Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-27

| Followed also the interest in the
lady's jewelry. Again the rings were
not considered worthy of the station
she was to occupy and the gentleman
announced that he would that very
afternoon buy for her other rings.
And, of course, the lady's rings had
to be borrowed to get the proper size
A one-armed comnnissionnaire would
return them, the gentleman said.
! When the lady's back was turned. a
brooch worth about a pound found
its way into the gentleman's pocket
Then he left.
| MRS. MUTT found the check worth
A'A less She told her brother of the
| fraud, asking him to report 1t to the
police
mo use!' he said. They'll never
get that fellow"
her copy of the Evening Standard
with an account in it of the arrest
of E:an for just such fraud AS
had been practiced on her. Various
women-Evelyn Miller, Alice st.
Clair, Juliette Kluth. an actress: Min
ME Lewis. Kate Brakefield, Marion
Taylor, Ethel Townsend, Daisy Grant
and Ottilie Meissonnier, had all met
the affable, richly dressed, richly
promising gentleman who was SO free
with bogus checks but had to bor-
row ladies' rings and other jewelry.
| His capture subsequently became his
torical. Miss Meissonnier was respon-
sible for it,
She was a German who had lived
in France. was now also thoroughly
at home in England and was more
| intelligent and better situated than any
of the other women who had been VIC
timized She had enough means to
keep g servant.
The stranger said he nlistook her
| for Lady Egerton. friendly con-
versation followed, and when she told
him that she had just come from the
Chrysanthemum Show he offered to
match from his own gardens on his
estate in Lincolnshire anything she
had seen at the flower show. To prove
! it he begged to be allowed to send
her some of his chrysanthemums.
! She gave him her address. The
chrysanthemums did not come but the
gentleman did Miss Meissonnier tes-
titled later how infinitely she had OBJ
| served him. When she entered he
! WdS lcdUulS 1cAHldh AiCWoPdPCi'
His hands, she noticed, had still
creases in them left by the seams of
the tight gloves he had taken off.
When he wrote out the check she saw
that he held his pen between two fin
gers, and not as most people do be-
tween forefinger and thumb.
The usual fraud was perpatrated ON
Miss Meissonnier, with even holder
bid 1t was no longer the post of
housekeeper that was in question, but
would Ottilie Meissonnier share his
estate in Lincolnshire, a yacht, villa
ON the Riviera and other delightful
prospects with him?
Evidently Miss MeiSsonnier found the
prospects alluring. For the gentleman
at once proceeded to the now familiar
list of lavish gowns and jewelry he
wanted her to get at once at his eX-
pense. The borrowing of the lady's
rings followed, with the sequel we have
learned to expect.
| MISS MEISSONNIER reported the
A'A swindle to the police but with an
| understandable lack of faith in men
decided 10 keep an eye open herself
for the swindler
Three weeks later she was walking
along Victoria street when she sud-
denly stopped before familiar-look-
| ing. well dressed gentleman.
| You are the man who sWindled
me out of my jewelryi" she cried.
1t was cry that was destined to
reverberate far beyond her expecta-
| lions.
The man stared at her, then be-
came furious
1T don't know you and don't want
to know, you."
He walked angrily away from the
, scene.
But Ottilie Meissonnier was angry
too. She followed him, accusing him
repeatedly of fraud and theft.
Near VauXhall Bridge they saw a
policeman. The man turned on her
If you don't stop annoying me III
have you arrested"
Miss Meissonnier did not stop an
moving him, but made it clear that
she would speak to the policeman.
The other. hoping to head off her
charge. hurried forward and was the
first to make a complaint. saying Miss
Meissonnier had accosted him and had
refused to be shaken off.
| Miss Meissonnier in her turn charged
the man with fraud and theft.
The policeman took both to the
station. Here the officer in charge
entered Miss Meissonnier's accusa-
ton and. dismissing the mans, held
him for investigation and trial. The
prisoner gave his name as Adolf Beck
The recurrent swindl, had been at
tracing attention in the newspapers