The Central Glamorgan Gazette, and General, Commercial, and Agricultural Advertiser. — 1867-09-20 (Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan, Wales)

CAPTURE OF A LADY SWINDLER.  From the 27th July until Saturday last the watering. place of Swanage, on the Dorsetshire coast, has been patronised by the presence of a lady who has attracted considerable attention by her ostentatious style of living and by her profuse liberality. This now appears to have been done at the expense of confiding creditors, and the fair delinquent, who passed at Swanage under the name of the Hon. Mrs. Meurice, having abandoned a whole host of other aliases, seems to be an adept at the species of crime known as "obtaining goods under false pretences." The lady in question seems to have been moving between various watering-places for the last three or four months. In April last a Mr. Cave, jeweller, of 127, Mount-street, Grosvenor-square, London, received a letter purporting to come from Mrs. Hope, of Sidmouth. Believing it to be a Mrs. Hope, of London, with whom he had done business, £ll4 worth of jewellery was forwarded to the address, but no payment was ever made. An invoice was, however, sent by post, and this document was found in the prisoner's house. Messrs. Farmer and Rogers, silk-mercers, of Regent-street, also received an order, on exquisite note-paper with monogram, from "Mrs. Hope, of Newton-villas, Sidmouth," who, it appears, has also lived in Cloudesley-square, London, under the name of Mrs. Durant, and subsequently under the name of Mrs. Fraser. Messrs. Farmer and Rogers despatched .£6O worth of goods, but not being fully satisfied with their venture they sent a clerk to Sidmouth to make inquiries. He saw " Mrs. Hope's" lady's-maid, one Jane Sewell, who said that her mistress was ill, but she would go and inquire as to the goods. The clerk said his instructions were "Goods or money." She chose the former alternative, and handed back the goods. A Mr. Blackbunm, of South Audley-street, Grosvenor-square, was also patronised to the extent of .£6O, handkerchiefs at 90s. per dozen being part of the same consignment. Mr. Cave, since parting with his goods, has been on the look out for his lady customer, and has visited various places in search of her. Messrs. Lewis and Allenby, of Regent-street, last week received from the lion. Mrs. Menrice, of Swanage, an order for some goods. This came to the knowledge of Mr. Cave, and in his mind he associated the name of Mrs. Hope and the Hon. Mrs. Meurice as being one and the same person. He immediately proceeded to Swan. age, where he found the object of his search living in a .£lOO house, with every luxury, carriage, servants, So. In company with her maid, who is supposed to be an accomplice, she was given into custody. Upon search. leg the house, property clandestinely obtained to the value of nearly £l,OOO was found. While at an inn at Swanage, prior to her removal to the police-station, the lady requested to be left alone for a few minutes. Upon the return of those in charge she was discovered in the act of destroying some pawn-tickets. In this she was stopped, and the whole of the tickets were eventually recovered.  The examination of the prisoner by the county magistrates was fixed for Tuesday, at twelve o'clock, at Wareham, but just before that period it was discovered that the prisoner had attempted to commit suicide by stabbing herself with a large needle which she bad managed to secrete about her person. A medical man was sent for, and it was deemed prudent to hear the case at the police-station instead of at the Town-hall. So prostrate and weak was the prisoner that she was allowed to recline on a sofa, and during the whole of the time she kept her face covered with her bands and sobbed violently. Sewell, the lady's-maid, was jointly charged with her mistress on the charge of obtaining goods by false pretences. Mr. Cave, and Mr. Holland, from Farmer and Rogers's, having given evidence, Sergeant Cole, of the C Division, said if she was remitted to London, he should be able to identify her, and produce witnesses to show the delivery of the articles.  Jane Sewell, the lady's-maid, was discharged, but the Hon. Mrs. Menrice was handed over to the care of Sergeant Cole. In the prisoner's temporary residence at Swanage were found almost a cartload of papers, letters, &c., principally consisting of bills for goods from various houses, but very few receipts. The goods which were lodged at the police-station would have made a complete fancy bazaar, so numerous and varied were they in character. She has not exclusively confined her depredations to London, for a tradesman in Wareham was patronised to the extent of three silk dresses.  At Marlborough-street Police-court, on Wednesday, the prisoner, who gave the name of Geraldine Menrice, and was described in the charge-sheet as a lady, of the Villa, Swanage, Dorsetshire, was charged before Mr. Tyrwhitt with obtaining an emerald and diamond ring and divers other articles of jewellery of the value of .2114, by means of false pretences, from Mr. Douglas Cave, jeweller, of Mount-street, Grosvenor-square. The prisoner was remanded that a metropolitan constable might go down to Wareham and take possession of some of the property obtained by the prisoner from the London tradesmen