Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1904-02-19
MRS. IDA BROWN In
THE HANDS OF THE LAW
A Balfour Woman is Lodged in the Ramsey Coun-
ty Jail to swait the Action Of the Next Federal
Jury for Illegal Use Of the Mails. s

2 SD
Sine. last Friday, Sheriff Rutten is
harboring a lady prisoner in the
Ramsey county Jail, in the person Of
Mrs. Herman Prietzke, who was de-
livered up to him by Deputy United
States Marshall Stout, who arrested
her at Balfour on a charge of illegal
ly using the United States mails for
fraudulent purposes. Mrs. Prietzke,
whose given name is Ida, is u we'll
educated German lady, about twenty
eight ) ears of age and Las somewhat
cross cornered career, which she ac-
quired since coming from tie Father
land to Uncle Sans domains. The
specific charge which landed her in
the Ramsey county bastile is princi-
pally due to the following innocent
little 'want" advertisement, which
appeared in a number of city dailies
and which induced a number of suck
ers from other states to be strung. 1t
reads: 80.
Standardization as housek sep
or by young and handsome wild
ow who was left dependent.
Place with single man preferred.
Address ida Brown, Balfour, N. D.
Of the results of these few lines of
the "delendent widow the Fargo
Forum says:
The suggestive advertise ment
brought answers from all classes of
men, including doctors, LAWYERS mer-
chants, farmers and preachers through
out Minnesota and Iowa. Positions
of all kinds were offered, and quite
number of those who offered the
: widow places were willing to go
even further and give her the protec-
tion of their name IN matrimony.
81 have your kind offer,' invaria-
bly, wrote the widow, "of a position
and you don't know how grateful I
feel. When my husband died ! was
left without means and dependent up
on my own exertion for livelihood.
Young, beautiful, petted and lam-
pered, during my girihood days and
while my husband was living, sought
by men in almost every calling, to be
left penniless is a serious, trying
embarrassment, and the farther I can
get from the scenes Of my former hap
piness in North Dakota, thu better it
will suit me.
But there is one thing that l
dread to touch upon, but which is
really necessary if I accept your kind
offer. Vanity compels me to hesitate
in this matter I cannot take any
thing for which I do not give full re-
turn, and must ask you that you
advance sufficient money to settle a
few obligations here and pay my
railroad fare to your town Twenty
dollars will answer for all purposes
and 1 will start as soon as I receive
the money 49,.
And where is tue man-youth,
bachelor or widower, who could resist
this appeal from the dashing, lonely
widow, whether in need of house
keeper or not. If the number of pos
tai and express money orders received
in Balfour shortly after this adver.
tisement appeared can be employed as
criterion there wasn't a man in
Minnesota or Iowa who saw it but was
impressed Immediately with the idea
that he was badly in need of house
keeper, and when one letter was re-
ceived from Ida, he was satisfied that
she was exactly the article, and
straightway he made good her request
for an advancement of $50.
Among those who answered was the
postmaster at Ackley, Mimi, who
was very favorably impressed with
the young widows description Of her.
self. and who really did need house
keeper. She only asked for an ad-
vance of $40 in his case and he sent
her postal order Days passed ard
still the fair Ida did not show up.
Growing anxious he dropped her a
letter. No response. Anxiety turned
to suspiscion and ne addressed letter
to the postmaster at Balfour, giving
him the full details of the case and
asking him to look III the woman who
repr esented herself as Ida Brown. The
postmaster's suspicious had previously
been: aroused by the number of orders
cashed for this woman, but which, as
a usual thing, were embossed over tc
Mrs. Fl. P. Prietzke who resided with
her husband on farm near Balfour.
The case was called to the attention
of the postal insi ter and after two