The L'Anse sentinel., 1923-07-06
Recent Killings Upset Popular
Idea of Adventures
Brains Real Lure.

New York.-There are two types of
women who wind men around their
fingers. There Is the fascinating,
siren type, very numerous. But,
strange to say, the women who walk
off with the biggest money prizes are
not lovely to look upon, as rule.
Within the last few weeks the in
dictment of two women in New York
one on a charge of forging the name
of millionaire to note, the other
In connection with alleged stock
swindles-has turned attention to the
capabilities of women in one field of
"hlgh finance" In these cases, as In
many others In past years, the ques-
tion has been raised: How can hard
headed business men of caution and
experience be victimlzed by women
who lack the first elements of femi-
nine charm?
Ask an old-time detective who has
handled Il few such cases and he will
say that brazenness Is the women's
outstanding characteristic. Take his
word for II, and you will believe that
the woman who relies merely on sex
appeal plays game In which the COM
petition is extremely heavy, while the
plain woman, with no bodily attrac-
tions worthy the name, develops her
brain as compensation and thus takes
the lead.
The Case Of Madame Humbert.
Conjure up a woman from French
romance, willowy, languorous and the
rest of 1t, with personality and mag
netism added to her beauty. Well,
Madame Humbert was the opposite Of
all that, yet she held sway over law
yers, money lenders, merchants, states
men and artists, and lived In comfort
for years on the most preposterous Of
hoaxes She was q fat peasant
woman in appearance; neckless, roly-
poly, yellow-skinned and purple
jowled, and she waddled when she
walked. But the whole pageant of
Balzac notabilitles fled through her
drawing room, and she has her place
in history as the outstanding example
of the woman who profits enormously
by hoodwinking eanny men Of affairs
She Is exhibit A in support Of the de-
tective's analysis.
Consider Ellen PECK, In whose vir-
tues hundreds of friends believed
stanchly long after she had served
her first term In prison. Ellen Peck's
last exploit, securing sum in four
figures from an impresslonable Cen
trail American, was accomplished
when she was eighty-sour years old.
example from the records. In 1888
she gave two hard-boiled Manhattan
brokers n package which she said con-
tained $4,000 in securities, and they
gave her considerable sum on her
say-so. She claimed to be worth
$SOO0,0OG, but the $4,000 bundle
held only newspapers. And Bertha's
picture is one Of the least attractive
In the police records Of that day.
Those who watch such things pro-
fessionally declare that success goes
to the woman who most nearly ap-
proaches the manner of men who have
the same goal. In the most recent
cases one of the defendants Is said to
be forty-seven years OF age. From an
expensive hotel suite she was direct
ing $5,O00,OOO project when arrested,
charged with forging the name of a
millionaire to a promlssory note for
about $4,000. According to the
prosecuting officials, she obtained
from $4,000 to 100000 in all.
Three details appear again and again
in the history of women who have
nefariously interested business men
in projects of one type or another.
One Is the locked box. used most sue
cessfully by Nine. Bumbert. Another
II pathological deluslons. The third
profusion Of husbands.
Lures Hard Headed Business, Men.
The third element Is notable In the
case of Mrs. Genevieve Paddleford.
known to New York ms Mrs. Ben
Teal. fgure in much-talked-of d.
vorce case Of IS years ago. A year
ago she was arrested In Europe.
charged with getting goods worth