New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-10-14
COSTS HER $1,000
TOLOYE A PHOTO
Widows Mythical Fiance
Vanishes in FURRY Of
Tears and Arrests.
HE WOODED BY PHONE;
SHE BLUSHED BY WIRE
Then Mrs. Schmid Learns of His
'Nothingness' -Alleged Match
makers in Cells.

IL cost Mrs. Lizzie Schmid. a widow
Of fifty-four. somewhat more than
$1,000 and barrel of tears" to learn
that Cupid is winged rascal who ,an
become regular Houdini when he
wants TO escape from net. Incidental,
ly, Charles Hoffman and his wife were
arrested yesterday and held IN $4,000
bail each for examination tomorrow by
Magistrate Corrigan. The charg,
against them is the larceny Of $500
from Mrs. Schmid which that lady is
said to have smilinglv surrendered in
instalments on promises of matri-
monal match with an alleged uncle of
Mrs. HoiTman's.
But this story, like Mrs. Schmid's
woes, has beginning. IL all dates
back to a droary evening Of last No
vember when Mrs. Scsmid WAS doing
over a German newspaper in the
kitchen OF the second floor of her en-
ployment agency at 1901 Third Avenue.
A pale young woman opened the door
and asked for something to eat. 10
which Mrs. Schmid replied:
"Mein liebchen, even for a week you
can stay with me-"
The young lady. who proved later 10
be Getschen Hoffman, needed no sec
ond invitation. She accepted Mrs.
Schmid's bounty for the week, and
when she left she took Mrs. Schmid's
cook with her. She also recruited a
maid who had money, and took an
apartment at the Normandie, at 403
West 127th Street.
Getschen Hoffman came back and
came back some more. Every time she
came back she left. il is claimed, with
something she hadn't come with. It
was Mrs Schmid's money. Mrs. Hof-
man, who is pretty and about thirty
three years old. had relatives who did
the right thing by her when they died,
she related. They left her much
money, altogether amounting TO $500,
900, which. she added, was in the hands
of the Surrogate of New York County.
Also-thcre was the uncle. and he was
single. Mrs. Schmid. we have said, is a
widow.
"Gussie" Meldt was the uncle's name
and he lived in Cincinnati. But what
il distance when couple are in love !
Mr. Meldt and Mrs. Schmid were intro
duced by telephone; at any rate, Mrs.
Schmid got many letters-the darling
est ever writtcn-from Mr.. Meldt, who
never could find the time to come 20
New York. Mrs. Schmid didn't know
whether il was Aristotle or Socrates
who said that absence makes the
heart grow fonder." but she admitted
tearfully last night that it was so.
He Poses Beside Bread.
Pretty soon, however, when Mrs
Schmid got tired of giving Mrs. HofI-
nan money without any identification
of "Gussie" Meldt other than photo
graph of him standing by some loavos
of bread, the letters. from Cincinnati
stopped and the method Of attack on
Mrs. Schmid's heart was radically
changed. Hereafter she received tele-
grams only. She got one on Septem-
Der 7. which read:
Mrs. +. Schmid: Meet me Friday
al 1880 p. m. at Thirty-third Street
station with Getschen and Charlie.
Couldn't come before on account OF
business
Mr.. Meldt never showed up, though
Mrs Schmid did-in her Sunday best.
In her happiness she never stopped to
look at the origin Of the telegram. 1t
had been sent from a station in New
York.
The second telegram reached the
widow September %, and was supposed
to be from Washington. 1t read:
"Will be back Monday and well get
married Wednesday. Make everything