The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-07-04
BRIDE IN CELL
AS ACCOMPLIC
FOR SWINDLING
Husband Charged With Passing
Spurious Check, Which Wife
Cashed in Store
Name of Couple Changed Here,
0stensibIy to Evade Los
Angeles Creditors

To be plunged from the happiness
OF her wedding romance into the sor-
row Of a cell in the city prison; to find
her husband charged with being a
criminal and herself his accomplish,
was the startling transition which took
place yesterday afternoon in the life
OF Mrs. E. Allan Shouse, 20 years old
and a bride Of six months.
The two were arrested by Detectives
Taylor and McPhee after a search of
months at the request of the Los An
geles authorities, who want them In
connection with passing spurious
checks.
According 10 the statements made
by Shouse and his wife, and the opin-
SONS Of the local police. the woman is
an innocent victim Of circumstances.
Shouse said that there was only one
check for $3.50 as 10 which there could
be q dispute. it having been Endorsed
by him and given 10 his wife to cash.
She did so. and, after purchasing few
supplies. returned the greater part of
the money 10 him.
MOTHER, OPPOSED WEDDING
The whole affair is the elimination OF
storEly wOoing. parental opposition
and the unressoning wiIlfulness of
youth. Both are from Louisville, KY,
where they were boy and girl sweet
hearts. Mrs. Shouse was the daughter
of newspapermar and Shouse the son
OF a Louisville manufacturer
The mother of Mrs Shouse, Mrs. Nc
earthly, objected to Shouse from the
outset and when the girl was Is years
81 age had to remove her a Los An
geles in order TO prevent her cIandes-
timely marrying him. Last autumn he
Followed TO Los Angeles and before the
year had elapsed had succeeded In max
ing Miss Mccarthy his wife.
The marriage was kept secret for
few months. hut the mother soon
became aware Of it, and knowing that
no good could come Of further oppo-
sition, gave them her blessing with the
hope that ali would turn out well and
strong misgIving mat il would not
NAME CHANGED ON REMOVAL.
A few months after the wedding
Shouses financial status became so i'm
paired that his wire was forced to
enter the Office stan Of the Boston
store in Los Angeles.
L did not mind working" said the
husband. While we were together in
Los Angeles he often let me have
small checks to cash. which I did To-
ward the end of our stay there he
asked me TO cash one FOR $3.50 at the
Boston store. His reason was that
] was known there and would have
no difficulty IN getting the money,
while he was q comparative stranger
in the city. 7 never had the least
doubt about the check II never en-
tered my head that there could be
any dispute about 1t. and I readily
cashed it, The next day we left and
came 70 san Francisco
Ny first cloud in my married life
was here when nay husband told me
he was going 10 assume the name of
Steele. ] protested against this, but
finally agreed when he told me that he
was forced to this stem 10 temporarily
hide himself from his creditors in Los
Angeles.
WIFE SURPRISED By ARREST
He had secured a good position as
salesman with the Schilling tea com
pany. and he said he was afraid he
would lose it II il became known TO
his employers that he owed money.
our plan was to live quietly for few
months. save up enough money to pay
or his debts in Los angeles and then
resume our right names.
To-day some detectives came to me a.
my partments at the Eureka hotel
and told me / was under arrest.
had not the least conception of what
they wanted. They were exceedingly
kind 10 me and ] had no hesitancy In
answering their questions. The first
] learned OF the charges against my
husband was when they showed me
clippings Of Los Angeles papers,"
She broke of in ner story and sat
gazing blankiy before her. "Whar
shall do?~ she said. what shall I do?
il is so sudden. so surprising"
do you believe yoTr husband
euilty?" she was asked.
II don't know what 10 believe" she
replied. 4 want 10 believe ia him
al / can, but-but-'
ANGUISH OF YOUNG WIFE
she buried her face in her hands
and gave way 10 violent weeping The
tears passed to sobs and then to bitter
silence. For q long time she sat thus,
her face resting in her hands, her eyes
poignant with anguish, bitter despair
and utter detection in every line OF
her face. The taller touched her
kindly on the shoulder, telling her the
interview was over. She looked I'D
with a start and then with another
half caught sob fed TO her cell.
Shouse said that the check for $50
had been given him by a broker and
that he had no reason TO doubt its
worth. IF the check was bad il was
the fault OF the man who gave it to
me-" he said.
Mrs. ShOuse telegraphed her mother.
and the probabilities are that the lat
ter viii arrive in San Francisco at the
same time as the police officers from
Los Angeles.