Los Angeles herald., 1906-05-17
FAIR COMPANION
VISITS PRISONER
MYSTERIOUS WOMAN MAY BE
BOSTON WIDOW
New Light Thrown ON Case Of Thomas
Blake, the Alleged psfaulter. r
Attempts to Secure
Sail In Vain

Sensational Developments are prom
ised in connection with the arrest of
Thomas A. Blake, wanted in Boston on
charge of absconding with nearly
$4,000 worth of stock belonging to his
employers, Hornblower & Weeks, SO
State street.
The mysterious woman who accom-
panied Blake to this city and who
passed as his wife is said to be Mrs.
May Richardson, prominent young
divorcee, former wife of wealthy
banker and living in the most exclu-
sive Back bay district in Boston.
Blake passed under theJname of T. A.
Richards while roomlng at Long
Beach, and Mrs. Richards' is said, on
the authority of a Boston inspector of
police, to be no other than Mrs. May
Richardson, handsome society woman
whose sudden disappearance four weeks
ago set Back bay swelldom agog.
The beautiful Mrs. Richards" called
at the city jail yesterday to see Blake
and spent nearly an hour in earnest
conversation with him. They sat i'm the
lobby of the Jail, hands clasped and
dismay and worry plainly written on
their faces.
When the bewitching young widow
turned to go she threw her arms
around Blake's neck and burst into
tears.
She was accompanied by an elderly
man with smooth-shaven face, who re-
scented any attempt to question either
himself or his fair charge.
Resents All Questions
MRS. Richards'' was caught alone In
the corridor for a moment and asked IL
she was willing to give any information
that might show a more favorable side
to I'm frrt III IL, Eat.
enmeshed.
How dare you address me?" she re-
piled haughtily. you should know
that your questions are most displeas-
ing. / refuse to say anything for pub
lication. My name has been dragged in
very coarsely as it is. Please do not
address me-
The angry young woman was very
charming in a suit of blue with hat to
match. She looked a patrician from the
tip of her patent leather slippers to the
top of her aristocratic5 well poised
head.
Her eyes, wet with tears while saying
farewell to Blake, flashed with anger
at the presumption of the newspaper
man who Sventured query without an
Introduction.
She was given a lengthy interview
with Detective Captain Flammer and
was afterward escorted from the police
station by a rear exit 1t is thought
that she has information that will lead
to the recovery of some of the missing
stock.
According to the detectives, Blake
practically admitted taking the bonds
and stock, a portion of which was
found in the possession of a local
broker to whom Blake offered it for
sale.
Dispatch From Boston
A dispatch from Boston states that
Blake was to be married to a society
girl, Miss Bessie Towle, 81 Cleveland
street, Melrose, and the wedding was
set for April 80, the day on which Blake
disappeared.
At the same time, fashiona BILE Back
bay society mourned the absence of
Mrs. May Richardson, who left her
apartments in Batavia street on the
first of May.
Some weeks ago Hornblower &
Weeks became suspicious of their clerk
although he had been their confidential
make investigations and discovered that
nearly $4,000 worth of negotiable Sc
curites had disappeared.
A grand jury brought in an indict-
ment against Blake last week. charging
him with grand larceny. \
Not long after Blake'S escape, the
Boston brokers received telegram from
Los Angeles broker asking If certain
stocks offered to him for sale were all
right.
The stocks offered for sale COR
responded with those alleged to have
been stolen by Blake and his sarrest
was ordered.
Blake passed under the name of T. A.
Richards, and his handsome companion
attracted much admiration at the
beach resorts.
Detective Captain Flammer and De-
tective McCann found Blake at Long
Beach. He first denied his identity but
afterward admitted that he was the
man the Officers were looking for.
Although Mrs Richards" attempted
to secure bail yesterday, she was unsuc-
cessful and Blake will be held in Jail
until the arrival of Inspector Norris
sey next week.
The police say that they have no in
structions to detain the woman in the
case and she will be free to visit Blake
and probably will be allowed to accom-
pany him back to Boston, where he VIII
otond AYial m n erra nd 10 rnanW charge.