Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1906-12-13
BEAUTIFUL GIRL BANDITS
ARE IERRORS on Paris

dcnce districts usGaliy lust after a
nan had parted from . Woman ~ he,
home ~ was starting to return home
The gang did not attempt house
breaking to any great extent. but con-
Tented itself with the robbery OF inei
ON the streets. Several of the hoidup'
We're committed ON the main bOule
Yards. almost under the eyes of throngs
or pedestrians and always in We'll chos-
en- spots, where tn. thieves could dis
appear quickly.
Baron Vowed Assaiiants We're Women
II WAS not until the robbery oil Bar
on Rustrcth. ii wealthy German, thai
tn" police began to suspect something
The baron vowed that his assailants
although dressed as men, were Woinela
III" notified the police of certain Incl
dents connected with TN" robbery tha'
tended to strengthen his statement He
w:ls sober when robbed having refused
To drink With the party of which he
WAS a member. Tie knew thre. of thu
party of six. and one of IN" Others wa,
a beautiful young woman who. he re-
called. had insisted that he drink wiz
ne: many times. although he pleaded y
headache and asked to be excused.
The police got on the ;.ail of this
oma She was Mertha Plecain, y
mtlliner's model. who frequcnted TN.
cafes AT night. Detectives were set Ia
watch her. II was discovered that she
was the friend and intimate of Ma.
thilde I.inst. and lived with her in al,
apartment in the Reu isoursault. Tho
police investigated Mathildc Linst ana
discovered that after her disappearance
from the cafes. which caused such dis.
may among her admirers. she had liver
quietly in the Rue Roursault. plen-
ieouslN supplied with money, from,
what source they knew not. Her apart
ments were searched. but nothing in
terminating was found. Then a spy
watched and istcncd. What he hcure.
innocent enough. except thu.
in parting with Il caller ut the door oi
her apartment Mathildc Linst men.
toned Avenue de la Grand Arince and
the hour IL p. m.
The report of the spy caused the po-
lie" to station squads OF detectives
along the avenue at intervals. especial
~ to watch the dark places and the
street functions. Also detectives weru
told off to watch the Linst and the
llec:iin
How the Brisands Were Captured.
Early in the evening Plecain met 70
man. Hugo i.enfaut. dined with him.
went to Moulin Rogue with him, and
shortly after 10 o'clock babe him IL
whispered adieu. The man was drunk
He took "A cab and within IA short time
landed i'm the Avenue de la Grande
y it'' IIiS 'f@ttIIl from tHt t.tD WAX
noted by the detectives Watching the
g II and he proceeded along the
street. searching for Il certain house
As he crossed Il little square in front
of The Libcrian consulate three figures
suddenly sprtng upon him. He was
throitled and robbed in IL fash and
hurled half inS.nSiblc to the pavement.
The detectives waiting near by closed
in The three thugs started to fiee. but.
seeing themselves coriiered. urned and
fought. They fought like demons. us
ing hands. teeth and feet. One drew Il
knife. another flashed a revolver. but
they were quickly overpowered.
Then the astounding discovery was
made that they were women.
Detectives We're sent hurriedly to ar
rest the L.inst and the Plecain and
they were brought in.
Plecain confessed and gave the names
of the other women in the band. Sht
told everything. and described how the
robberies were planned by Linst an,;
executed by the others.
ingenious Transformation Of Sex.
The Linst. it seems. was using tho
! rich proceeds of the robberies to keen
her two younger sisters In Il v
school in Germany. She was the or
iginator of the idea and planned ev,
erything. arranging the meetings of
one of the three handsome women i'm
the band with a man and directing he
movements of the others. The duty OF
the three models simply was to get the
man drunk II send him tn some ad-
dress that would force him TO pass the
other members of the band who were
| waiting to rob the man.
II WAS shown that Mathildc l.inst
herself led the attackers in several
~robbcries. and after the confessions the
police recovered nearly $4,000 worth OF
| iouplS