Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-09-03
WEALTHY AMERICAN WOMAN
Charged WITH FORGERY.
A STRANGE CASE CALLED UP FOR
TRIAL IN A LONDON COURT.
PLEA OF INSANITY ENTERED
SHE Is A PHILADEI.PHIAN, POS
SESSED OF WEALTH AND
CHARMING PERSONALITY.

september Marie jose
phine Eastwick, Of Philadelphia, was
arraigned in the Guild Hall police
court to-day. charged with having
forged a railway certificate of the value
of f100, 900. 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 de-
PENDANT had been residing in England
for IS 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 Metropoie,
London, and had been coaching
through England and living generally
In the most expensive manner. Lat
for the benefit of her health. She OBJ
tanned an introduction to Mr.. Beeton, a
member Of the stock exchange, to
whom the defendant represented her
self to be the owner of securities worth,
roughly, $500, 900.
Said She Wanted to Buy
a thousand shares of United States
Steel Corporation as a speculation.
This operation required Ell 1000, which
defendant did not have but as she
wanted to invest Immediately she tod.
Mr.. Beeton she had called to a 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
to do SO until they had possession Of
her key.
The defendant, August 18th, went to
the Charing Cross branch of the Cred
1t Lyonnaise and asked the manager
to buy two shares of Canadian Pacific
railroad. The manager took the order,
but afterward found 1t difficult to get
| SO small a number of shares and wrote
to the defendant at the Red Lion no.
tel, Henley, asking II he would be al
lowed to get five or ten shares. AS a
result, five shares were bought, August
18th, and tie defendant duly sent her
check. She wrote to Mr.. Beeton Aug
ust 18th, from Standardization, say
ing she expected a thousand Canadian
Pacific shares from New York, and
wanted a loan on them, as she was de-
sirous of
buying More u. 8. steel.
Mr.. Beeton replied that 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 prose-
cutor said that by August rs the GER
| tiicate had been altered, the nam OF
the original holder had been erased
and the name OF Marie Josephine East
! wick had been substituted. The word
"6ye" in the number of shares and the
| numerals had all been altered, so that
1t appeared to be a certificate for a
| thousand instead of for five shares.
| This was skilfully done, three kinds of
type and ink being used, showing con-
| siderable preparation. The only mis-
| take was that the document bore a
| shilling revenue stamp instead Of n
! for a1O, which a certificate for 1000
| shares would carry. The defendant
sent the altered document, with a let
ter. to Mr.. Benton. August rs, asking
| him to buy a thousand United States
/ steel shares in the firm name, also re-
questing a loan Of $4,000. adding that