The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1923-10-11
lJEKYLLrHYDE
WOMAN IS
| BATTLING
Escapes From Prison and
Is Appears in Silks and
v Jewels
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
STRANGERITHANFICTION
By Milton Bronrer

Bourncmoutn, England, Oct. H.
After having worn the coarse ugly
uniform tia: England pa.s on it's fe
male criminals, after having rcd.
dcncd her hands with the work tLct
women have to do in Engl' sh prisons,
Helen Vera Maclaren ran away from
her past, ran just 60 miles away,
and blossomed out in society. radi-
ant in silks and jewels, fascinating
in conversation, courtcd and petted
by society leaders, and presented to
the royal family itself.
It's one of the most amazing
things ever recorded in British
court, one of the things that proves.
that truth is always stranger and
more dramatic than fiction. A regu-
lar Raffles, this woman was also a
regular female DR.. Jekyll and Mr..
Hyde.
Two-Sided Nature
There was the one side of her that
members of the great English fam
lilies knew-beautiful, charming, an
accomplished dancer, social sue
cess. And then there was the other
side of her that the police knew
the woman who simply couldn't keep
her hands off other peoples property.
Her husband, with haggard face.
sat in court here and for the first
time heard the real story of his
wife's past. Up to that time it had
been a sealed book to him. And so
great was his love for her that, her
lawyer announced, he had fully par
doned her, and when she is released
from prison, he will help her patch
together the fragments of her life.
She was arraigned here on three
separate charges to all of which she
pleaded guilty-stealing SAG from one
wealthy woman and fur coat val
ued at SEQ from another, and finally
stealing clothing valued at &42 from
a local shop.
From Respectable Family
1t wast stated she came of a re-
spectacle family which was not very
we'll off. The girl had expensive
tastes and stole to satisfy them. The
police grimly put in evidence the fol-
lowing record:
1901-Charged in Greenwich police
court with stealing and was bound
over.
19O6-Charged in Westminster
court with stealing books and bound
over.
19O7-Charged in West Kent As
sizes with stealing jewelry and given
three months Imprisonment.
Released from prison, she went to
the south of England. She took up
her residence in Cowes, Isle Of
Wight. where all the big yacht races
took place.
Her good looks, her seeming
wealth, her, undoubted social grsces,
soon brought her into contact and
friendship with some Of the most
important society people in Great
Britain. Through them she was ad-
mitted to the Royal Yacht Squadron
Club. The king, many social leaders
and important million ";-"" belong to
this organization. It's about the
hardest club in England to get into.
But she managed II "yd met royal
ty itself. And shortly after she had
passed the sacred threshold, the
members were Mortified to see the
fair Helen arraigned in 1910 in Hants
Assizes on the charge of theft OF
Jewels at Cowes and given IL months
imprisonment.
Once more, after her release. she
ran away from her past and built
herself a new career. When the
great war broke out, she opened a
canteen at Andover and did such
splendid work that she was decorat
ed by the king. Nobody associated
her with the jail-bird.
Romance Shattered
It was during this period that {
\ handsome and wealthy young Officer
met her, pursued whirlwind wooinl
and married her. He knew nothing
about her save what she had chosen
to tell him. And they lived happil!
together here at this famous seaside
resort, until the old itching for othe'
peoples property became too strong
for her. :,
Her lawyer in his speech to tn
court thus summed her up:
"She is woman with a mora
kink. l am not in position TO pu
her before you O. person mental!
insane, but when she was up for tria
once before the prison doctor CAV
his opinion that she was not respon
sible for her actions"
Notwithstanding this plea, thu
court sentenced her to six months
Imprisonment.