Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1903-12-08
WtMAN'S SKILL IN TRADE.
The INGENUITY OF FEMALE
SN'!NPLERS is NOTORIOUS.
They Are More Quick-witted, More
lntuitive Than Men and are Able to
Lie, to Scheme and TO Cheat More
Successfully.


came before the public general and
great surprise has been expressed on
all hands that any one could for so
long a time impose on people of the
highest intelligence with such amaz-
ing assurance and success. Criminol-
ogists, however, have long recognized
and studied the ingenuity of women in
carrying out gigantie frauds.
A French expert in criminology re
Gently said that if in criminal
scheme the most minute points had
been taken into consideration and new
tain that the conception and perpetrS-
ton of the crime were mainly, if not
entirely, the work of a woman-an op-
inion which he supported by showing
how a woman carries out fraud and
giving q number of illustrative cases.
Schopenhauer long ago declared this
TO be fact. and few of his opinions
were regarded in his life time as so
thoroughly pessimistic as the follow
ing: The art of deception is congen-
ial in women, who make use of it as
animals make use Of their claws"
What is the reason that women ex-
eel men in this respect? 1t is prob
ably to be found in the fact that in
all ages and all civilizations women
have always been in an inferior posi-
ton to men, and consequently have
had to exercise, in their own defense,
aF heo ;crIk
into human nature as much as possible.
Hence they are more quick-witted,
more intuitive than men, and are able
to lie, to scheme, and to cheat more
successfully.
The Humbert case has added little
or nothing to the knowledge of the
criminal psychology of women, for
there is practically nothing in the
case which does not find its parallel
in some previous case on record
Take for instance, the case of
Fraulein Adele Spitzeder, who, under
the name of the "Dachauer Bank" as
far back as 1871, opened big banking
establishment in Munich. By means
of great professions of religious fer
vor, extravagant generosity, a plaus-
ible tongue and a magnetic personal
ity, she so impressed all classes of the
community that everybody was eager
20 trust her with his or her cash, on
which she offered interest of a consid-
cradle amount.
People withdrew their money from
banks and savings banks, mortgaged
their property and indeed raised as
much cash as they could and paid it
into her bank. In short time she had
with her nearly 100000 pounds.
The result was that government
and banking securities were affected,
and the luxurious manner in which
Fri Spitzeder. former actress of no
particular ability, lived and the money
she squandered arousing suspicion, in
quiries were instituted, and the Frau
lein's bank" was found to be fraud,
and its guiding spirit was sent to pris-
on for three years.
An even more remarkable case of
female skill in fraud, and one which
criminologists give as a good instance
of a woman's methods, is that of Miss
Eugene Saeh, young lady of about
Is years of age, who imposed upon the
head of the government of Croatia,
the Banus.
She begun by calling upon the Ban
us and representing herself to be the
daughter of a Croatian official who had
died shortly before. She asked for pc
cuniary assistance, which was refused.
A little while afterward she appeared
again, this time with a visiting card
of the Emperor of Brazil and preci-
Gus stone which she said the emperor
had sent to Count Kuhen Hedervary,
the Banus, as a present.
On the following day she received
back the card and the stone, the Ba-
nus secretary writing to say that the
count feared she had been the victim
of some fraudulent action. Neverthe-
less, she did not desist from her pur-
pose
Shortly before Christmas she sent
the count a beautiful handmade lamp
mat, together with a letter containing
seasons good wishes expressed in full
some and sentimental terms. This also
she received back, but the Banus. in
returning it. wrote on the back of his
visiting card a few words, to the eff
feet that in returning her present he
had no desire to hurt her feelings
The Banus' handwriting was just
what she had been trying TO obtain
from the first, and she at once set
about learning to initiate ii, with so
much success that before long it was
impossible to diffeEc2tiate between the
genuine and the forged.
Then she went privately to the cash
Ter of one of the largest banking estab-
lshments at Buccari with 6 forged
check for a sum amounting to 500
pounds and letter which had appar-
emily been written by the Banus. The
inference to be drawn from the con-
tents of the letter was that some init
macy existed between the Banus and
the young lady. and the cashier sus-
pecting nothing. very obligingly gave
the young lady the amount required.
Encouraged by the first success, the
young lady became holder. and had nc
difficulty in cashing at the same bank
forged checks for 1900 pounds and
5000 pounds respectively. the cashier.
a sharp business man of long expert
ence. Being easily gulled.
But this was not all She went to
other banks at BucCari. where her
fraud was quite successful, and in
the course of two or three years not
only got possession of a very large
sum of money. but was clever enough
not 70 arouse the least suspicion, in
credible as this may seem.
Having become rich in this way, she
turned her thoughts 70 marriage. and
fell In love with a young professor Of
languages who was the son OF di-