Evening star., 1905-08-26
READS LIKE A ROM MANCE
WENT TO PRISON AS BURGLAR TO
SAVE WoMAN's HONOR.

SAVE WoMAN's HONOR.
The dreams Of dramatists and noveists
were surpassed yesterday in New York
when a lawyer divulged an amazing story
Of how a young man of wealth and position
a year SO ago exchanged a college career
and the brightest part Of his life for term
in Sing Sing prison as a burglar that the
honor Of a womans name might be preserv-
ed invioate. The woman declared to her
lawyer that only her servants knew Of II,
and that some Of them have since black
mailed her out Of $50,
Although the names of the principals were
kept secret, this fact does not detract from
the intense dramatic interest OF the tale.
1t Is told by Carl Fischer-Hansen, lawyer
and philanthropist.
In brief. there is now in Sing Sing. serv-
ing a three-year sentence and under an as
sumed name, a youth who suddenly diSap-
peared from one of the greatest colleges in
the east. This boy-he is understood to be
scarcely past his teens-loved. and was
loved by, woman who is descended from
one of New Yorks Oldest and most re-
spected families.
The young man. scion of a house whose
name is familiar to even the casual follower
of events, was in the apartments of this
woman when her husband entered and
caught him. In order that no evil suspicion
might be entertained against the woman,
the college man told her husband he was
burglar and had entered the fiat to rob it.
which he had tried to do after intinidating
the wife.
Woman Now Seeks His Pardon.
The apparent intruder arrested. tried
and convicted under assumed name. The
husband died recently, ard now the one for
yxhp nd n
life were sacrificed Is trying. without noto-
riety. to obtain from the governor pardon
for the prisoner
Mr.. Fischer Hansen, whose office is at No.
3t6 Broadway. vouches for the remarkable
story. Probably it would never have be-
come known to the public had not the law
yer telephoned concerning it within the
hearing of man indirectly connected with
coterie of newspaper men.
About three days ago a young woman,
breathing an atmosphere of refinement, re-
quested the lawyer by telephone for an in
terview. Her name alone would have OBJ
tanned one from any professional man in
New York. Mr.. Hansen met the client in
his office, and she told, incoherently, the
following tale, fantins twice during the in
terVieW:
Il want your assistance in having a man
released from Sing Sing He brave!y went
there because Of his friendship for me. and
to save me from the suspicious of my hus-
band. who harbored an insane idea that /
was not faithful to him. He is serving a
sentence of three years on charge of bur
gl2ry, TO which he pleaded guilty under an
assumed name, without any one knowing
the true facts in the case
This man Is innocent, and now that my
husband Is dead | want 10 make reparation
for the heroic sacrifice made to save me
from disgrace. | am determined to have
his name placed again before his friends
and the public unsmirched. The friend
ship he entertained for me was pure and
true. Had my husband believed he had any
reason for resentment | would nave lost my
good name and a scandal would have fol-
lowed
The Woman's Dramatic Story.
The woman. whose name Mr.. Hansen
guards with all the care of a lawyer, told
a dramatic story of the incident which led
to the exile of an innocent man.
While her husband, a wealthy business
man owning factories in New Jersey, was
absent one evening the man who is suffer
ing unjustly now called. Unexpectedly the
husband returned, and found a strange man
in the apartment Insane fury possessed
him, and he sprang upon the seeming in
truder The woman, placed in a predica-
mcnt which she knew she could not ex-
plain to the satisfaction of her husband.
and the world. nearly collapsed under the
strain. But the college student was more
than a match for the situation. While in
managed to gasp out:
Let me go! Don't kill me. Have me
arrested-I wanted to rob the fiat
Confronted by this statement, so adverse
to his first suspicious impulse, the manu-
fatrurer released his hold slightly and ques-
toned the self-confessed burglar
Il frightened the lady continued the
prisoner, and I'm sorry. Have me locked
up, but don't kill me-
policeman was called, and in the pres
ence of the hysterical woman the boy was
taken to the police station. The next morn
ing iii court he gave the same fictitious
name he had given the sergeant the night
before and quietly pleaded guilty.
Il went into the house to rob it, he said
coolly. Il was caught, and I'm game
enough to swallow my medicine"
There was no publicity. because the story
was so commonplace. The young man was
sentenced TO three years in Sing Sing at
hard labor and accepted it manfuly.
II will do anything, spend any amount
of money. 10 have him liberated Mr. Han
sens client told him. Besides the torture
have suffered, thinking night and day
that a man of honor and splendid courage
has sacrificed himself for my position, there
is 4 minor cause for activity on my part
Several of my servants knew of the in
cident, and after carefully scheming, have
blackmailed me out of $4,000. the return
for this money being their silence on the
subject As reason for such absolute secre-
Cy exists no longer, and my husband is
dead, | have decided to devote every cent
| have, and all my influence to the re-
leasing of this Innocent victinrs of q mutual
friendship
Mr.. Hansen will give no clew to the
identity of either the convict or the woman.
whose name and friendship were more to
hlm than liberty. The lawyer. who had an
Interview with her yesterday. instructed
tbat she write out. in her calm moments.
a minute story OF the affair and submit 1t
to him.
Governor Higgins. It is believed. will be
appealed to quietly for meditation or par
uon. EVERY means not susceptible to pub
nclty VIII first be tried TO attain the de-
nouement sought by the woman but should
these prove futile. 1t is believed more open
courses Will be taken.
Says Lawyers Aided in Blackmail.
According TO Mr. Hansen, the hIackmau-
Ing of his client has been conducted through
a firm OF lawyers against whom he intends
to nrnceed crlninaLIN rhe nrs r,oatin.r