CONVENT TO CRIME

Evening Star, Issue 17921, 17 March 1922, Page 7

CONVENT TO CRIME

TWO FRENCHWOMEN COMMIT FORGERY.

How two former members of a religious community, who, prior lo the separation of Church and State m France, were touchers in a convent, became criminals, has come to light through the recent arrest of Maria and Gahnello Arschn on charges of swindling and forgery. The women, who are sisters, three years ago obtained 1 employment adjoint managers of a largo book store in Nantes, of which they subsequently became the owners. Unbalanced by the sudden change from a retired convent life to the gay social conditions of Nantes, in spite of the fact that business conditions were bad, the Miles. Amelin lived luxuriously, owning a large automobile and a villa at the seaside, where they entertained their mends lavishly. , . . .... In order to keep up thus mode of living they were obliged to seek expedients to obtain funds. By' clever forgeries and the use of the names of well-known personalities they succeeded in raising loans at various banks amounting to 250,C00 francs. Their failure to pay a promissory note for 16,C00 francs last fail was the beginning of the end. Creditors came forward one after another until at the beginning of December the sisters were forced into bankruptcy, with a deficit of nearly 200,000 francs. The receiver’s examination of their books soon _ brought their fraudulent operations, to light, and l the Milos. Anselm, realising that the game was up, fled to Paris. Only a week later they had" established themselves in, a new business, having found! new “angels,” who put up 70,000 francs for this purpose. Now their promising career has been brought to an end by their arrest.