The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-07-30
Church Hill Woman Arrested by
Detectives i'll Her
Home.
HER sIx-YEAR-oLD CHILD ILL
Many Merchants A1lege That
She Obtained Goods by
False Pretense.

After three days investigation,
and when it seemed that there was
nothing else to do, Mrs Elizabeth
Gates. a woman with many aliases
and with almost as many residences.
listed in her various names, was ar
rested late yesterday afternoon by De-
tective Serseants Wiley and Kcllam
on suspicion of having obtained goods
under false pretenses from innumera-
BILE merchants in the city.
The woman's alleged depredations
were SO extensive that the Retail Mer-
chants Association, to save its mem
bers from being mulcted any further.
took hold of the case, and called on
Commonwealth's Attorney Folkes and
on the police. The commemorative
Attorney was powerless to act until
the woman was arrested. None of the
merchants would handle the case by
swearing out a warrant for her. and
the matter was then put In the hands
of the Detective Department. Ser
geants Wiley and lellam worked on
the case, after the original complaint.
aud at last decided 10 arrest Mrs
Gates
She was arrested in her home-her
present home-6o7 North Twenty
seventh street-but was Immediately
bailed in the sum of $500, with Benia-
min T. Barrett as security. for her
appearance in Police Court next We'd
nesday morning. Such long continu-
ance was granted by the magistrate
because of the serious condition of the
six-year-old daughter Of Mrs Gates.
little Pearlie. who fell and broke her
nose and otherwise injured herself
several days ago.
When the officers confronted her,
Mrs. Gates broke down and cried.
The officers would have preferred not
to arrest her, but 1t was plain case
of duty and they were forced to ac
quaint her with the nature of their
errand Asa magistrate was present,
1t was rot ,necessary to send her to
the Police Station, and she was bailed
on the spot.
Faces Many Charges.
II suspicious be proven and charges
are true, Mrs. Gates Is IN serious trou-
BILE She is alleged to have obtained
goods under false pretenses from
about fifteen merchants, her bills rum
ming from So to $50. She is alleged to
have mulcted druggists, groccrs and
dry goods stores. She is alleged TO
have assumed different name in al
most every case and her aliases oc-
cupy several lines on the police rec
ord. She is now, according to the al
Legations of the detectives, Mrs Nc
Rae. She has been Mrs Elizabeth
Gates; Mrs A. j. Gray. Mrs. c. j..
Gates. Mrs. H. B. Gates. Mrs, Il. B.
Gates, Mrs. E. Gates and Miss Pearl
Gates. Her daughter is named Pearl,
and she is alleged to have had a
telephone in her house under her
daughters name. She is about thirty
six years old. Her husband she says,
SIS a travelling man. She was formerly
Miss Lane, of Goochand county, and
married twice, her husbands names
being Avis and Gates
Original Methods.
Her alleged methods of obtaining
what. she wanted are original, 1t Is
said that she would call or telephone
for goods and have them sent to her
house C. o. ID. When the man called.
she would excuse herself on the
ground that she had to send out for
change, When he would call again he
was rewarded with an upbraidinG, and
left without cent. The drivers of
the delivery wagons, it is said, lad to
bear the expense, But one man called
on her and threatened to have her
brought into court and him she paid.
But II Jared less we'll with the others,
and at last the matter was brought
before the attention of the Retail
Merchants Association Then action
was decided upon. and the matter was
given into the hands of the police, the
arrest followinp