The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-01-27
FEMALE SWINOlER
RUINS BENEFAcT0aS.
Newport News People Victims of
Aged Woman, Who Blinded Them
With Stories OF Her Wealth.
REMEMBERED IN HER will"
For Their Kindness to Her She Said
She Would Leave Them Her En-
tire Estate"--Losses Force Them
Into Bankruptcy.


rietta McCauley, trading as the Lead
er." a notions store. at 2512 Washing
ton Avenue, have filed voluntary Pc
ution in bankruptcy In the Federal
Court in Norfolk. Their assets are
listed at $500 and the liabilities at
$2,403. Though the loss they sustain
ed was only about $500, compare
lively small sum. 1t was enough to
send the firm to the wall.
the fraud was perpetrated by an
aged white woman. who. calling her
self Mrs. Carrie Louise Stone, Rep
resenting herself to be a wealthy wo-
man of Miami. Fla. she worked on
the sympathies of the McCauleys, and
then In return for their kindness in
sheltering her. promised to make them
her heirs. Charity cost the McCauleys
about $3.50; the rest was spent to find
out that they had been duped
Are Looking for Woman.
Police have been notified to look
out for Mrs. Stone.
According to the story related by
Mrs. McCauley, Mrs. Stone came into
the store about the first week in De-
cember. Aged and crippled so badly
that she was forced to use crutches to
get about, she instantly attracted the
sympathy OF the McCauleys At that
NshiC SliS WdS StdyillE with Ine 1dlf1liy
of Joseph J. Connell. on Twenty
seventh Street
She appeared to grow interested in
the McCauley family, and her visits
became more frequent. She stated
that she was waiting for a pension OF
$3.50 from Washington, the amount
being due on account of her son dying
of yellow fever while employed by the
government in Panama. She further
stated that she had been on her way
from Canada to her home in Miami,
Florida, and had only stopped over
here because of the fact that her
pockethook, which contained $3.50 and
her ticket. had been stolen.
Sign of Distress
| She went into further detail about
herself, saying that her husband and
| son had both been Masons and that
| she was a member of the Eastern
Star. Consequently, when she APP
pealed to the McCauleys to take her
| in for a week. pending the arrival Of
funds from Washington, stating that
she was not at all comfortable where
she was living. 1t was only natural
that Mr. McCauley. himself Mason,
should have acquiesced, and his wife,
also touched by the old woman's ap-
parent suffering. readily agreed
That was about ten. days before
Christmas. ...- ......
| Calling the family about her the
| first night under their roof, she told
them that she had a home in Miami
that she would like to turn over to
them. She offered. in addition, to give
Mr.. McCauley $50 monthly to act as
overseer. When he demurred on the
ground that he had his business here,
she urged further, telling him to
think the matter over
"Tfckled to Death"
| The next day Mrs. Stone electrified
the McCauleys by stating that she was
worth approximately $40. 900; she had
lclipping to prove the source of her
| wealth, and announced her determine
ttion to make new will and make
the McCauleys her benefciaries.
She explained her then penniIess
condition by stating that she had $685.
that the interest would not be avail
liable until January.
We had no idea that she had any
thing when we took her in" said Mrs.
McCauley I'VE felt sorry for her
/ When she described her place In Mi
ami, we were delighted: my little
boy Thomas, especially. to whom she
told endless tales of cruising about
Florida lakes in n thirtyfoot launch.
which she said she POSSESSED. And
the other three children. they, too,
were tickled to death"
Provisions of Her VIII
The new will, it's provisions, dictated
by Mrs Stone, showing a wonderful
/ Imagination. was drawn up by Lett &
Masse, attorneys. Minor requests
were made to relatives in New York.
The sum of 81, 200 was bequeathed to
the Councils; hospital in New Ro-
chelle, N. Y, was willed $4,000; an
other institution in New Jersey. $500;
/ st. Mary's Orphanage, Norfolk, ST.
900; the Infant Sanitarium, Norfolk.
$4,000; institutions in Florida were
to receive various sums, and to Frank
and J. Imbach, Sr., and wife, of Nor
folk, 81. 900 each.
i Both the McCauleys were to be the
chief beneficiaries. To each of the
three little girls, Wilhemenia, Clara
and Bertha was willed the sum of
$4,000; to the boy. Thomas $1,000,
and another bequest of $1,000 to care
for his education in a military
academy. To William I. McCauley
and his wife, $4,000 each. and. In adj
dition, the home in Florida:
Taken Into Catholic Church.
4 While at the McCauleys home.
Mrs Stone met Father Massie, of st.
lvincent's Catholic Church. She
tevinced an interest in Catholicity, and
was received into the church. In the
will this was not forgotten, she be-
queathing $4,000 to Father Massie.
i Her talk of riches and the proof
furnished completely blinded the Nc
lCauleys. They decided to sell out and
move to Florida.
On December 10, Mrs Stone left for
Miami 1t Is needless to say that Mr..
lMcCauley furnished the wherewithal
about $3.50. including everything.
She was to prepare to receive the Nc
ICauleys. Her last injunction was:
l'Doh't worry
The McCauleys received q letter
from Mrs. Stone, which was mailed
at Richmond; card from Peters
burg. where she said she was delayed
ten account of train wreck, and
finally. a card from Jacksonville. Fla,
lin which she announced her intention
of entering a h@znrtal because she was
completely worn out with travelling.
That was on December 81, and was
the last word ever received
Well Known In Miami.
Il After waiting nearly three weeks
and receiving no word, Mrs. McCauley
made a flying trip to jacksonville,
later going to Miami. There investi-
cation showed how cleverly they had
been swindled. Mrs. Stone vas well
known in Miami where she fieeced
some people last year.