The Washington times., 1903-03-10
Accomplished Woman Faces
Long Term in Prison.
FIGURED IN STRANGE SUITS
Rich Relatives of Kate Hickie offered
to Immune Her in Convent.
Sensational Cases Recalled.

NEW YORK. March 10.-Kate Thed-
ford Hickie. who has figured as princi-
pal in many sensational lawsuits in the
past, notably those against the Domini-
can Fathers, was convicted on a charge
of perjury yesterday before Recorder
Con, in the court OF general sessions. She
was remanded for sentence until Friday.
The maximum penalty for the offense is
five years In state prison
Miss Hickie, who has been in the
Tombs in default OF bail for upward OF
four months, and is said 10 be IN poor
health. was unnervCd when she heard the
verdict. She fell back in a faint in the
arms of her counsel. Colonel Hare. and IT.
took some time before she recovered suf-
ncienty to be removed from the court
room. She has relatives of wealth and
standing in this city, but there was not
a single one Of these in the courtroom.
An Accomplished Woman
The convicted woman is an accom-
plished musician and linguist. and is
somewhat OF an artist as we'll. Her
father at one time was the secretary
and closest friend Of Daniel O'Connel.
the Irish patriot. she received her edu-
cation in a convent in ireland. but came
TO this country in her early youth. Here
she has earned livelihood by giving in
struction in foreign languages and mu-
sic.
The woman has brought law suits Of
remarkable character against persons
with whom she has come in contact. She
has even brought suit against her own
sister. the wife OF a Mr.. Johnson. who
conducts a novelty store in the Fifth
Avenue Hotel, and who has been her
best friend and on several occasions
given her financial aid when she found
herself in Strengthened circumstances.
In many of these suits priests and dig
nitaries OF the Roman Catholic Church
have figured as defendants.
Her present troubles grew out Of
suit for $500. which she brought in the
eighth municipal district court last
August against Mrs. Jennie a. Kutten-
gen, who conducts boarding house at
40 West Twonty-frst Street From
1893 until 1901 she boarded with Mrs.
Kuttengen. and during all that time she
never paid for more than three weeks
board. In the spring Of 1901 she was
given letter containing $40 10 mail TO
a sister OF Mrs. Kuttengen. who lives
in the South The letter reached it's
destination, but there was no money in
it. Miss Hickie was then told to leave
the house. and Mrs Kuttengen failed TO
recognize her when she met her in the
street.
Agreement Declared Forgery.
Miss Hickie then brought the civil
suit She produced contract purport-
ing to have been signed by the owner
of the boarding house containing an
agreement to pay her the amount OF
$500 for services as private secretary.
The document did not contain the sig
nature OF any witnesses. The suit was
decided against her and the document
is declared 10 be forgery. Miss
Hickie having taken oath that Il was
genuine, the criminal proceedings fol-
lowed
On the trial. which lasted three DAYS.
It was brought out that prior TO bring
ing suit Miss Hickie had visited the
Offices OF several lawyers I'm this city.
among others that OF Frank Moss where
she produced a letter purporting 10 have
been written by Mrs Kutteugen. and
asked Mr.. Moss TO begin suit on her
behalf FOR libelous Islander. Mr. Moss
sent for Mrs Kuttengen, and after an
interview with her declined to have
anything further 10 do with the matter.
II was under similar circumstances
Miss Hickie brought a suit for IibeIous
Islander against the Rev Father Bernard
O. Logan Of the Passionist order. This
suit is still on the calendar Of the SUI
preIne court. bur the lawyer who brought
# has abandoned the case As basis
for these proceedings Miss Hickie pro-
duced a letter written on the letter
heads Of the Convent Of ST. Vincent
Ferrer, 500 Lexington Avenue to which
Father Logan IS attached.
EXcommunicated priests have figured
in a more or less direct manner in much
OF this litigation. The Father Logan
letter was alleged TO have been written
20 a Madame Beaumont. in Paris. who
is said 10 be the wife OF an ex-priest.
j was introduced in evidence by As
sistant District Attorney Gsrvan.
Figured in Sensational Cases.
Francis Dent. who was mentioned In
the letter. is an communicated monk
who was expelled from the Society Of
Friars OF Maria. order OF ST Frances. in
September. 1856. He brought suit in the
Brooklyn courts for reinstatement. at
which many eminent church dignitaries
appeared as witnesses. Suddenly the
proceedings were brought TO a standstiI
by the introduction by Dent. who con
Quoted his own case. OF a ''papal receipt"
ordering the reinstatement OF Dent This
was later declared 10 be a forgery. Dent
was indicted for perjury I'm 1893. Years
after the indictment was dismissed and
the proceedings we're dropped
In his summing up for the prosecu-
tion Assistant District Attorney Garyan
referred 10 similar suits which had been
brought by the Hickie woman against
the Rev. Father Inns and Hartigan.
Father Logsn's predecessors az the con
vent. About the time these suits we're
brought mysterious letters written on 1
the letterheads OF the convent were |
picked up in street cars and on side /
walks. BY some coincidence these let /