The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-12-08
wOMAN'S VICIOUS LETTERs.
Mysterious Writer Wrecks Chicago
Homes With Them.

/ ened by a crafty and venomouS writer
I of anonymous letters in which vilifica-
/ ton is used in an effort to besmirch the
characters Of the recipients in the eyes
of those dearest to them.
The writer of the letters evidently
keeps close watch of the society coll
umns in the city papers. Announce
ments OF the enga cement or prospective
marriage of prominent young persons
has been followed closely by letters adj
dressed to the bride-tO-be or to some
relative of the families involved, and
containing the most revolving charges
of immortality against the prospective
bridegroom.
Wives husbands, sweethearts, broth
ers and sisters has been shocked by the
accusations made. Engagements have
been broken weddings deferred friend
ships destroyed and homes made unhap
+, Ply because the recipients OF the letters
/ allowed themselves to be influenced by
them. After months of silence and sur
fering it became generally known that
the charges were baSeless
The mysterious letter writer has also
I tried to blacken the regulations of per-
sons whose public lives are above re-
proach. Husbands have been told fam
tastic stories of their wives infidelity.
Wives have been Mortified at the tales
used in connection with the names of
those held most dear.
Mayor Harrison was one of the VIC
TINS BY means of one of the NsssiveS
he was forced to suspect one of his life
long friends. Among those VINO have
received letters from the writer or
whose families have been attacked are
former Mayor Hampstead Washburn,
/ Graeme Stewart, Graham Duffield, A.
M. Pence, Mrs. Ho-a-.o n. May Mrs.
Fannie Mcintyre, Dudley Rutter, Vim
cent Walsh, Kinney Smith and DR..
| Groesbeck Walsh.
For a long time after the letters be-
gan to be sent out those who received
them closed their lips, not even wishing
their nearest friends to know about
J Of Soff of
the unknown enemy compared notes,
and it developed gradually that hun
dreds of reputa BILE families had been at
tackled.
DR.. Fernand Henrotin. who received
one of the letters over two years ago.
made complaint at the time to the DOS
tai authorities and asked Inspector Jas.
E. Stuart to investigate and ferret out
| the identify of the writer. Private de-
tectives were employed also. and the
police were invoked in an effort to cap
ture the guilty party.
Evidence accumulated tended to show
that the letters were written by Wom-
an within a limited territory on the
north side The postmarks gave this
clew. Mail boxes were watched, houses
of suspected ones We're scrutinzed4 night
and day and their inmates Swallowed
closely but with all their vigilance the
officers, especially of the postal depart
ment, said they could not secure evi-
dence strong enough to warrant the ar
rest of anybody.
A recent revival of the letter writing
has caused renewed vigilance, with the
most vigorous complaints to the post
office department Inspector Stuart
says he is using every lawful means to
find the guilty person and he has the
aid of the city police force.
Mania the part of a person men
tally sound on all other questions and
/ friendship of such long standing that it
prevents one in authority from expos
ing the author constitutes the latest
and it is believed. the correct solution
fofs the mystery of the letter writer
FFsaeh rev link in the evidence tends 70
| fasten the responsibility upon woman
of standing who is the victim of NOR
bid mental malady.
/ The investigator have made out the
subject of their suspicious to be fem
mime Dr. Jekyll and Mr.. Hyde-one
| who destroys without motive the hap
piness of friends and acquaintance or
/ strangers, selected at random, and is
power less to ward off the horrible spell
that transforms her from a useful MEM
Der Of society into fiend.
One whose family has been the vic
tim of the letter writer. but who de-
clines to allow the use of his name, said
today:
whose mental peculiarities have never
occasioned more than the passing re-
mark that she was queer, has been all
but proved guilty of this charge. The
proof could have been secured were We,
postal authorities in prosecuting our
investigat ton, but this has been lacking
We have found a striking similarity in
writing that has led experts, detectives
and novices alike to point to the SAINT
| source as responsible for the authorship
Of the Objectionable nissives.
I'VE have been able to show that these
| letters were mailed from the same boxes
and at the same time the suspected woman
was seen to mail letters. Our detectives
Swallowed her to the post boxes. but there
1T
| ther
A local paper prints interview with
DR.. Fernand Henrotin. without the lat
ter's authority, in which the physician
gives in detail circumstances which conf
WINGED him of the identity of the woman
who wrote the letters that attacked his
family He says the accused woman
came to his office several times and dis
cussed the letter writing episode so dra-
maticaly and excitedly as to prove be-
vond doubt that she was not only guilty
but mentally affected.
DR.. Henrotin is quoted as saying he
sought members of her family to urge
upon them the necessity of placing her
under treatment. His advice was received
with scorn. He says he attended con-
ference of attorneys and others interest
ed at the home of Mrs. Horatio n. May.
He was not convinced, he says, of his
error.
Mrs. May was asked about the confer
ence, but declined to enter into detailed
discussion or It, further tnan TO relterate
that DIR. Henrotin was mistaken in his
presumption. Mrs. May is not suspected
of having anything to do with the writing
of the letters. but she is interested in the
defense of the woman charged. She
and her sister. Mrs. Fannie Mcintyre.
live in the fashionable Aston place. near
the Lake Shore drive. and she is among
those who received the anonymous let
te~S
Inspecto~ Stewart says he has not Sc
e'ired evidence that warrants him in pre-
ferrnE charges or having the accused
put under arrest.