The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-17
OUT OF A CONVENT TO FORGE
AND INTO JAIL TO WRITE FOR
THE MAGAZINES.
P.nalr ".Jim the Penman's' story OF Her
life and Plans--says She Was Nearly =
Nun. hut Liked Crime Better--At Ease
In a white silk Klmono and Red slip
Dcrs In Her CELIA wonder to Cops.

Nun, hut Liked tflme beNkcr-At Ease
in a white silk Klm0no and Red Slip
Dcrs In Her Celia wonder to Cops.
Mrs. James Parker, sometimes Mrs.
James b. SINCERELY and sometimes Miss
Mabel Preece, the interesting young woman
whom Inspector McCluskys men gathered
in on Saturday night. and whom they now
charge with score or more OF the cleverest
,orgerics that have been perpetrated on
the banks Of this city in good many years,
is one Of the most remarkable young women
the local police ever got their grip on.
She is scarcely ~ years old and apparently
q mere novice in crime, but she is as self
possessed as the evidence now in the hands
Of the Detective Bureau shows she is clever
at swindling.
Although the woman has persistently
refused to tell her maiden name. the police
discovered vest erday that 1t was Mabel
Pree,c and that she is the daughter Of T. j..
preece, a member Of the brokera ge firm Of
preece 4 Durham Of 0 North Third street,
Minneapolis.
According 10 her own story, which she
tells with the utmost composure, she was
in the lrsulne Convent at Bedford Park,
preparing TO become a nun, when she met
and married Parker. Parker had been a
crook in small way, picking pockets on
street cars and doing other small jobs. and
she speedily fell into his ways. Parker wac
never a forger, having neither the skill nor
the nerve for the work.
The woman WAS skilful with pen and
taw way to make her skill pay. Neither
Parker nor the young man, James Reed,
who was arrested with him, cut much
figure beside her. She not only forged
the checks and orders, but devised ways
and means by which her bad paper
might be turned into money.
Mrs. Parker was locked up on Satur-
day night in the Mercer street police sta
ton, where there is a matron to look after
woman prisoners. She is blond, tall and
Slender, with fine eyes and an attractive
figure. She dresses well and her face
wears an expression OF innocence which
bellies her
The young woman took her capture and
Imprisonment with equal GOODNESS. Early
yesterday morning she sent messenger
boy from the Mercer street station to her
late boarding house, at ITO West Thirty
eighth street, for a white silk kimono, a
pair OF high-heeled red satin slippers and
a box OF toilet articles.
When these were delivered to her she
donned the hmono, put on the slippers,
took rouge. an eyebrow pencil, a powder
puff and a manicure set from the box.
borrowed a mirror from the matron and
proceeded to make her toilet.
BY the time Detectives Peabody and
Clark arrived to take her to tho jefferson
market police court she was az fresh look
ing and clipper as when Clark was en-
Hickey. second-story man, dining with
her in Broadway hotels.
In court she was remanded back to the
Mercer street station, where she straight
way donned the kimono and red slippers
again, sent out for all the magazines and
proceeded to enjoy herself.
THE whole family appears to be involved
in trouble" she said to a Sun reporter. -It's
lucky Jim and have no children or sup
pose they'd have them under arrest, too
Well, I'm in trouble now, guess, and these
detectives are kind enough to tell me that
they have enough against me to keep me
here all my life. On the whole don't know
just where am coming out Of all this.
There's nothing in my life that l need
to conceal and III tell you all about myself
gladly. In the first place I am married;
was married to Jim Parker whom they
have down at Police Headquarters now
on June %. 1899. In the Little Church
Around the Corner" by the Rev. Dr.
Houghton. was only II years old then
and had been here but year.
Il was graduated at 10 from the Vista
lion Academy in st. Paul and came here
TO go to the Ursuline Convent to prepare
to I've nun. was there about a year and
was novice when met Jim and decided
10 marry him and not be a nun. Jim has
had little trouble now and then, but he e
fine fellow. The life he led was free
and easy one and took to it. That's all
there is to it.
As for myself, have done quite good
deal of writing. have written for all of
the magazines, usually under the name
Of Mabel Singerley, and have illustrated
my own stories, II they send me away
hat is how I'm going to pass the time.
writing stories for the magazines and
drawing pictures to go with them. can
draw pictures as easily as can sign names.
I've always been handy with a pen and
can duplicate a signature that I've only
seen once, ten days after seeing it.
Il hope they'll be lenient with jim. |
really got him into trouble, and if he can
get away all right III be glad to take all
The blame and all the punishment. Did I
tell YOU that Jim and had baby, little
girl? Well we did, but she died, poor
little thing I do hope that no one will
attach that $500 the police took from me.
because when Jim and l get clear of this
we'll need it,"
Mrs. Parker. like her husband, is adj
dcted to the use OF drugs. On Saturday
night she became 50 nervous because she
had Deen several hours without any, that
Fhe was allowed to send out for morphine.
After she took that she felt better.
Detectives Peabody and Clark searched
The womans room in the Thirty-eighth
street house yesterday morning. They got
her permission to go through her effects.
Sho sent by the detectives, TO Mrs
Creighton, who keeps the house this note:
DEAR MIS-. CREIGHTON: We'll. as perhaps
you anticipated, am arrested and every
thmg is over with me, | suppose. Please
allow these officers to 90 through my room
The detectives found q number OF inter-
Cftinp thinua In tho roon Thara wara