Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-03-29
NOTED FEMALE SWINDLERs
AdventureSSeS Who Made BIG
Fortunes by Dipping the
Public
nd.Rfts

Tie pablic interest which has been aroused
BY the Charlesworth case reczlls the sensation
Hamh&rt were condemned TO five years solitary
cooEnemenf for perpetratfrg a gigantic fraud
whlrh involved something like 10000 pounds.
Nine. Hnmbert weaved skillful story Of an
fmmerse fortune which was locked IN a safe
which could not be opened until q certain
GATE. and on the strength Of this story was able
90 borrow hundreds Of thousands OF pound l.
Three years ago Italian woman was plsc-
ed 90. trial for a series OF frauds which closely
ressmbled the Huubert case. Posing the Mar
chionezs Venexfa and one Of the elite OF Rome
this womaa rzn up large bills with dressmskers
and ether people. borrowed valuable tewelry
ane quickly substituted paste for the real dia-
moods and obtained thousands the pretext
Of presenting lawsuit against "eruel rela-
Another similar case 70 that Of Nine. Hum
bert Was rat Of Bertha Heyman, who. spread
Inc the report IN Canada that she possessed
a fortane Of g. ooocco. lived in great style. and
By exercising Der fascinattons % shrewd finan--
ciers. vas able to obtain unlimited loans until
ID ses@oa triel Of the lady sw1ndler to
poee as q titled parsonage. particularly in
Amerfea. snd after living in the most extrav-
aEant style. suddenly disappear. leaving q trail
q unpaid bills and bad eAecks behind. One Of
the most remarkable u these cases was that
Of young Engfisnwomau who went 10 New
York three years aeo, and. representing herself
ss Hon Eva Fox- Strsngwsys. daughter Of Lord
Ilchesfer. wormed her way into the ranks OF
the flour handred." stayed AZ the best hotels.
got unlimited credit from the stores BY repre-
ftMN10M NeTrcAN A. n lFAr00 OF tDe AsfOr6 and
vauderbIlts and altogether had a very gay time
foo a period OF Il months at other peoples er-
pense
ne three most notable female swindlers ever
Ruown In this country were Mrs. Gordon Bsillie
Mary Moders and a woman who called herself
Baroress MenckwitE- The latter had a fine
hou<e IN Portnan square. secured pictures.
sculptures. tapestries and other valuable works
o. art On credit and sold them for cash.
Both Mary Moders and Mrs. Gordon Baillie
started life In humble circumstances. The former
vas the daughter OF a ehorfster IN Canterbury
cathedral while the latter. in her girlhood.
wicked IN a iute mill az Dundee. Before she
wns n however. Mary Moders was known as
A clever swlndler. she fled TO the continent
and ultimately returned to this country as 9
German princess. pretending to have large
wealth
she was undeuIably beautiful and marvel
ously fascinating She chose only rich men for
her dupes. and with several Of them went
through the form Of marriage. For a time she
lived fn great style. for she squandered with
inter reekiessness the large sums she obtained.
Poverty followed exposure and she attempted 70
swfndIe tradesmen. for which she was trans
ported to Jamaica She escaped from that col
car, only 20 end her evil career on the gal
lows.
Posing as a universal philanthropist. Mrs
Cordon- BaillIe obtained gifts OF thousands OF
pounds for the furtheranee Of her philanthropic
her own rocket. When England and Scotland
were exhausted she went 20 Australia and
acfuaiiy secured from the government Of Ticto-
ria A grant Of 70.coo acres Of land wherein "a
foun. ! settlement for the needy. Ultimately,
however. suspicious were aroused. Investigations
followed and this clever lady swfndler wac
sent . pelal EeExlEzde fe< tIe LeaxS