Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1905-01-05
FORMER SOCIETY BELL ENDS a
CAREER OF FRAUD.
ST, LOUIS SENSATION
Had Realized Money on Worthless
Paper for Eighteen Years-Moth.
er Spent a Fortune to Keep Her
Daughter Out of Jail.

-'NN'
responsibility, the niece of the Episco-
pal bishop of North Carolina, Mrs
Mary e. Langdon, faced twelve good
men and true in the circuit court at
st. Louis and confessed that she had
for eighteen years been a forger ia
the eyes of the law.
In that period of time this woman
has victimized persons in all parts of
the country. She has seemed to de-
light in choosing shrewd business men
gaining their acquaintance and vic
timizing them of large sums and leav-
ing the debts to be paid by her mother.
Mrs. Langdon was born in Quincy,
H.. in 1861. Her parents were we'll
Ito-do and she received every advan-
tage OF education which she could de-
sire. When she was % years old she
married Addison L. Langdon, who
was in the newspaper business in
Quincy. He was five years older
than his wife's mother. He was a
widower whose first wife had been an
intimate friend of Mrs. Langdons
mother, Mrs. Hoffman.
Between the birth and marriage OF
Mary Hoffman Langdon her father
died and her mother had married Can
tain Blakeslee.
This twice widowed woman was the
only relative or friend who appeared
for her daughter when She was
brought to trial
Mrs. Langdol was placed in the
city Jail at the four courts on the
twentieth anniversary of her wedding.
When She was married Quincy society
people spoke of the difference in the
ages of the bride and groom and men
toned that while he was a poor man,
her mother was wealthy.
Two years after the wedding a
daughter Genevieve was born. Before
her birth her mother had forged
checks and uttered worthless checks
for a large amount. All were made
good by her mother.
In all the testimony adduced at the
trial of Mrs. Langdon the loyalty of
the mother to the eIring daughter
was the salient feature. Next TO
this appeared to be the action of Adj
Olson l.. Langdon.
by the statements of Mrs. Blake
Slice, she has spent $4,000 in cover
ing the deficiencies OF her daughter il
the last eighteen years. When Mrs.
Langdon first developed her craze for
forgery Mrs Blakeslee was consider
ed a wealthy woman. In keeping her
daughter from the courts her property
has dwindled away piece by piece
After her ready money was ex-
hausted she began mortgaging real es.
tate until finally five years ago she
came to the home in which She lived
She mortgaged it to prevent prosecu-
ton on a forged check and a year
later was forced to place a second
mortgage upon It When it was
gone she came to st. Louis to be with
her daughter, who was interested in
several worlds fair concessions. ac-
cording to her letters.
The wonderfully convincing ability
of Mrs. Langdon when she attempted
to secure money that was not her own
Is shown by her ST. Louis transactions.
She went to Ceyedra D. Blake at the
Sligo iron store and in fifteen min
utes' conversation induced him 10
lend her $50 to her on her unsecured
note. This note was to fall due a
few days later and on this date she
called as she had agreed to do. In
stead of paying the note she secured !
the loan of another $50 and gave as
security her note for 500, tearing up /.
the first note
She showed her remarkable ability .
when the second note fell due. In, |
stead of paying it she got 5000 more,
TO secure Blake for this she gave
a check for $500, signed with the
1ame Herbert c. Mccall administra.
tor Hattie Mccall Travis estate"
This check was pronounced a forgery.
II appeared from the testimony thqt
Mrs Langdon told Blake that tn /
check was not good. but said that it
would be the following Monday. Tha.
was in June Blake attempted 10
cash the check, but found that it was
worthless. He gave it to a lawyer 10 /
collect. Again Mrs Langdoa's moth I.
or came to the rescue and did all in 1
her power to save her daughter from
prison
Although the cneck had been paid (
In full the prosecution is brough on (
this alleged forgery.
Regardless of the fact that Mrs.
Blakeslee was practically ruined by (
this time, July of this year, Mrs /
Langdon continued in the same +
course.
From William Lambley she rented .
a house on Won yersen avenue at 7
rental of $40 per month. To this /
house she TOOK her mother, her hus- +
hand and her three daughters.
When two months rent was due +
Mrs Langdon induced Hambley t. I
give 5000 to her to buy shares in the
baby incubator concessions on the |