“MRS. BLUEBLOOD.”

Taranaki Daily News, 10 December 1921, Page 10

“MRS. BLUEBLOOD.”

INTERNATIONAL CROOK. HOW SHE TRICKED DETECTIVES. Speaking about a matter which recently caused police action in the case of a woman who claimed to be a rela-1 tive of an English lord, and also a former musical comedy singer and dancer, Superintendent Bannan remarked at Sydney the other morning that the subject of attention had been one of the most accomplished tricksters who ever came to Australia, and she played a joke on the Sydney detectives about 20 years ago which is remembered by old hands to this day. “We used to know her as ‘Mrs. Blue Blood,’ ” added Mr. Bannan. She has been through the police’s hands a few times, not only in New South Wales, but in Victoria, where Detective Dungey had something to say to us about her after she had got away with some money belonging to the detectives then stationed at the old office.

The story goes that “Mrs. Blue Blood” arrived in Melbourne from London in the 90’s, and having blackmailed prominent citizens and tricked board ingihouse keepers around East Melbourne, South Yarrn, and other fashionable parts of Melbourne, and lived on her wits generally, she decided that things in the Victorian capital had become too warm for her, and she would give Sydney an example of her work- She arrived there with a young woman, the daughter of a Toorak dame, who had been told stories of wealth, English lords, dramatic art, and various other things, and had consented readily to provide money to allow her daughter to be chaperoned while on the trip to Sydney. The daughter —a shrewd young thing —after a brief experience in a boardinghouse at Potts Point telegraphed certain information to her mother, and it was only a few hours later that she was alone on the train on her way to Melbourne.

Left to move for herself, “Mrs. Blue Blood” commenced to think hard, and she did a most daring thing, for she bilked the Sydney detectives of the time.

I Having committed no offence which ■ came under the notice of the police, she was not known there to them. A fine personality, dressed in the latest style, she always received the greatest attention from anyone she addressed. She made her appearance one morning at the old detective office in Phillip Street, next to where the present building of the Police and Gaol Department stands.

“Is the head of the detectives in?” she asked of the clerk. “Certainly, madam. Your name?” was the courteous response. Her gilt-edged card was handed to the clerk, who returned in a few seconds and remarked: “The head of the detectives will see you, madam.” In went “Mrs. Blue Blood,” and she told a great story. She nearly had the official weeping. He said he would help her, and a subscription would be taken up in the office at once, aijd the money procured for her to go to Melbourne.

The money was raised quickly, and she left Sydney profuse in her thanks for the treatment she had received from the detectives, who were a fine lot of gentlemen. She reached Melbourne. Detective Dungey heard about the Sydney incident. He wired back about her. The information he sent was that “Mrs. Blue Blood” was an international magswoinan. of high standing. The local detectives laughed heartily over being tricked, and the matter -was forgotten soon after.

When she entered Superintendent Bannan’s room at police headquarters some days ago she showed the signs of wear, and it was rather pathetic to see her. Superintendent Bannan remarked later: “Well, such is life. Inspectors Fowler and Leary and myself felt very sorry for her. Tricky to the last, but she is getting too old* now, and i think she bitterly regrets the past.”