Evening star., 1933-11-10
TWO CONVICTED
IN EXTORT|ON PLOT
Countess de Benque and
G. A. GormIey Face Heavy
Jail Sentence.

The final chapter in the adventures
Of an elderly school teacher who be-
came the central figure in weird ex-
tortion scheme was written in District
Supreme Court yesterday when a jury
/ convicted Countess Grace de Benque
and George A. Gormley Of stealing
$4,000 from Miss Louise Maret.
The verdict was complete vindica-
tion for Miss Maret, 60-year-old teach
er and co-proprietor of the fashionable
Maret School for Girls. Miss Maret,
who still speaks with a French accent,
told the jury how she first met the
countess when the latter called to in
qufre about a servant and how, through
the countess, she later met Gormley.
The man. she said, was attentive to
her, and she admitted being f1attered
by these silly" attentions. He called
finally on a night in october, 1881,
he drive her out onto the Brookvilie
road in Maryland Reaching a lonely
spot there, she testified, he pulled over
to the lde and switched off the lights
moment later a policeman" walked
up. flashed a light into the car and
asked what they were doing.
Consented to Advance $4,000.
Returning to the home of the coun-
tees. Miss Maret said. she was SO be-
wildered and frightened by the i'm
pending scandal of an arrest that
she readily consented to advance SIS 900
as part of a $4,000 bribe to be paid
the Officer" when this was suggested
by the countess and Gormley
Assistant United States Attorney John
r. Fitzpatrick, who prosecuted the case.
contended the policeman was a fake
and that the bribe money was pocketed
by Gormley and the countess. In sup
port of this. he produced Charles A
May who admitted on the witness stand
that he was the policeman" May
said he went to the home of the
countess next morning and was paid
$3.50 by Gormley for his part In the
case.
The jury deliberated only 80 minutes
before returning the verdict. Both de-
PENDANTS took the adverse decision calm
ly and were remanded to jail by Trial
Justice Joseph w. Cox.
Pleased at Verdict.
Miss Maret, her blind sister and a
group of teachers were present when
the verdict came in. Smiling happily,
she said she felt the prompt decision
of the jurors completely vindicated her
0. the derogatory charges Gormley had
made during his testimony.
The indictment contained three
counts of larceny and each defendant
is facing a maximum penitentiary
sentence Of 10 years on each count.
They have four days, however, in which
to file motions for a new trial and un-
til this time has elapsed they cannot
be sentenced.
The countess, who said she was born
in this country and that her maiden
name was Simpkins, denied any knowl-
edge of the bogus policeman or q bribe,
and insisted that if the episodes de-
scribed by Miss Maret occurred in her
home she knew nothing about them.
Confronted With Note.
Gormley's defense also consisted Of
a general denial, but he was confronted
with a promissory note he had given
Miss Maret for $4,000. She said he gave
her this note to assure repayment OF
the money she advanced toward the
'bribe" Gormley said he gave 1t to
her because she told him she was short
in her accounts at the school and
needed 1t to balance her books.
Gormley also insisted Miss Maret
made all of the advances in the ''ro-
nance" between them.
The trial came to an unexpected end
yesterday when the defense closed after
the luncheon recess, announcing that
one of their witnesses was sick and
could not be present.