Los Angeles herald., 1906-04-15
STYLISH FEMALE
FOOLS MERCHAN is
IN A CARRIAGE SHE VISITS
STORES, CASHING CHECKS
Squad of Officers Finally Runs Down
Woman - Threatens to Faint
and Makes Street
Scene

Mrs. Grace OBrian was arrested al
9:3O o'clock last evening by Patrolmar
Boateroff on the charge of swindling
a score of the largest firms on Broad
way and Spring street out of hundreds
Of dollars in cash and merchandise.
The clever woman used the names
OF Mrs. Emma Goetz of Cincinnati
and Mrs. j. Borne, wife of Columbus
O., brewer, which she forged on checks
the police say.
According to the police the O'Brian
woman says she is the wife of an
actor who has appeared at Fischer 6
theater.
Although word went out early in the
day that woman, handsomely
dressed, was securing goods and
money, she continued her operations
with audacity. BY noon a half dozen
detectives were working, but the
woman succeeded in eluding detection
and kept up her work.
Passes Checks Rapidly
After the police had the woman in
the tolls last evening they found a
great deal of difficulty in tracing her
work However, it was learned that
Mrs. O'Brian forged the name of Mrs.
Goetz to a $40 check, which she passed
waist, valued at $3.50, and the re-
malnder was turned over to her in
cash.
At Blackstone's store the woman is
supposed to have signed the name of
Mrs. Borne to a check for SIPS. She
purchased a blue silk coat for $50 and
the remainder she spent for blue
silk dress.
So clever were the operations of the
woman, and so daring were her meth
DDS, that the detectives decided to call
the patrol department to their aid.
Excellent descriptions were furnished
by a number of merchants and these
were given to the officers Of the night
watch.
Mrs. O'Brian was walking along
East Fourth street when Officer Boat
croft first discovered her. Her elegant
attire attracted his attention. He fol-
lowed the woman for a block and OBJ
served her closely Then he walked
up to her and asked her to come with
him.
Pretends to Faint
A scene followed. The woman pre-
tended to faint but seeing that the
officer was not duly impressed became
hysterical Boateroff at once told her
that If she was i'll he would call the
No criminal has operated in the city
with the success and audacity that
Mrs. O'Brian did yesterday. In an
elegant carriage the woman drove up
to Jacoby'S store early in the day.
After looking at several patterns of
waists she selected one and gave the
clerk a check signed Mrs. Emma
Goetz."
IF there is any question about the
check" said Mrs. O'Brian, ''call up
the Angelus hotel" This was done and
the suspicious, if there were any, were
allayed. The change and the waist Sc
lected by the woman were sent to her
carriage. Three hours later the fraud
was discovered.
Bold Tactics
Mrs. O'Brian employed the same tao
tics at the Blackstone store. After
making her purchases she presented a
check for $125 signed Mrs. Borne"
Having found that there was a Mrs
Borne at the Angelus hotel the clerk
sent a boy to the carriage with Mrs.
OBrian.
The officers believe that someone at
the Angelus has been working with
Mrs. O'Brian. They were unable to
learn anything about the supposed pal
last evening, but they will work on
that theory today.
They learned late last night that the
woman secured goods from the Vile
de Paris, they say.
From the police it was learned that
Mrs. O'Brian served ninety days in the
city jail beginning April, 1902, on the
charge of petit larceny. Then she
gave her name as Aldine Edleman,
alias Eza Edleton, alias Mabel Otto.
Mrs. O'Brian is about 80 years, but
appears younger Her manner and
features are refined. She is tall and
attractive and decided blonde. When
captured she wore a lavender suit of
the latest pattern.
Important!
Commencing today, Salt Lake route is