The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-09-03
WEALTHY WOMAN FORGER.
Philadelphia of Standing Shocks
the Staid Britons.

London, Sept. 2.-Marie Josephine
Eastwick of Philadelphia, was arraign-
ed in the Guild Hall Police Court to-
day charged with having altered a
railway certificate, with value of f10O
so as to make the certificate show a
face value of 100000. Sensational evi-
dence was presented. M
The public prosecutor said the de-
fendant had been residing in England
for eighteen months, and was believed
to be an American 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
generally in the most expensive man
ner. Latterly she had removed TO
Hampstead for the benefit of her health.
She obtained an introduction to Mr..
Beeton, a member of the Stock Ex-
change, to whom the defendant rep
resented herself to be the owner of
securities worth. roughly, 100000. She
said she wanted to buy a thousand
shares of United States Steel Corpora
tion as a speculation. This operation
required f1.0O0. which the defendant
said she did not have.
The defendant then bought five
shares of Canadian Pacific and sent her
check therefor. She wrote to Mr.. Bee
ton Aug. 10 from Stratford-on- Avon,
saying she expected a thousand Ca
madam Pacific shares from New York,
and wanted loan on them, as she was
desirous of buying more United States
Steel. Mr.. Beeton replied that he did
not think there would be any difficulty
in raising loan ION such security. she
received certificate for five Canadian
Pacific shares Aug. 16.
The prosecutor said that by Aug. 26
the certificate had been altered, the
name of the original holder had been
erased and the name of Marie jose
phine Eastwick had been substituted.
The word ave" in the number of
shares and the numerals had all been
altered, so that it appeared to be a
certificate. for q thousand instead OF
five shares. This was skilfully done,
three kinds of type and ink being used,
showing considerable preparation. The
only mistake was that the document
bore a shilling revenue stamp instead
of one for e10 which a certificate for
1000 shares would carry. The defend
ant sent the altered document, with a
letter, to Mr.. Beeton, asking him to
buy a thousand United States Steel
shares in the firm name. also request
ing a loan of $4,000, adding that she
was going in for motor cars rather
heavily, and was about to purchase a
stud farm.
Mr.. Beeton's clerk on receiving the
certificate, noticed the stamp Irregular
ity and went to the Canadian Pacific
Railroad Office, where it was pronounce
ed forgery. Mr.. Beeton wired this in
formation to the defendant, asking for
an explanation.
She replied: Call me on the tele-
phone" 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,
Saturday.
The defendant was remanded until
Sept 3. She will be afforded special
privileges on account of the poor state
of her health. Her counsel intimated
that the prisoner was suffering from
temporary insanity. Her father, who
was present; said he could not explain
matters at present, but everything
would come out all right.