Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1902-04-19
BIG swINDLING GAME.
A Woman's Ingenuity-Much for Little
Now in Jail.


Now in Jail.
Addie johnson (colored) and Alberta
Bailey, Bette Johnson, alias Lizzie
Smith and Rosa Robinson, who resided
at the time at 505 Gilmer street, were
before Justice John j. Crutchfield last
Saturday morning upon the charge of
swlndllng or rather obtaining money
under false pretences. 1t is estimated
that the gang cleared over $1,000 Both
white and colored seemed to have been
their victims. Among those who suf-
fered or who were sent for Were D. 7.
Farrar, A. 2. Quarles, A. d. Price. DIR.
X. &. Jones, J. Thomas Hewin, DIR.
Charles K. Wilder and others.
They were sent TO Jail for eighteen
months. The following account tells
the whole story:
The master mind of these four women
is Addie johnson. The other three are
Alberta Bailey, Bette johnson alias
Lizzie Smith, and Rosa Robinson, all of
whom have been living at No. 500 Gil
mer street. Wise Ellis appeared against
them yesterday, and during the course
of his examination the eight other VIC
TINS were called TO the front from the
rear.
The workings Of the gang have been re-
markably successful, many of the prom
inent colored men and several whites
having been caught ia the net within
the last two and half years.
MEN WITH MONEY.
Addie johnson would ALWAYS send
Rosa Robinson for these men. That
was Rosa S job. The men whom Addie
had reason to believe had money would
respond TO the call from her, knowing
her TO be sick. Then would come a
cleverly conceived tale of woe with the
statement that some twelve months ago,
while in Philadelphia Addie found a
black bag containing eight or ten 800
bills. Sometimes it was eight and
sometimes ten; and sometimes the bag
was found at Wanamaker's in Philadel-
phia and sometimes it was found at FL
ba Station.
COULDN'T KEEP 1T IN THE HOUSE.
Then Addie would explain that
owing TO the fact that she had been i'll
she did not care TO keep this money in
the house. and that owing Co the size of
the bills she was afraid if she sent one
out TO get it changed that white people
might get suspicious. Then she would
say that 10 tide her over bit she had
borrowed some $50 from Lizzie Smith,
cook employed on Park Avenue. who
had the black bag with the money in it,
keeping IL for her.
WANTED TO BORROW.
She would ask for the loan of s25 to
repay the loan from Lizzie Smith who
would not give up the bag until she re-
ceiyed this money. She would promise
at the same time TO give one of the bills
to the lender of the $50 so he could get
it changed and get his money back with
| an interest sometimes promised at $50
and sometimes at 500 for the use of the
$50.
wEHr TO THE BACK GATE.
If the victim showed the $25 it would
| be turned over TO Rosa Robinson who
would go TO see Lizzie Smith to pay the
$50 and get the black bag. Sometimes
| the lender Of the money would go with
her TO the back gate of the place where
Lizzie worked, being warned not to go
in. however, as Lizzie's employer would
| object. Then Rosa would go inside
with the $25, turn it over TO Lizzie and
return with the statement that Lizzie
was SO busy just then cooking that she
could not go to her place to get the bag,
but would get 1t immediately she finish
VICTIM AT FIRST SATISFIED.
This usually satisfied the victim, and
he would return to Adde'S place TO wait
| for the money. Then word would come
from Lizzie that she would not give up
the bag on mere re- payment of the sum
alleged to have been borrowed from her,
but that she would do it for So, SO or
| $l5, the sum being fixed according to
the softness of the victim. Then the
| victim would be confronted with this
story of producing some money to pay
Lizzie for her trouble, and being already
$50 out, would in every instance pro-
| duce more.
THE FLEECED VICTIM.
Then having feeced the victim of all
possible, the payment of the money
| would be put off from day to day. OF
course, the found money and the dia.
mond ring, which was supposed to be
in the bag never existed, although in
/ AIl,n I'll