The sun., 1904-12-09
MRS. CHADWICK'S HISTORY.
woman. Who Says She Is Her Sister. De-
cIares slrs. Chadwick Was Nine. Deyere.

woman. Who Says She Is Her Sister. DE.
cIares Sirs. Chadwick Was Nine. Deyere.
SAN Francisco, Dec. s.-Mrs. Alice n.
York. who lives at 1880 Geary street, says she
is sister Of Mrs. Chadwick. She declares
tha. Mrs. Chadwick is the Mime. Devere'
who served term in the Ohio penitentiary
for forgery She adds that Mrs. Chad
wick in former years was known under
many aliases and at one time. while unmar-
ried. was tired on a charge of forgery and
acquitted.
Mrs York is a widow with two daughters
and has been living in this city for eighteen
months. She came here from Cleveland.
She frankly admits her relationship to Mrs.
Chadwick She. however. denies that Mrs.
Chadwick is possessed OF any hypnotic
powers but AYERS that at times she seemed
TO be in a trance and at such times was
deaf TO every one,
DIR. Chadwick is rich, very rich, said
Mrs. York, -and think my sister will he
able to get out of this trouble She is a smart
woman and must have known what she was
doing
Mira. York said that during the time that
Mrs. Cha adwick, then known as Mime.
Devere. was serving her term in the peniten-
tiary, she had charge of her only child,
and that after her sisters release she gave
the 10y back to her.
There were eight children in our family
Mrs York said. and our early home was
near London, Canada. My maiden name
was Alice NJ. Bigley ana my father was
Daniel Bigley, my mothers name being
Mary. Mrs. Chadwick's maiden name was
Eliza beth, and she was born in London.
Canada She is now about ic years old.
There were six girls and two boys in our
family. and all are living.
1t Is true tnat my sister Elizabeth.
while still unmarried. was arrested aud
tried in Woodstock on charge of forgery.
She was acquitted on the ground that she
was insane.
About 1889 she came to live with me at
my home in Cleveland. About that time
/ was compelled TO leave the city to 60 to
Woodstock for my health. i left my sister
Elizabeth in charge Of the house and during
my bsence she mortgaged all the furniture,
giving her name as Mrs. Ahce Nj. Bestedo.
7 came back and learned Of her doings but
did nothing in the way Of prosecuting her.
She went TO live in several rooming houses
and even there borrowed money 10y
mortgaging furniture that did not belong
To her.
From one house to another she went and
repeated the operation. using different
names I paid many Of her debts and
s1uared matters for her. At that time !
began to think that she was unbalanced.
Elizabeth was married in my home to
DR.. W. s. Springsteen in 1882. She lived
with him only a short time and then they
had a quarrel and separated A divorce
was finally granted and my sister returned
to Woodstock to live on the farm with my
mother Then she took the freak OF writing
letters to friends TO say that Eliza Elizaoeth eth
Springsteen was dead. Many people be-
lieyed that she ~as dead.
1T was in Toledo. where she was known
as Mime. Devere.' that she got into the
trouble that landed her in prison. She
was arrested and charged with obtaining
a large amount OF money by forgery.
man named Joseph Lamb. an express agent.
was arrested with her. He was acquitted
but she was sentenced to term OF nine
years in the penitentiary in Ohio. They
said that abe had hypnotic influence over
Lamb, but that was untrue.
We heard frequently from my sister
while abe WAS In prison. She was released
in 1898 bsing paroled by William Mckinley.
She then lived with me for time ia Clere-
land with her boy. She travelled some as a
salesladv for some millinery house. She
was then known az Mrs. Hoover.
In 1897 she met DR.. L. +. Chadwick and
was married to him in Windsor. Ont. He
was very wealthy and had a daughter about
the same age as her son. They came to
Cleveland and lived in a magnificent home
on Euclid avenue.
she Is certainly a strange woman often
asked her why she did such senseless things
and she would answer that she could not
account for her actions. She knew that
the things she did would he found out, yet
she did not hesitate in repeating the actions
that would cause trouble for her. This
in nv mind was proof that she was mentally
strange. At times / have seen her sit
for hours as il in a trance. She seemed
bewildered and her eyes had a vacant
stare. Al such times she would not reply
when questioned. She would have melan-
choly spells and nothing would rouse her.
Mrs. Chadw wick has many good qualities
that endeared her TO every one. She was
generous and was never happy unless she
was helping Others. ] have known her to
take newsboys from the street and clothe
them.
.She tried 10 live down her past. When
she came out Of the penitentiary she would
never say anything about her prison life
nor OF the time that she was known as
Lydia Devere. Ii has been more than
twelve months since ! heard from her.
Mrs. York hears a striking resemblance
to photographs Of Mrs. Chadwick. The
husbs nd OF Mrs York died in 1898. leaving
an estate In Cleveland. Both Mrs. York
and her eldest daughter have been forced
to work for their living since coming TO
Il ,-f