Evening journal., 1914-03-05
WEALTHY MAN
SAYS WOMAN
GOT BONDS
Edword Ripley Causes Arrest
Of Miss Curtin on $4,000
EmbezzIement Charge
BRING HER FROM
WASHINGTON FOR TRIAL

Accused of the embezzlement in
Wilmington of between $4,000 and
$4,000 worth Of stock and securities
from Edward Ripley. a wealthy re-
tired merchant, formerly of near Bos-
ton. Miss Madeline W. l.. Curtin, al
legged divine healer and spiritualist'
was arrested yesterday afternoon by
tho Washington police at the request
Of state Detective Frank Mccoy. Rip
ley is temporarily living in Whining
ton. He alleges that he gave Miss
Curtin power Of attorney and that
by means OF it she got possession Of
and made way with the $4,000 worth
OF stocks and bonds.
Detective Mccoy went TO Washing
ton yesterday afternoon TO bring to
this city Miss Curtin. on whose trail
ne has been for three weeks. She has
been fortune teller and spiritualist
ior years, and II is said she converted
ripley to a belief in spiritualsm. Rip
ley mas known her for upwards of ten
years About three weeks ago Rim
ley came 10 Wilmington from a town
near Baltimore and was accompanied
ny Miss Curtain. Each secured "A
room IN West street boarding house
lhe woman. H. is alleged. secured the
securities from Ripley while in the
West street house.
II IS alleged that she impressed Rip.
ley with the idea that he was a fugi.
tive from Justice and should keep away
from authorities. whom he thought
were seeking him for some imaginary
oifense. Ripley. it is said. even went
TO the extent OF obliterating his mi
tisls from his ring TO avoid being de-
tected by pursuers he had been told
were on his trail
IL is alleged that after the Curtin
woman got possession Of the $1,000 of
securities chat Ripley owned she dis.
appeared about the time she and Rip
ley were about 60 leave the city. Rip
lows trunk bad bcen sent 10 the bag
gage room OF the Pennsylvania Railroad
French street station and was taken
out and reshipped. Detective Mccoy
traced the trunk 10 the baggage room
Of Broad street station. Philadelphia.
u was examined by Ripley and the con-
Tents were checked MP by him. but it
contained no Naluablcs. Ripley was
stranded in This city Al he had left
eas q - bill During his long acquaint
snee with the sprtuslist, Miss Curtin.
ne had spent many Thousand dollars.
Ripley wired 10 his brother in Bos-
ton telling him OF his plight and the
brother came to Wilmington. Follow
ing a conference Of the brother with
Attorney General ChaytOr and Detec-
tive Mccoy. Ripley swore out a war
rant for the woman's arrest She
was supposed TO be in Washington
and Delaware requisition papers
were secured last week for her
hould she be arrested there.
the Ripleys accompanied Detec-
I've Mccoy To Washington last week
and a general search was made for
the woman but no traces Of her could
be found. " WAS learned later that
she had gone TO New York. The
hunt was resumed in New York but
without success. No one in the
meantime had called for the trunk al
BROAD street station. Detective Nc
Coy WAS about to start on another
search in New York yesterday az
ternOon when he learned that she
had returned to Washington. short
~ afterward he got word from Wash
ington 10 the effect that Miss Curtin
was under arrest there. He left
Immediately for Washington to re-
turn her to. Wilmington. She did moi
live in this city except when she
came here with Ripley. but had lived
in Philadelphia, Baltimore and Wash
ington. where she was known as a
clairvoyant and spiritualist As the
cmbezzlement is alleged to have oc'
CURED in Wilmington. she is to be
arraigned in this city.