The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-05-22
WOMEN PLAY
CHARITY GAME
interested Christian Church
in Their Work
TOLD CONFLICTING STORIES
And Made Sudden Disappear
ance Yesterday

Wichita police are on the lookout for
! two young women who made their ap-
pearance in the city about two weeks
ago and who. it is alleged. proceeded TO
deliberately swindle the merchants Of the
city out Of their good American money.
Net satisfied with this alone. il is said
! these smooth young ladies with we'll
told story enlisted in their cause the
South Lawrence Avenue Christian church.
The story OF their dealings leaked out
yesterday, and now they have myster;-
ously disappeared, with the police on their
trail.
Upon arriving in the city two weeks ago.
the two women engaged rooms at 81
south Market, and represented to the
Landiady that they wrote policies for the
hartford insurance company, and gave
their names as Miss Mott and Miss Bris-
settle. of Topeka They told a straight
story, which was believed by the landlady,
but 1t has developed since that they told
another story to other persons which
diners greatly TO the one told the land
lady 1t is alleged that they went To the
board OF trustees Of the Christian church
and stated that they were interested in
benevolent work and would ike 10 use
:
their work among the business men of
the city Also that they gave the board to
understand that part of the money col
lected would be turned over to the
church, and the balance, after deductlng
enough TO pay their expenses while here,
would be given to an aged cripple woman
who was here sometime before their ar
rival. Their plan was to secure small
advertisements from all the merchants
and print a directory containing these ad-
vertlsements. Each merchant was 10
receive a directory. The church was
taken with the idea of doing 4 charitable
work and the women were allowed 10 use
the name Of the church in soliciting the
advertisements. They visited many of
the merchants and secured large num-
Der of ads, always collecting the money
in advance.
Yesterday they were apprised OF the
fact that their two stories did not hang
together and in less than an hour both
had disappeared. 4 number of persons
who were financially interested on their
sudden departure began a search and
the woman giving her name as Miss
Brissette was located at the Santa Fe
depot. One of the merchants who had
been fieeced was in the crowd, and de-
manded the money he had paid for the
advertisement. She was very much
excited. but did not hesitate to return the
money. She gave no explanation for her
conduct. and took the first train out Of the
city. Her partner has not been located.
but it is supposed that she also found
Wichita too warm for her and left some
time yesterday. 1t is not known just
what amount the women collected from
different merchants over the city. but
judging from the number who have al
ready complained. the amount is supposed
TO be large enough to make worth their
while The crippled lady, Mrs. Ring, for
whom they pretended to be soliciting aid.
is not in the city, and her whereabouts is
not known. and the church is still await
ing for its share of the benevolent fund.