Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-11
ADVENTURES IN PLOT
Professional Inspired Attack
on Mrs. Phipps.
MADAME LEROY" SOUGHT
Ex-Husband of Victim Takes Hand
in Proceedings.
WANTS WOMAN PROSECUTED
Mrs. Reads Own Jewels Gone-Be-
lieved to Have Been Taken by :.
Mysterious Companion.
MADAME LEROY" SOUGHT
WANTS WOMAN PROSECUTED

DENVER, Col, November 11.-Mrs. Al
len f. Read, the Denver woman who on
Monday last attempted to extOrt $4,000
from Mrs. Genevieve Chanler Phipps. the
wealthy society leader, threatening de-
struction by. dynamite to her and her
child Helen unless she complied with the
demand, will have the support of her
husband and friends in this city should
it become necessary to defend her act in
the criminal courts.
This is evident from arrangements al
ready under way to trace. through de-
tective agencies, her wanderings since
leaving Buffalo Park, Col, three weeks
ago. to attend the funeral of her father
at Pittsfield, Mass.
That she will not be allowed to go free
unless it is proved that she is not a men,
ace to the safety of others is just as
evident. Steps have been taken by Mrs.
Phipps' divorced husband, Lawrence c.
Phipps, the Pittsburg millionaire, who
late last night had his attorney, Gerald
Hughes, request the police authorities to
rearrest Mrs. Read and hold her pending
further investigation Of the attempt at
blackmail.
Mrs. Phipps to Prosecute.
In an interview published this morn
ing Mrs. Phipps is credited with saying
she will prosecute Mrs. Read. and that
she believed formal proceedings had al,
ready been begun.
When Chief of Police Armstrong .ques-
toned Mrs. Read after her arrest Mon
day she referred several times to a wom-
an she called Nine. Leroy. She said
she was to meet Nine. Leroy at the
Union depot at certain hour that day.
In order to investigate this assertion the
chief detailed detectives to escort her to
the station. but no such person appeared
1t is believed by Mrs. Reads friends
and the police do not deny it as a posi-
bility-that Mrs. Read met some woman
while returning west, perhaps a profess
sional blackmailer, who took advantage
of her weakened condition, aggravated
by the use of drugs to alleviate bodily
pain. and prevailed upon her to enter into
plot to blackmail Mrs. Phipps.
Mrs. Read, during a rambling talk, men,
toned that she and Nine. Leroy had
arranged to go to Europe together. a
theory is that the sO-cal1ed Nine. Leroy
might be some International adventures.
Communication has gone forth from Mrs.
Reads friends to ascertain If it is known
that any such person is sOjourning in this
country at present.
AS evidence that Mrs. Read had become
the tool of some one 1t is stated that
diamonds and rubies valued at $35OO and
bank notes to the amount of $500, that
she is said to have had when she left
Plttsfield, are missing.
Came From Pittsfeld.
PITTSFIELD. Mass. November lit
developed today that Mrs. Allen F. Read,
who is under arrest in Denver for at
tempting to extort money from Mrs. Gene
We've Chandler Phipps, is the daughter of
the late George Campbell Of this city
Up to about four years ago, when she
and Allen +. Read were married, she
was a nurse in this city. She left the
House of Mercy Training School for
Nurses for the west with Mr.. Read.
Her husband was a druggist in the
store of ID. +. Wilson in this city Mrs.
Read returned about the last of October
to attend the funeral of her father.
Mrs. Read and her husband left Pitts
field for Denver June y. 1907. the day
had been in this city several times since,
the last visit lasting from October - to
October %
At that time she came to attend the
funeral of her father. former hard
ware merchant of this city, who died at
Barnesville. Ohio. where he had made his
home for the past few years. When Mrs
Read was here she appeared to be in
good health. although she showed traces
of fatigue incident to the journey from
Colorado.
While here she exhibited some valuable
pieces of jewelry to her friends and
seemed to be bountifuly supplied with
money.
Mrs. Read has a sister, Jessie Campbell,
who is teaching school at Rochester, N
Y. She also has a brother, William
Campbell, in Denver.
Friends of Mrs. Read in this city re-
membered today that about four years
ago she had a serious illness. in connec-
ton with which symptoms of mental de-
rangement for time were noted.