The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1907-03-08
TOOK MEAGER MITE OF
POOR, CRIPPLED WIDOW
Hard Hearted Act of Robert
Samuel Gaines.
MAY PROVE GOOD CAPTURE

In Robert Samuels Gaines. the neg
70 arrested Wednesday afternoon for
embezzling $50 from Mary Ann vii.
liams, the police believe they have the
most hard-hearted wretch that has
been arrested in Richmond in years
Constable James Clay, a colored man,
who has investigated the case made
report yesterday afternoon TO Chief
Bailey which was a most peculiar
one.
Mrs. Williams is an aged colored
woman, illiterate,. poor and unable TO
support herself owing TO an injury
received in street car accident last
fall which has made her a confirmed
invalid, having been confined to her
bed since last October.
Clay stated that last October Mrs.
Williams while alightirg from a street
car at the corner of Tenth and Main
streets was thrown violently to the
street, fracturing a hip bone, by the
sudden starting of the car. Mrs.
Williams did not bring suit against
the company, according TO Constable
Clay, and shortly after her accident
a local attorney for the company
with an Indianapolis representative
of the company visited the aged wo-
man at her home on South Fourth
street.
Took 500 as Compromise.
The constable stated that this rep
resentative asked Mrs. Williams for
what amount she would compromise
her case against the street car COM
pany. She stated that she expected
$500 Clay stated that the agent Of
fered her s25 which she refused Fin
ally Mrs Williams, according TO Clay,
agreed to take 500 damages from
the company. She made her mark on
slip of paper which purported to
be an agreement whereby Mrs. Viii
liams released the company from all
further claims for damages. Clay
stated that the young daughter of
Mrs. Williams signed this agreement
without even reading its contents.
Clay stated that during the time this
agreement between the company and
Mrs Williams was made Robert Sam
uels Gaines, who went by the name
of Robert Samuels, resided with Mrs.
Williams. Clay stated that Gaines
knew of Mrs. Williams receiving the
800 and it is the opinion of Clay
that the man laid his plans for de-
frauding the decrepit old woman of
the widows mite" she received from
the big corporation for an injury that
will probably make her a permanent
invalid for the remainder of her life.
Clay states that Mrs. Williams had
implicit confidence in Gaines and he
finally persuaded her to give him $50
of the 500 she received. Instead of
depositing it in the Second National
bank in her name, Gaines placed the
deposit in his own name and, it is
in the meantime has
drawn nearly all of it out, which
money he spent on himself.
Thinks Him Good Capture.
Chief Bailey is confident that
Gaines has bad criminal record and
he thinks that the man will prove
to be an important capture. 1t is
already known that he figured in a
bad cutting scrape at Dayton. Photo
graphs of the man were taken yester-
day afternoon and his great reluctance
i'm posing before the camera confirmed
the opinion of the police that Gaines
has a past which he desires to re-
main a closed book. 1t is doubtful
if Mrs. Williams will be able to ap-
pear against him when he is brought
to trial as she is said to be unable
to leave her bed. The prosecutor is
the case and Gaines will
probably be arraigned in circuit court
TODAY or Tomorrow