Los Angeles herald., 1905-08-13
AGED WOMAN TURNS ON MRS.
ESTEL
RICH HUSBAND is A MYTH
officer Of Local Society Concealed In
Room Hears Entire story Of
Strange Matrimonial
Prospect

lHlnB III tne WOrld 1er thOt woman, ana
bedad what does she do but turn
aginst me and chate me frum the day
she inferred me house until the day she
lift" said Mrs. Nellie Straus. a widow
living at 722 South Los Angeles street,
who. according to the reports of the
officers Of the Associated Charities, is
the latest victim of Mrs. Helen Estel,
said to be one of the cleverest women of
her class in Los Angeles
Mrs. Straus has made complaint to
the prosecuting attorney, but has OBJ
tained no redress and officers of the
Associated Charities have taken up the
case.
Mrs. Estel has been known to the
Los Angeles police for several years.
According to reports Of the Associated
Charities she was released from the
county Jail several months ago, after
serving a six months term on a charge
Of professional begging. Her quiet. re-
fined ways and good clothing, with her
70 years of age, won friends and many
persons visited her at the county jail
and extended sympathy. Mrs. Straus
was among this number, and having a
feeling of charity toward the old wo-
man in distress she took Mrs. Estel to
her home on South Los Angeles street.
Received Proposals
Mrs. Estel began to receive letters
from an alleged millionaire at Lords
burg, who made frantic proposals of
marriage. After receiving several let
ters of this kind, the Lordsburg Croesus
wrote that he had an old friend with
about a million and half dollars with
which to keep some nice old woman the
balance of her days. and Mrs. Straus
was picked out by Mrs. Estel and
coached her soon-to-be exalted position
as lady of millions.
In the meantime Mrs. Estel ate three
square meals a day in the Straus
home and usual Mrs. Straus and her
sister as hand maids. The sister is
lately from San Francisco, visiting Mrs.
Straus and incidentally helping in the
work of the Straus household, as the
two front rooms in the little home are
rented to laborers.
The sister was also in the confidence
Of the two old women who were fishing
for the big beaux, and when a small
loan of SO was requested by Mrs. Estel
the little sum, all she had in the world,
was readily given with the understand
In. fhaf ha rapatd xxyh ar
Estel's lawyer returned from San Fran
CISCO About that time, according to
the statement of Mrs. Estel her lawyer
stubbed his toe in Oakland and never
returned to Los Angeles. Then Mrs.
Straus became suspicious, investigated
and applied for help from the police.
An officer of a local society went to
the Straus home last night as Mrs.
Estel called for her regular meal. Mrs.
Straus reproached her for the way she
had been treated, while the representa-
tive seated herself behind the bed and
took scraps of evidence.
Women in Heated Argument
The argument between the two wo-
men was heated from start to finish
and three times Mrs. Estel, feigning
indignation, attempted to leave the
room only to be captured by the en-
ragged Mrs. Straus, who seated her
forcibly in the chair.
"You will be sorry later on when
marry my man with his million and
half" said Mrs. Estel as she was about
to depart. HE will be here soon and
shall find another woman for his friend.
must go down to the Lankershim
hotel now and order a suite of rooms
which will be the bridal chambers and
then shall order an automobile to be
ready for him when he arrives"
Mrs. Straus' story
Mrs. straus told the story Of her
troubles yesterday as follows:
"I seen thot woman in the county
jail and 1 thought to meself, Here's
whear I'll do little cherity and take
Gear of tn poor ould soul. 1 TUX her
to me little house and the very first
thing she did waz to take the bist bed
room in the house. Just to think o. the
likes of her takin' me best room!
but 1 let her hev 1t and me sister
and me moved to the kitchen, where we
proceeded to shtay until Mrs. Estel
wint away from here. sayin' thot the
room waz not light enough and thot
she would have to have more light fur
the writin' NV letters to her beau, the
millionaire and half wot lived at
Lordsburg."
At this juncture the sister. a typical
specimen of a daughter of the "ould
sod" entered the room and Joined in
the conversation. The sister wore only
her everyday costume, which did not
include shoes and stockings
"Yis, and the woman TUX me SO what
! hod SAWED up fer to go back to-
Frisco wid," said the sister. 'She said
as how she could pay the Mkt day
from what her attorney would give her.