been stopped In the street and forced
To give up his overcoat, the little girls ave
sold bouquets, got on credit, but their
pride has been undiminished, and the chill
dren always told customers that they were
selling the flowers 90 help some charity.
Now all six have vanished.
~ little more than a year ago an impos-
ing mansion az 3Of North Broad street was
rented by the mother, who gave her nam,
az Mrs. j. w. Mcbride. she convinced the
agent that they had Just come from New
Orleans. and he waived the question OF pre-
payment. especially as Mrs. Mcbride
agreed TO sign a lease for two years. Within
a few days the delivery wagons or all the
big department stores began stopping In
front OF the house. At the end of n week
the residence OF the McBrides was the best
furnished In the nelghborhoOd. Among her
creditors here are Goldberg x Co., John III.
Ragatz. Woodville ~ Marke, and Craig a
Evans.
"When she was crowded too much by
these creditors she suddenly disappeared.
and next established herself In Rittenhouse
Square. directly under the tower OF Old
Trinity and across the way from the resi-
dence of n. j. CasSatt. president OF the
Pennsylvania road. Thomas Dolan, OF trac-
ton fame, and "A dozen other millionaires.
Here they were known as Mrs. Clarke and
her children, the mother stating that they
had lust returned from Paris and that their
trunks were detained at the New York Gus
tom house. Then the most fashionable
dressmakers, millinerS, art dealers, tailors.
caterers. and various others furnished cost
ly garments and furnishings.
1t Is now ascertained that their true
name is MacCarton. j. MacCarton was. IN
to the death OF the elder Clyde OF the CLYDE
steamship line. his confidential man. A
little over seven years ago he lost his posi-
ton. and now sells papers or anything to
make a little money