The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1904-12-28
SHE LIVED IN AIKEN
At One Time, Where it is Charged that
She Stole Diamonds frem Mrs.
Laguna. Organized Bank
Which Mover Opened. A
Strange Case.

I U!dlOGoo 1lOA OASo AA3 OAeSJ 40 odS
wife OF tho late Maj. Jas. L. Wilson,
retired Uulted States army Cf1cer,
says special to the News and Courier.
1t was said that Mrs. Wilson while
in North Carolina met Baltimore
man and conspired with him to OBJ
tain money on q life insurance policy.
Mrs. Wilson got the Baltimorean to
insure his life for 800, 900, the policy
being made payable to her, AID be
was to disappear and dead body to
be buried in his name.
Mrs. Wilson, however. so the story
ran, desired to get something out OF
this man, so stated to him she could
not secure the insurance money unless
it could be shown she was creditor
OF bis estate. The man then signed
four notes Of s25, 900 each, and Mrs.
Wilson left him.
She came to Aiken and many
stories were heard Of her building
large tourist hotel, but she was IN.
able to secure any money on the notes
Of the Baltimorean.
At q sale Of her belongings one OF
the s25, 900 notes was bid In for q very
small amount, and is now held by a
citizen of Aiken.
Mrs. Wilson, becoming dissatihed
with the treatment OF the bankers
here, decided to open a bank herself
and went North to induce some friends
there to help her. She returned and
secured charter for the Union Bank
ing and Trust company, and about a
year ago renovated building and
placed therein handsome Office furni-
ture, but the bank has never been op,
ened.
The gentlemen whose naneS appear
as Officers Of the bank have never
come to take charge. When Mrs. VII
son went to New York to secure the
( >fice furniture she went, it is said to
a dealer who agreed to furnish it and
asked to be allowed to 60 to the FAC
tory to examine it.
Securing permission she got the
foreman at the factory to turn over
the furniture to her and shipped 1t In
her name to the banking company.
The furniture dealers endeaVored to
have the furniture stopped in transit,
but could not, as her name appeared
as consignor.
The people Of Aiken who have had
dealings with her look upon her as
Mrs. Chadwick on smaller scale, and
most Of them who have had business
dealings with her entertain towards
ner the same feelings which Mr.. Beck
with has to Mrs. Chadwick.
The New York Sun Of Sunday has
tee following about Mrs. Wilson:
Cora Wilso who claims to own a
tank in Akron, Ca, (Aiken, S. CO.
and who was arrested Friday charged
with stealing 1900 worth OF jewels
from her friend, Miss Maria Laguna.
wealthy and pretty Spanish girl,
vas acraigned before Magistrate On
men in the Tcmbs police court yester,
day:
woman's stories," said Deputy Assist
ant District Attorney Kressel, and
find them to be fakes Of the first wa
ter. She has been bleeding the Lsgu-
na girl for long time. I believe
Miss Laguns's story that she has g
fortune in her own right and that 1t
is tied up by a guardian. She was
born in Cubs and got acquainted with
the Wilson woman last summer. One
day in June she turned over her
jewels to Miss Wilson to keep tor her
and hasn't been able to get them
back"
Lawyer Wahle told u; eistrate On
men that be had applied to Justice
Scott, Of the supreme court, fer a
writ OF habess corpus, returnable on
Monday, and that, in his opinion, the
matter was now out Of the magis-
trate's hands.
THAT hasn't any bearing On the
case whatever" said Magistrate On
men, and his opinion was backed up
by Mr.. Kressel.
''Than l withdraw from the case
entire,' said hIr. Wahle, and he left
the court room.
well, what am going to dc?
I've got to have lawyer. Will the
court assign me one?" asked the pris-
oner.
"Ycu have 8 right to one," re-
piled Magistrate Omnen, and I'll
give you until Monday to get one.'
Miss L2guna, who is brunette and
only 20 years old, lives at 116 East
Seventy first street. She has been In
this country only few months.
4 COLUMBIA END.
| The Record says there is a CJlun-
oia end to the remarkable story
printed above. The story is Chad
wickian in every sense OF the word
and the officials in the secretary OF
states Office remember very we'll a
we'll. dressed, buSineSs.like woman o1
about thirtY-fye years Of age, who
cam. over TO Columbia from Aiken
secured charter TOR bank, spent
money very freely and then dropped
out Of sight. Mrs. Cora G. Wilson
came into Columbia last March witt
; draft for s50f which tie banks die
not cash because she WAS unknown tx
the bank officials, and bank official:
5 are not given to cashing drafts indis
{: crininately for unknown people. Ther
l prominent business man was induc
ed to cash the draft, and, although h
? could not be induced to talk, it Is no
] thought that be ever received any re
[ turn for the same
: A little later she came into th'
, Nf1ce Of the sanratarQ Of state with