Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1919-09-25
ENGLISH ADVENTURES
Clever Girl Poses Harry Thew's
Daurhter-Other Roles Assumed

Il am the daughter of Harry X Thaw''
The speaker was not beautiful but her
dark eyes Elowed eXpressively She was
handsomely gowned although her child
ish slender figure was slightly deformed
by 4 hump upon her back
Who would not have believed her.
who would not have given credence TO
the story of this girl adventures whose
amazing career only recently was brought
to a halt in London?
When Maisie Crawford looked at one
in the demure. innocent, half -frig ntened
way of hers; when she spoke with tears
in her voice, masculine hearts responded
in sympathy and pockets loosed their
purse-strings as If by magic
Hers, indeed, a sad story. POSING
as Thsw's daughter. she led persons to
believe that she was accustomed to a
life of luxury and gaety, but that was
YESTERDAY Now she was heartbroken.
owing to parting from her father and her
unhappy arrangement from him The
choking fearful recital of this tragedy
of life moved her hearers 10 cough up
ready cash--and it was odd how splendidly
the big. fat banknotes succeeded in pacify-
ing Maisie
The real Indemnity of this girl who eft
mystery but h.r victims agree that she
is the most plausible person with whom
they have ever met II wish ! had her
brains remarked one man whom she hs
succeeded in "strinsing' for a consider
able amount
ASSUMED ANOTHER ROLE
But Maisie Crawford was too clever to
put an her eggs IN one basket When the
Harry X Thaw trick became dangerously
overworked she invented for herself a
brand new father and sought fresh past
ures in which 10 plumber the innocent.
Judging ny the size of her various hauls
ner biggest success was scored when she
assumed the role of widow 10 Walter
Crawford, a mythical American multi
millionaire, who had supposed Y eft her
a most peculiar will. This testament pro-
vided that she would receive an annual
income Of thousands of dollars and landed
property IN America provided she mar
ried again someone outside of the Craw-
ford family.
One of her first victims was a single
man. over 80 years of age. who lived in
rustic Surrey town. Poor chap he had
saved a nice nest egg of cold hard coin
on which to start in business Then he
met the mysterious Maisie. courted and
proposedsto her The neat widow became
thoughtful, then confessed that she was
an heirees. Her lover declared that only
Providence had thrown them together,
but Maisie saw a fly in the amber. Il
don't love you" she told him
Where there $ will however. there g
way The woman devised scheme
whereby she. on her part agreed TO
marry the man in order to fulfill the CON
nf no la
would consent to part with her forever
at the church door. If he would do this
she agreed to give him tidy sum of
money down and an annuity of $500
OF course they became engaged and
thereafter the woman DELAYED the mar
rage ceremony. extracting at intervals
good round sums from her fiance These
he gave willingly hut the wedding
has not taken place to date.
This English adventures also imper-
sonated the role Of the divorced wife of
George GRAY ford, American money
king" with immense possessions in can
ada According 70 her story she was
stranded in Britain. and people were not
lacking to aid her in her sad misfortune.
PHONE HELPED HER OUT
There came dramatic moments m her
career when suspicion became directed
against her--vhen even the friends who
had helped her began % doubt the au-
thenticity Of her tales. But was our lit
tie Maisie down-hearted? Not at all.
Ready was her resourcefulness and in
genuitN TO get her out of all such scrapes
safely
Quite aften she would rine up titled
people of London and, in the presence
of unbelievers carry on an animated con-
| versation. using intimate terms Of endcar-
ment and affection. 1t never struck the
doubter that this could he a fake CONVEX
sation.
Al another time she assured one of her
victims that a prominent English attorney
had promised to give her wonderful
motor car. which was described in detail
This present she generously transferred
TO the victim, although the car itself was
dream and nothing else.
Again, Maisie declared that she intend,
ed to purchase large hotel Everything
had been arranged and il only remained
for people who knew and could vouch for
in the affair ran high and slumped only
when the girl announced that sac had
been half an hour too late--the hotel had
been bought by someone else,
Spurious wills Were another Of her
stocks in trade According to these she
acted the part of Lady Bountiful Her
last false role was that Of the daughter
Of Admiral Allsndale." and MOI until
after her arrest was it discovered that