THE WICKEDEST WOMAN IN NEW YORK
We have already quoted at some length from an interesting work entitled
"_Asmodeus in New York_," recently published in Paris, and we now ask
the reader's attention to the following sketch of an entertainment
given at the mansion of a female, whose infamous exploits as an
abortionist have earned her the title of "the wickedest woman in New
York."
A BALL AT THE WICKEDEST WOMAN'S.
We entered. The lady of the house, richly attired in a silver-brocaded
dress and wearing a crown of diamonds, very kindly welcomed us,
thanking Asmodeus for bringing in a distinguished stranger. The
introduction over, we mingled with the crowd, and went through the
rooms opened to the guests, while the lady led to an adjacent room a
few female friends, to show them her necklaces, rings, bracelets, and
other jewels.
'American ladies,' said Asmodeus, 'avail themselves of every
opportunity to exhibit their treasures, down to their silver, china,
and linen. They are fond of jewels, the most showy being especially in
favor. But I would not warrant that all those gems that flash in the
gaslight are genuine stones. There is such a demand now for California
diamonds that, very likely, many sets now adorning the wives of lucky
speculators are mingled with worthless imitations. Time is necessary to
learn how to distinguish precious stones from spurious ones, and few
persons can devote as much leisure as did yonder Jew banker in
collecting pearls, the smallest of which in his possession is worth
twenty thousand dollars. He recently gave to his wife a necklace made
up of twenty of such pearls, and their number increases every year.'
In the meanwhile, dancing had commenced in several spacious rooms; in
others, card-playing was being indulged in. Servants, wearing black
garments and white neckties, were busy carrying refreshments around.
Many persons, preferring the pleasure of eating to those of playing or
dancing, were seated in another room at a table loaded with meats and
delicacies. Next to this, another room, elegantly furnished, was
crowded with young and old men, indulging in smoking. Boxes of cigars
were piled up on elegant _étagères_; and I noticed that many a smoker,
besides the cigar he was smoking, filled his pockets with that luxury.
While going through the several rooms opened to the public, Asmodeus
called my attention to their costly furniture. Some of these rooms were
lined with fine _brocatelle_, imported from France, Italy, China, and
Japan, the latter conspicuous for their fantastical drawing and
patterns; others with Persian and Indian cloths; and the several pieces
of furniture were of unexceptionable taste. Some were inlaid with gold,
bronze, or china; some were made up of rosewood, artistically carved.
Gems of art and curiosities of every description were displayed upon
_étagères_; and through the house, made bright as day by hundreds of
gaslights, one walked on soft, smooth carpets of the best manufactures
of Europe. They alone were worth a fortune.
Amazed at such luxury, exceeding that of many a patrician family in
Europe, I thought our Amphitryon was either one of those wealthy
merchants whose ships carry the American flag over the broad ocean, or
those manufacturers who build up enormous fortunes at the expense of
the public.
'You are mistaken,' said Asmodeus. 'We will call, by and by, on one of
those merchant-princes you allude to. For the present we are in the
house of one of Juno's priestesses. You are aware, Juno was called
Lucina when she superintended the birth of children. But the lady who
has welcomed us so kindly is far from assisting in the birth of
children; her calling, on the contrary, is to prevent it; she practices
infanticide every day, and it is by carrying on this business she has
obtained the wealth she is making so great a display of. Every one of
those window-shades, so nicely arranged to ward off the rays of the
sun, cost one thousand dollars. They were painted by our best artists,
none of them having declined to display his talents for the benefit of
Madame Killer--such is the name of the owner of this splendid
residence. As there are thirty windows, you may easily figure up the
cost of those gorgeous shades. That of all the furniture is in the same
proportion: every piece of it, I dare say, has been purchased with the
money received for the murder of a child.'
Bewildered at these revelations, I thought Asmodeus was deceiving me.
He quietly continued:
'That stout gentleman, going from one to another, and making himself
affable with everybody, who looks like a good-natured person, and whose
unctuous manners remind one of a clergyman, is the husband of Madame
Killer. He is an accomplished scholar, and has obtained his diploma
from one of our best medical colleges. He might have obtained a
competency by honest practice. But when Madame Killer, already enriched
through her nefarious business, hinted that she was disposed to marry
him, Bungling eagerly took the hint, and espoused this abortionist.
'Of course, after the marriage, Madame Killer retained her own name, as
it was already a notorious one. Love, you may be sure, had nothing to
do with this matrimonial transaction. Madame Killer married Bungling
because his science might be of some service in many delicate
circumstances--in about the same way a merchant takes in a partner
when he has too much to do. The couple have been uniformly prosperous
since they married, about ten years ago. True, they had two or three
unpleasant misunderstandings with the police, on account of a few poor
creatures dying of ill-treatment at their hands; but they came out of
all of them triumphantly.'
'Must I infer from this that the laws of America do not punish
infanticide?' said I, 'that fearful crime of getting rid of children
before or after their natural birth. Even the unfortunate who stakes
her life to conceal the consequences of a fault, is amenable to law;
she is punished for child-murder, as well as her accomplice, in every
civilized country.'
'By and by,' answered Asmodeus, 'I will explain that subject to you. I
will content myself, for the present, by saying that the laws of
America are no less severe than those of Europe, as regards the crimes
of infanticide and abortion. But in such cases, as well as in many
others, the law often remains a dead letter.'
I longed to depart from the house. I fancied, after Asmodeus's
frightful revelations, the very air we breathed was impregnated with
deadly miasma. Dancing had been interrupted for awhile; and in a hall,
connected with a conservatory, filled with rare and odoriferous plants,
a concert was beginning. Every note from a sonorous piano sounded in my
ear like the wailing of one of those poor little beings the Amphitryons
had brought to an untimely death. And then, of what character were
those women, crowding the rooms, in spite of the crumpling of their
splendid dresses? Who were those men, who had either accompanied or
were courting them?
'You are quite mistaken,' said Asmodeus, 'if you believe we are in the
midst of a mixed crowd, such as that denominated the _demi-monde_ in
the French capital, and not tolerated, as yet, at private receptions
here, or at places of public resort. To be sure, what is called the
social evil unfortunately exists in New York, as in the large cities of
Europe; but it keeps aloof from decent society. It is true, that such
is the discretion of corrupt females, it is often impossible to
distinguish an honest woman from one who has lost her chastity. Of
course I do not speak of those creatures so deeply fallen into habits
of corruption, that they shrink no longer from exhibiting their
degradation. Perhaps we shall have an opportunity of visiting the
backgrounds of our civilization, where those wretched creatures live.
For the present, I must set you right concerning the standing in
society of the guests of this house.
'Most of those men, who so often appreciate the good things served
around by the waiters, are wealthy merchants, lawyers, and physicians.
I even recognize among them a few magistrates and legislators. They
have accompanied their wives; and some, even, have brought their
daughters to this dreadful house, where some unfortunate woman is,
perhaps, dying in the upper story, and paying with her life the
violation of nature's laws. Some guests have come through curiosity,
attracted by the splendors of a residence opened for the first time to
the gaze of strangers. Others have availed themselves of the
opportunity of gayly spending here a few idle hours, and do not trouble
themselves with the Amphitryons' respectability. Lastly, many guests
did not deem it safe to decline Madame Killer's invitation; for that
Thug of society holds in her hands the honor of hundreds of families,
and it would be dangerous to arouse her resentment. A single word from
her lips, some well-concocted story, would bring on awful scandals. She
could, for instance, apprise yonder husband, so attentive to his wife,
that the latter, during the two years he has served his country abroad,
has applied to Madame Killer's art to remove the consequences of an
adulterous intrigue. That young man, who has just inherited a large
estate, and seems so much enamoured of that light-haired young lady,
might learn, tomorrow morning, through an anonymous letter, that the
fair beauty, instead of spending, as he believes she did, the summer
months in the country, had secreted herself in Madame Killer's
hospitable house.
'Undoubtedly, the dread of some awful revelation has brought here many
persons, as out of five hundred invited guests only a few do not attend
Madame Killer's _soiree_. But I am far from believing that they would
not have come, under any circumstances, even had they been free from
fear of personal consequences. Madame Killer is wealthy, and nobody
cares about the way she has obtained her wealth. Whoever is worth one
million dollars, no matter how acquired, honestly or dishonestly, is
welcome everywhere, and his _soirees_ and receptions are attended by
the best society. I see, for instance, talking with Madame Killer, a
merchandise broker, whose name was given to a ship launched this very
morning, and who would be shut out of decent society in any other
country. Three years ago, he failed to the amount of two or three
millions of dollars. According to his balance-sheet, he could pay
fifty cents on the dollar. But, when his book-keeper joyfully informed
his employer of such an unexpected result, "Change it, by all means,"
exclaimed the broker, "my creditors do not expect even fifteen cents on
the dollar, and were I to give them fifty, what benefit would I derive
from my failure?" And he paid ten cents only on the dollar.
'Near that honest broker--who has become wealthy in consequence of that
transaction, and at the same time a man of importance, being now a
director of a trust company, and other concerns--see that young man,
wearing side-whiskers, after the English fashion. His light hair and
blue eyes denote his German origin. He is an exchange broker, and made
two hundred thousand dollars last year in this quick way: Pretending to
have realized large profits in stock gambling, he succeeded in
inspiring such confidence in the president of one of our most
respectable banks, where he kept his account, that his checks were
indiscriminately certified by that officer. One check for two hundred
thousand dollars was in that way certified, and the money had just been
paid out to a compeer, when the directors of the bank discovered that
the adventurer had but a small deposit in their hands. He failed the
next day, and the president, who had rashly caused a heavy loss to the
bank, blew out his own brains.
'The guest who is making his bow to the lady of the house, was formerly
secretary of one of our railroad companies. The stock had gone up one
hundred per cent. above par, on the strength of the manager's report,
exhibiting the prosperous condition of the company's affairs, when an
over-issue of stock, to the amount of two millions of dollars, was
detected. To satisfy the public clamor, the secretary and another
officer of the company were discharged. But all inquiry respecting this
stupendous fraud was indefinitely postponed. The discharged employés of
the company now live in high style, and give parties, which their
former employers, the directors of the railroad concern, do not fail to
attend.
Next to him, that dandy, who is talking with a gentleman whose beard,
though he is a judge of the Supreme Court, might grace the chin of a
musketeer, is a wealthy banker's son. He is fresh from the State's
prison; and, strange indeed, the magistrate he is speaking to, is the
very one who sentenced him--perhaps, because of the pressure of public
opinion, which must, after all, be taken into consideration. Our dandy,
when his father retired, became sole manager of a banking house, and
attempted to double, in a few weeks, the wealth his father had toiled
thirty years to accumulate.
Discarding legitimate speculation, he gambled at the Stock Exchange,
which soon swallowed up the money and other deposits confided to his
keeping. Then he became almost crazy. To keep up his credit with our
banks and procure resources--and led astray by the hope of realizing
profits large enough to make up his losses--he became a forger. He
imitated the signatures of his correspondents, his own friends, in
fact, of everybody in town; and, one morning, the people were startled
in reading in the newspapers that forged notes, amounting to several
millions of dollars, were flooding the street. The young man was
sentenced to prison for a term of five years--one for each forged
million! as remarked the wag who is now talking with him.'
'How is it he is out of prison?'
'That is precisely a point of American law which deserves a passing
notice. Most of the State governors are vested with the pardoning
power. When the exercise of such a prerogative devolves upon State
legislatures, corrupting influences are less to be apprehended. A
single individual may be coaxed to pardon by his political friends, or
even bribed. But money, and political connections, are of little avail
when one has to deal with one hundred legislators. In New York State,
the legislature has no control over the pardoning power, which is
vested exclusively in the governor. The family and friends of that
youth represented his crime, stupendous as it was, as the first he had
ever committed. Its enormity was represented as a proof of temporary
insanity--the great argument, now-a-days, of our lawyers--and he was
set free by the governor, after remaining a few months in prison. He
shows himself again among the wealthy classes, and is as kindly
received by them as he would have been had he never forged notes to the
amount of several millions of dollars--so deeply-rooted in the American
people is the feeling of tolerance, and especially when those who are
the objects of it are millionaires, or in a fair way to become so.'
* * * * *
At this moment, we noticed some excitement among a few young ladies
standing near a songstress who had just been rapturously applauded. A
gentleman of commanding appearance, but deadly pale, was speaking to
her, in a tone loud enough to be heard by those standing by. 'You are
certainly much indebted to Madame Killer,' said the gentleman, 'but I
wonder how you can sing in a house where you brought to death an
innocent being!' And, bowing low to Madame Killer, he disappeared among
the bewildered assembly.
"'Ah!' said Asmodeus, with a sarcastic smile, 'the wronged husband
tells his false wife some bitter truths.'"
[Illustration: Scene at the "Wickedest Woman's"]
HOW SHE CONDUCTS HER BUSINESS.
The wickedest woman lives in a magnificent house, in a fashionable
street. A part of her fortune was made as a female physician. She made
money rapidly. The police were frequently called on to arrest her for
child murder, but she always managed to escape conviction and
punishment. After several years of profitable practice, she opened a
home for unfortunate women. She advertised her business extensively,
and soon became well known. Women who wished to conceal the results of
their shame, sought her out, and found a tender and thoughtful friend
during their period of trial. Such conduct, on her part, brought her a
constant run of custom, and paid well.
Her present business is conducted upon the same system. Her rooms are
elegant, and perfectly secluded. Her patients have every comfort, every
care, bestowed upon them. The doctress is gentle and considerate in
everything, and her patients soon learn to love her as a friend. She
charges heavily for all this, and her fees are usually paid, in full,
in advance. Sometimes the party engaging the rooms gives no name,
sometimes an assumed name is given. The wickedest woman asks no
questions.
Honest wives, in the comfort of their own homes, surrounded by love and
respect, shrink from that hour of trial and anguish, which is at once a
woman's cross and crown. How sad, then, is the trial of the erring
creature in this splendid mansion. Terror, anguish, despair, remorse,
and shame, struggle at her heart, and deprive her of courage, prudence,
and almost of reason. At such times, few can resist the appeal of the
wickedest woman, to confide in everything to her. The poor sufferer
reveals her whole history, her name, and that of the father of her
child. The wickedest woman, while soothing her, listens attentively,
and carefully records the whole story, with all the names. If the child
is born alive, it is faithfully attended to, and every precaution is
taken by the doctress to have it reared in health. The mother knows
nothing of its fate, and, with recovered health, goes back to her
position in society, carrying with her the assurance of the wickedest
woman that her secret is safe.
The wickedest woman never loses sight of either patient. As those who
seek her assistance are apt to be persons of means, she has a motive in
doing so. It may be one or ten years after her services were rendered,
but, at what she considers the proper time, she renews her acquaintance
with them. She will startle them by a call, or a note, recalling to
them the events they would gladly forget, and soliciting a loan for a
short time. The appeal is generally made to the man, and is sustained
by such strong proofs that he dares not refuse to comply with the
demand. Of course he knows that the wickedest woman will never return
his money, but he is forced to send whatever sum she pleases. The
child, which has been carefully reared, is a living witness against
him, and the wickedest woman threatens to produce it if her demands are
refused. Every year the demand is renewed. Men have been driven to
bankruptcy, to ruin, and to death, by these heartless extortions.
Still, the wickedest woman continues her course. She boasts that
society in New York cannot do without her, and the facts seem to
justify this boast.