Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-09-02
SENSATIONAL FORGERY
Marie Josephine Eastwick. oi
Philadelphia. Arrested for
Forsery in London.
Raised Canadian Pacific Railway
Stock Certificate From Fivs
to 1000 Shares.
Pretended 10 Be Woman oiwealth
and Was Having )
Gay Time.
NO 900

London, Sept. 2-Marie Josephine
Eastwick, of Philadelphia, was arr
raigned in police court today, charged
with having forged railway certificates
to the value of 100000. Sensational
evidence was presented. Z
Tie public prosecutor said the defend
ant had been residing in England Cor
eighteen months, and was believed to be
an American of wealth. She had bean
living with persons, said to be her faith
er and sister, at the Metropole, London.
had been coaching thru England an;1
living gnerally in the most expensive
manner. Later she had moved to Ham
stead for the benefit of her health. She
obtained an introduction to Mr.. Beel-
ton, member of the stock exchange, to
whom the defendent represented herself
to be the owner of securities worth
roughly e500,000. She said she wanted
to buy 1000 shares of United States Steel
Corporation, as a speculation. This op-
ration required s1,000, which, defendant
said she did not have, but as she wanted
| to invest Immediately told Beeton she
Philadelphia to break open her strong
box and forward the money by mail. She
added that the trustees had telegraphed
her, refusing to do so until they had
possession of her key. Defendant on
Aug. u Went to the Charing Cross
branch credit of the Eionais and asked
the manager to buy five shares of Cana
dian Pacific railroad. for which defend
ant duly sent her check. She wrote 10
Beeton, Aug. 15, from Stratford -on-Ay-
on, saying she expected 1000 Canadian
Pacific shares from New York and
wanted loan on them as she was desir-
Gus of buying more United States Steel.
Beeton replied he did not think there
would be any difficulty in raising a
loan on such security. She received
a certificate for five Canadian Pacific
shares August 16. The prosecutor said
by August 26 the certificate had been
i altered. The name of the original
holder had been erased and the name
Marie Josephine Eastwick had been
substituted. The word five in the
number of shares and the numerals.
all had been altered, SO it appeared
to be a certificate for thousand in.
stead of five shares. This was skill
fully done, three kinds of the type and
ink being used, showing considerable
preparation. The only mistake was
the document bore shilling revenue
stamp. instead of one for ten pounds,
which certlleate for thousand
shares would carry. Defendant sent
the altered document. with letter to
Beeton, August &c, asking him to buy
! a thousand United States shares in
the firm name. also requesting loan
of four thousand pounds. Beeton's
/ clerk, on receiving the certificate, no.
ticed the stamp irregularity and went
to the Canadian Pacific railroad office,
/ where it was pronounced to be
forgery Beeton wired the information
to defendant. asking for an explaina-
ton. She replied: Have sent no GER
tificate. Don't understand"
Mr.. Beeton notified the police of Lon
don and detectives arrested defendant
at the Palace hotel, Buxton, Saturday at
midnight. A receipt for the registered
letter in which the certificate was sent
was found among defendants effects
The testimony of Beeton and others
was heard, generally sustaining the
prosecutors statements. The detective
said the defendant told him she had
/ practically no defense.
/ The general tenor of Beeton's evil
denee, was that defendant Impressed
him as being a woman of wealth and
position. She told him that while she
was in Russia the czar placed a train
at her disposal and j. Pierpont Morgan
had written her advising her to buy
United States common in anticipation
of an immediate rise. Her counsel, who
| interviewed the Associated Press, irti-
mated the prisoner was suffering from
!! temporary insanity.