The San Francisco call., 1909-10-02
SWINDLER'S WIFE
REMAINS MUTE.
Mrs. Lillian Herman Refuses
TO Give Information About
Mabray Gang

Replete with the pathos of the GRIM
inal world is the situation of the
woman found in the company of the
members of the Mabray swindling
gang, arrested In San Jose Wednesday,
and who, according to letters found in
her possession, is Mrs. Lillian Herri-
man, wife of Russell B. HERMAN, the
most important member Of the re-
markable organization of confidence
men.
To all the questions of Postoffice In
spectors James o'Connell. Charles s.
Ranger and William f. Allmon yester-
day she refused to reply. Her one en-
deavor seemed to be to save Herman.
1t was palpably evident that she was
infatuated with him and it was still
more evident that, aware of his Grim
inaI traits, she had schooled herself to
meet the inevitable crash when the
moment arrived.
BEAUTIFUL AND CULTURED
Who or what she was before she be-
came Mrs. HERMAN is a mystery. She
is beautiful, ladylike and cultured and
far above the class of men among
whom she had cast her. lot. Her one
thought was for the man whose name
she bore The rest she scorned. She
laughed at threats. sneered at being
charged with conspiracy, became in
dignant at cajolery. She took the
stand of saying nothing, of not speak
ing any word which might aid the OH
Gals in sending her husband to a PEN
itentiary.
Every artifice and trick was used in
an attempt to break down the wall she
had built around herself, but without
success She considered 1t her place
no defend HERMAN, and this she pro-
ceeded to do with every fiber in her
body.
She was about to proceed to a lee
ture in San Jose when the federal om-
GERS rushed into the house with their
drawn revoivers. She gave an appeal
ing look toward HERMAN, and then.
Struggling her shoulders, began to un-
pin her hat and prepare for the worst.
In questioning her yesterday O'Con-
nell became impatient at her stubborn
answers and said: Come, come.
We've had enough of this. Answer the
questions"
sir said she, drawing away with
hauteur, kindly address me as mad
anne when you speak to me. You have
no charge against me, and under the
circumstances I demand courteous
you are right, madame said
O'Conne1l, please accept my apologies.
I will guard against any such error in
any future conversations.
DIDN'T BETRAY HERMAN
Mrs. Lillian Herman gave a conde-
scending nod of her head. A short time
later she heard that she had been ac-
cused OF betraying HERMAN to the
federal officials and she sought O'con-
nell.
u want YOU to deny that rumor,''
she said to him. you know it is not
fair to me and not true. ask you to
deny it in justice to woman"
AS she did not appear to have been
mixed up in any of the shady dealings
she was not placed under arrest.
Through the examination of letters,
before the arrest was made, Inspectors
Charles S. Ranger and William F. ALL
mon of the postoffice department of st.
Louis knew that she had been travel
ing with Herrirnan for year at least
One of the peculiar features of the
Nabray gang was that no women We're
drawn into it. Whether this policy
was one of chivalry or of safety, the
federal authorities could not tell
NEVER EMPLOYED WOMEN
1--WE have captured seven of the ring
leaders, said Inspector Ranger, and
in five instances the men were accom-
panied by women calling themselves
their wives, and all we know to the
contrary, were their wives But I will
give these men credit for the fact that
never in single deal were their wives