The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-07-05
SIDNEY LASCELLES. ALIAS LORD" BERESFORD.
LORD harrington considered novice and cheap skat

from the Jail at Rome. She spent her days
| through the bars.
BY selling all her personal Jewels ard fina
| costumes many of them made In Paris the
wife raised enough money TO engage some
| Of the best legal talent in the South. Then
| began a trial which is regarded as one of
| the greatest criminal causes on record in
| the South.
| Instead OF indicting Beresford for obtain
| Ing money under false pretenses misde-
meanor for which the punishment is COM
| paratively light. the prosecution found that
| under the Georgia law man commits for
| gerry If he signs other than his own name
name signed does not have to be that of an
other person.
| The defense contendei that since it was n
| custom In England for gentleman to
| use a nom de plume in business, Beresfori
could not be held for forgery.
The prosecution was intensely vigorous.
! that Beresford had stolen money from them
not so much as that he abused the hos
Vitality of their home and Inundated them.
They secured a conviction and the sentence
was fixed at six years Of hard labor
In less than two weeks after the case was
appealed. Beresford secured. by reason of
been aroused for his wife. the aid of
strangers. who signed his $4,000 bond.
BANK PRESIDENT
RACKS HIM AFTER SENTENCE
Then 1t was that he opened his brokerage
office and gave the president of national
hank a business reference. He was
hustler. and soon had some of the biggest
grain. produce and commission houses in
the country on his list He also handled hi
cycles. which were much in vogus at that
time. and made profitable line OF busi-
ness.
His office was the handsomest In the
town, being located on the street floor of
the best hotel, where he and his wife
boarded 80
Closing his ONCE early in the afternoon.
the couple. fashionably dressed. were to be
seen driving in a Victoria almost every day
They were resuist attendants at church
While they were received in only few
homes Beresford's splendid voice placed
him in demand . musicales. and every
Sp HIS he "a m hsd
an apparently sincere way Of stating his
repentance and determination to lead an
pretty wife reposed in him '' helped to in
spire degree Of public confidence in him.
Many persons expressed the hope at that
verse the opinion of the lower court and
discharge him. since he could not be tried
again on another charge Ia misdemeanor)
for the same offense.
Just at a period when most of the citizens
We're complimenting Beresford upon his
business enterprise. and some persons were
beginning to tolerate him in a social way
the bubble burst and made Rome howl.
Through third person Beresford had
submitted a HYPOTHESIS OF his OWE case 10
some of the most distinguished lawyers in
various parts of the country TO learn how
the Georgia Supreme Court would most
likely rule on the legal points involved The
experts We're almost unanimously of the
opinion that the lord would have 10 go to
the Penitentiary.
JUMPS HIS BOND:
CAUGHT THROUGH PERSONAL"
One fine morning after having received |
this information secretly. Beresford depart |
ed. and it was learned that he had disposed |
of goods belonging to others and had pock |
eted about $4,000
His wife returned to New York alone.
At that period a newspaper correspondent |
recalled the fact that Beresford once ad- |.
mitted having correspondent with Miss |
through the personal column Of /
New York paper. This medium was used !
when their notes were intercepted and he
was not allowed to call at the home. where |
she was virtually a prisoner.
The newspaper correspondent reminded |
the New York police of the circumstance. |
and the result was that they discovered adj
vertisements inserted by the couple. The
wife was prevented from receiving any
paper for a while. and the police put in
iecoy,I telling Beresford to go to Albany.
where funds would await him.
When the lord stepped off the train at
Albany. having disguised himself by cutting
lff his mustache ard wearing glasses, a de-
iective Sergeant nabbed him.