NEWS BY MAIL.

Hokitika Guardian, 3 December 1921, Page 1

NEWS BY MAIL.

WOMAN DECOY. PARIS. 0,1. U). Famuli- in the demi-monde of Paris under the name of “The Female Baronin,” because she was such a past misiics'. of the art uf attraction, a woman of 80. named Marie Barollon, has just lieeii arrested by Ihe Paris police, though she made indignant protests ami treated the detect ive in the haughtiest manner. Marie's speciality was I" decoy and rob lirli foreigners passing through Paris. Her victims were usually English or American, and she pietcrred elderly men as iior prey. Handsome, graceful, witty, and always beautifully dressed, she has been accustomed to dine at the best restaurants, where she made the acquaintance of sueh people. Her practice was to persuade them to accompany her. to a quiet hotel, where slie would steal their money and disappear. Marie has confessed to a number of such theft's, and appears to have reaped a harvest of no less than Clti.lKM) within the last lew months. , She recently arrived in ‘Paris from the south of France w ith a number of other sueh women, forming a hand of female swindlers, of which she was the chii’l. She had already served several sentences in other parts of France for similar offences.