Saturday news. (Watertown, S.D.) 19??-19??, 1914-08-27
Kota Pierce in
Tolls of the Law
Former Watertown Girl Caught
in Network Of Crime on
Pacific Coast.

kota Pierce, daughter Oh the late
| General Pierce. has hcon arrested in
Oregon and is o lying in jail,
awaiting further pr )ccedin2s She s
charged with being the accomplish of
Il forger.
The PierCnS were we'll known n
Watertown, where the family lived
for many years. El"sr the Two daUeI,
ters, Audrey and kota, were reared.
Mrs. Pierce was for years an uducat-
or of note. She gave her daughters
the advantage Of much culture. Both
attended All Saints school al Sioux
Falls, where Mrs. Pierce was a mem
Der of the faculty.
Several years ago Audrey died, and
soon thereafter Mrs, Pierce and kota
| tthe general had likewise passed
| away in the meantlme) removed TO
California.
Along about 1910 KOta married a
man by the name of Helm, Her
married life seems to nave been very
unhappy, as her husband was said to
be a warthless sort of person who
was none too atfable.
Later Mrs. Helm met a nan known
as Henderson, although his real name
was Hammond. She seems to have
fallen a victim TO his wiles, and sub
| seQuently she accompanied him to
Portland.
Used Worthless Checks.
In her cell in the Oregon Jail, Mrs.
Helm made a confession. Among
other things. she said that after she
had been with Hammond for some
time he revealed TO her his business,
which was forging and cashing
checks. Through the medium of
magnetism. or some such means. she
says that he persuaded her 10 get
certain checks which he gave her
cashed, and that thenceforth she be
came absolutely in his power.
She disclosed the methods of Ham
mond and herself in these transac-
ions and related some of the details
concerning Hammond's flight from
the clutches of the police and reveal
ed the part she had played in the
undertaking. Among other things,
she fed on a bicycle and for several
days eluded the police.
Old Words True.
A San Francisco paper containing
the details of the arrest and events
preceding and Immediately following
it. says that Mrs. Pierce, visiting her
daughter in the jail, said to her:
The old words are true, dear. The
only way is the right way. You are
paying the price for your wrong-do-
ing. You will pay still more. But
from this trial you will become a bet
ter. finer woman and again we will
be happy. my little girl and l, at
home
interviewed by the newspaper,
Mrs. Pierce expressed herself as fol-
lows:
Would Save Other Girls. /
IF Kota's story can be of any use
in helping TO a W any other girl; If
by laying bare before the public her
life some other mother may be saved
me say this:
1T is this | would guard girls
against; the first step, the first break
ing away from the rigid path of duty
and right.
True 1t was the first time Kota
had loved, but it was wrong. The
descent wal rapid. terrific, but it is
In this lay her safety. When she
knew he was a criminal she left him,
and In her repentance is her future,
! am sure viii be bright"
Property interests Here.
The Pierces still have property in
in Waterfowl, where during
residence here they we're held
high esteem. Mrs. Pierce was re-
as a cultured woman. The
daughters had all the advantages
she could give them in the way
Of education and association.
Their friends exceedingly regret
the unfortunate circumstances in
which they now find themselves. 1t
Is not thought that ait heart Kota
was otherwise than a good woman
who has been led astray through al
chain of circumstances which drew
her in step by step.
She processes that she loved this
man Hammond to the point OF dis
traction and that before she was
aware of 1t she had become entangled
the network Of petty crime, and
hat thenceforth her descent was