The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-07-22

ne returned to his room.
Talked of Fortune. :
johnson is said to be an odd-jo man
He cuts grass and he runs errands anG
does little jobs for people in the neigh.
borhood. He is said to have talked q
great deal of the fortune that was to fall
to Mrs. Johnson.
For several years Mrs. johnson lived
at 1875 M street northwest-a fine, stately
old mansion of red brick, standing on q
high terrace. The building has three
stories and a basement. and possesses
about fifteen large, old-fashioned rooms
She took the house in January. 1913, and
unceremoniously left it August s, 1914
Failing to return, the house was closed
September "A last. 1t is said she was
ha ok considerably in her rent at the time
of her departure.
Present occupants of the house say
that mail frequently has come there
addressed to Mrs. Flagler. 1t has
been returned to the letter carriers
with the statement that her where
abouts were not known.
Mrs. johnson spent but little Of her
time at the house." last night explain
ed Susan knight, a colored maid. who
was employed by the woman during
her entire occupancy of the house.
she would go to New York for a
month or so and then return here for
only a few days. She told me fire.
quently she was the widow Of Flagler
and that there was a lot of money
coming TO her. She used to tell Mr..
Johnson about it, too. Every time she
on her return she would bring the
money. First she said it would be
$50. O00. 900: then s4o,0oo.000: then ST.
000.0 900. Johnson anXiously waited,
but he hasn't seen nary cent of that
money yet. When Mrs. johnson left
last August she told me she was 60
ing to Chicago to get her fortune. l
have not seen nor heard from her
since"
Had Account mt Bank.
Mrs. johnson had a small account at
the Commercial National Bank about six
months ago. according to Tucker X.
Sands, vice president and cashier of the
institution. 1t was in the name of Fora
Emma Howe Flagler.
THE woman was introduced by local
real estate man." said Mr.. Sands last
night He told me that she contended
she was the widow of Flagler. She her
self told me the same thing. adding that
she expected a large sum of money. She
started q small account and made but
one or two deposits. Her balance was
extremely small. She kept checking on
her depleted account. however, until very
recently. Some of the checks were very
large. I think there were some for $1,000
and 81 200. These were marked mo good"
and were returned.
The woman impressed me as being an
Irish cook or housekeeper She was
rather stout and of ordinary appearance.
She was not good-looking. in my opinion.
I saw her a number of times and talked
with her. l am inclined to believe that
she has some claim upon Flagler's
money. although l am somewhat skepti-
cal about her being actually his widow.
The woman maintains she was married
to Flagler in Washington at the home OF
friends of his on June "A, 1909. by Rev
Dr. Brown After a year and two
months, she says. she left Mr.. Flagler
because of his infatuation for another
woman. but did not divorce him. She
SAYS he gave her s25O.0O0 in cash and
$50 600 in the stock of his Florida East
Coast Railway. He also signed an agree
ment, she says. by which she was to re-
ceive 5000. 900 two years after his death.
providing she maintained a residence In
his State. She signed the agreement, she
declares, in lieu of his dover rights.
Charged with Theft.
MIS-. ldSleI. ihe "oihdh is "oit ~
call herself, is charged by Frank j.
Mahoney, an operator for the New York
Telephone Company, with the theft OF
si.435, which he alleges he lent to her
upon her representation that she was to
receive s15, 900, 900 and that she would give
him 100000.
She says she deposited for sale with d.
Leroy Dresser, brother of Mrs. George
w. Vanderbilt, shortly before his recent
suicide, $780, in Key West Railroad
stock, given her by Flagler. She said
Dresser told her he had sold $50, eco worth
and deposited a check for that amount
to her credit in the Commercial National
Bank here. Mr.. Sands said last night
that no such check had been credited
to her and that Dresser had no dealings
with the bank.
The woman says she had wanted to
borrow some money on furniture which
she had at the NJ street residence. IN
stead of signing chattel mortgage. she
was induced. she declares, to affix her
name to a bill of sale When "!ie could
not meet her note her furniture was con-
fiscated and with 1t her papers. She
says she knows these are still intact and
she expects to get them back from the
man who holds them. She says she
would have documentary evidence of all
her assertions had she not lost her pri-
vate papers through the sale of her ef-
fects here