Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-22
ADVENTURES ROMANCE
THAT Melted $3.50
Special Correspondence OF The Star.

LONDON. October IA. 1911.
n NY one who wants plot for q
n sensational novel or play can find
1t in the report OF the trial at tbs
London sessions this week OF Mrs Ethel
Campbell. who was sentenced to seven
months Imprisonment for obtaining s7.,
by false pretenses from some people
whose acquaintance she made on a vow
age from New Zealand to London. The
story not only proves that the day OF the
adventures is not over yet but IL also
furnishes fresh evidence of the truth OF
the American confidence mans adage that
a fresh sucker is born every minute.
Mrs. Campbell is only twenty-thres'
years old, but she has managed to crowd
lot OF experience into her life. Ii did
not all come out at the trial. but the
writer is able to supplement the 'pedi-
gree" given by the police by some facts
obtained from persons who knew her
She was the daughter of a respectable
auctioneer in a London suburb. who made
good living, but did not leave much
behind him for his children. When he
died few years ago his daughter Ethels
share Of the estate was $500. a gold locket
inherited about 5000 from an uncle. but
she soon ran through this money. and in
1905 she was charged with stealing
purse from a house In which she was
staying. but she got off with lecture.
In 1905 she got off again. being bound
over for stealing a registered letter con-
tanning banknotes.
After that she went to Australia, where
she married a steamship purser. He
seemed to have been a decent, quiet sort
n xxrs s.
out of trouble, for in 1903 she was sent
to prison for two months in New Zealand
for obtaining money by fraud.
Finally she tired of the antipodes and
announced to her husband that she had
come into a big estate in England, and
that they must go home to claim IL. He
believed her and got the money together
for the voyage. On shipboard they met
family named Foote, to whom she an
nounced that she was the only child OF
the late Sir Richard Hunter, formerly
lord chief Justice of England, and that
she was going to claim his estate, which
produced an income of 81. 800 week. She
also said that she owned a number or
race horses which were being trained for
her by Horatio Bottomley. a famous
sporting member of parliament. Appar-
emily it never occurred to her shipboard
friends to doubt her statements, for a
glance at any reference book would have
shown them that there never was lord
chief justice named Hunter
AS soon as the Foote's were settled in
London Mrs. Campbell called on them in
a motor car which she said she had
bought for $4,000. Really she had OBJ
tanned it on approval She took them
down to Brighton, and on the way point
ed out a magnificent country house which
she said was hers. The next morning
she came to their room at the Brighton
Hotel where they were staying as her
guests apparently in great distress, ana
announced that she had been ROBBED 10
prove it. she took them to her room ana
showed them boxes broken open ana
empty Jewel cases lying about. or course
a little loan was Imperative. and she got
a check for $50. She even had the Ell
frontery to report the robbery" to the
police and give them list OF the stolen
articles.
The Foote's didn't suspect anything.
however, until a week or two later, wnen
they noticed that Mrs. Campbell was
wearing a piece of jewelry which she
had listed among the stolen goods. When
they drew her attention to this she owned
I'D quite frankly, and when the police
were called in she admitted that there
never had been any robbery.
Another of Mrs. Campbells victims was
the second officer on the ship she came
home in She persuaded him to give up
his lob and engaged him to act as her
husbands secretary. He got his salary
for three weeks and now he is looking
for another job