The Washington herald., 1907-12-08

against him as an accessory after the
fact. It was thought wiser 10 put him
on his trial for conspiracy 20 defraud.
In support OF the case for the prosecu-
ton valuable witness now came
forward in the person of the governess.
Miss Stanley. who. however much she
might be suspected OF having known a
little more than she professed 10 have
done, was now useful ally in unmask-
ing the plots by which the Leblancs had
gained large sums OF money ar the ex-
pense OF their victims.
There was some doubt. indeed
whether size would not have held her
tongue discreetly II Nine. Lablanc had
not trated her shabbily al the last mo-
ment. and instead OF taking her 20 Paris
as she had promised 10 dc, cut her adrift
with scant ceremony. and. as Miss stan
( ley declared, without paying her salary.
However this might be. her evidence
was Of signal use in getting UP a case
/ against Nine. Leblanc. who was extra
dited without delay and lodged at HoIlo-
way. and "Mr Williams" alias Gurney.
whom he identified at once as the per
( son who posed as the cOguardian OF
} Miss Densley. the heiress whose beauty
and whose money We're so artfuiiy used
as bait Tor numerous suito-s. all Of
whom had 10 contribute handsomely. IL
/ one way or another, 10 the Leblanc ex-
chequer.
Little by little the whole vile scheme
came 10 light. and il was known that
/ this was not the first time that the Le-
blancs. by exploiting an innocent girl
/ as a supposed ''heiress.- had reaped a
/ rich harvest from avaricious or en-
amored suitOrs.
The first case had been that OF q French
( girl, and il was in France that they had
successfully pursued their plan OF taking
toll from woUld-be husbands until cir
| cumstances made France too hot to hold
them. when they dropped their prey,
lay low in New York for time. and
then recommended operations on the same
plan III England
On the second occasion II was upon the
unfortunate DOrcas Lane that Madame
Leblanc set her evil eye. She,>found il
easy 10 deceive. not only the ignorant
girl herself. but the simpIe-minded lady
with whom she lived. and the more or
less undiscerning religious and philan-
thropic set in which she moved.
The rest was easy. Being used 10 their
/ fraudulent profession. they knew how 10
set about It. and began by taking q
/ handsomely furnished house at Briar
Heath, 10 which they could invite their
victims. These they obtained in various
ways, some through cleverly wOrded ad-
vertiSements. both in English anG French
| papers. some by placing poor. ignorant
/ Dorcas. in charge either OF her govern
ess or her supposed aunt, in places where
she would be seen and admired by men
/ Of wealth or position. as in the case. OF
| the stay at Cowes during which ST
! Quintin had seen and been attracted by
| her.
! Once caught. the victims were managed
/ IN various ways, some being induced to
advance loans on mortgage, some 10 sup
/ ply ieWelry which the "heiress'' never
saw Sometimes the victims discovered
something and were tiresome and difficult
10 manage. And although only ono Of
these, the unfortunate Harold Burdock.
was known TO have been murdered by
Leblanc, l. was felt 10 be a matter OF
doubt whether this was really the first
OF his victims TO be put out OF the way.
AS Tor the manner Of Burdock's death.
nothing was ever positively known. But
It was conjectured after q minute ex-
animation Of Briar Lodge, that the So
/ hcitor, who was a very small man. was
set upon and strangled by Leblanc in
the study in the front of the house. that
his dying cries reached the ears of st.
Quintin. but that Leblanc removed the
body into the back room and pulled the
big desk up to the window TO hide the
traces OF his crime. before he allowed
St Quintin to enter the room.
As TO the property at DensIey Void.
that did certainly belong 20 a Miss DeRs-
ley. as the Leblancs had taken pains 70
ascertain before laying their plans But
the Miss Densley in question. instead of
being lovely girl. was a lunatic. who
had TO be kept under restraint. and VINO
was not likely to come forward 10 inter-
fere with their schemes. The Leblancs.
. therefore, had found it easy 10 impose
upon those Of the villagers with whom
they came in contact during their short
stay at Densley, by assuring them that
the pretty girl OF whom they were IN
charge was the next heir Of the property.
which would be hers on the death OF her
insane relation. Capt. DarnaH had been
quite satisfied with what they showed
him of the property, which they declared
to be that OF their niece" and Dorcas