The Washington herald., 1908-01-06

New York. Jan 5-something was
learned to-day of the pretensions OF
Mrs. John Van Ness Roberts," identified
by Col. Robert J. Hare as the notorious
Louise Vermeule. to a place in the social
register.
Two friends who used to cali at the
Riverside Drive apartment. in which she
died, men well known in the city. said
that they had met the woman at a re-
ception at Gen. Grants home on Cover
nors Island. One Of these men had seen
Gen. Nelson A. Miles and other we'll
known persons at receptions given by
Mrs. Roberts" in her apartments.
Furthermore Mrs Roberts" attended
the ball given by. Prince Louis of Batten-
burg on his flagship, the Drake. in 1896.
She was escorted TO this ball by Gen.
James Grant Wilson. the writer. who
knew her only as Mrs. Roberts" Mrs.
Roberts on that occasion. according to
an eyewitness, greeted the prince as an
old acquaintance. and they talked Of hav-
ing met in London.
Known In Washington.
Mrs Roberts" told her friends that
she had served as private secretary TO
Mrs. Phoebe Hearst, wife OF Senator
Hearst, for two years in Washington. and
some other friends understood that that
was the way she came TO know so many
prominent army people.
Mrs. Frederick d. Grant, when told
that friends of Mrs Roberts" had said
that they had met her at a Governors
Island reception, said that neither she
nor the general could recall having en-
tertained her, and she was certain they
never had introduced her 10 anybody She
added that there are many public fune-
tions on the island. and it was possible
that Mrs. Roberts" had been present as
a newspaper writer. Neither she nor the
general had ever visited the Riverside
Drive apartment
The generals card and several pictures
.of members OF the Grant family were
found in the womans apartment Mrs.
Roberts also bequeathed a small piece
Of ieweIry TO Mrs Grant Coroner Acri-
teni has said that this jewelry was
worthless.
No Favorable Evidence.
While Mrs. Roberts friends we're
loath TO believe that she was the Louisa
Vermeule who was accused. in 1895. Of
having swindled many merchants and
tradesmen in this city, they admitted
that they were absolutely unable TO pro
duce any evidence to show that Col.
Haire's Identification was a mistake
Apparently the woman's life prior to
1909 was a perfect blank to the persons
who had gathered about her in recent
years Only one Of her acquaintances
could be found who could remember ever
having seen anybody that appeared TO
know about her antecedents This man,
it was said, was a Col Iorehead, who
was introduced by Mrs. Roberts" as A
son Of a former governor of Kentucky
and a great friend Of her mother, Mrs.
Katherine StUyvesant"
More than a dozen Of the women's
friends spent all of to-day going through
her letters, but they said they had found
nothing that would strengthen their be-
lief that mistake had been made. Col
| Haire, on the other hand. declared tha;
two men who refused to let their names
be made public had viewed the body OF
the woman and had verified his identif-
cation.
An Attractive Woman.
One of the men, who said he had met
Mrs. Roberts at a Governors Island re-
! ception two years ago, told this story:
Il cannot recall who introduced me tC
Mrs. Roberts at Gen. Grants house. but
! 7 remember the occurrence perfectly
She was an attractive little woman, with
apparent refinement and education She
was an entertaining cOnversationaIist
and when she casually invited me and q
| member of my family to run up to hel
| apartment for one of her little Sunday
| afternoons, we accepted
There was no apparent reason why
We shouldn't. The little woman appeared
| to know others at the reception, and she
/ told of numerous well-knoWn persons who
were among her acquaintances and helped
| to make her receptions enjoyable.
Entertained Gen. Miles.
'The first reception We attended LASTED
| from in the afternoon until in tn,
evening. 1t was a most pleasant affair
Gen. Miles was there. so also was Bur
Mcintosh. There were a good many
artists and writer's among the guests
/ The apartment was tastefully furnished
| and on the walls We're the pictures of sew
eTal men Of prominence. some of then
! bearing their signatures
After the first Sunday we visited tn,
| apartment on other similar occasions
Mrs. Roberts always was a charmins
| hostess. One could not but be impresse,
with the wide circle of friends that shr
had. Invitations 10 attend readings an,
other entertainments Of the Rainy Da,