The life of a con man part 2

[toni*]

Husbands were responsible for their wives behaviour in those days

[Harmonieautographs]

For anyone who may have an interest in Mascot Obaldiston Vesely, who was a ballerina in Anna Pavlova's company under the name Mascot Moscovina, I am in possession of 20+ letters to a close friend of hers describing her entire life, marriage, work with Pavlova and various events surrounding her life.  We are music antiquarians and the group of letters are for sale, along with a photograph, scrapbooks she made of her time with Pavlova and other materials.  She states in the letter she was born in 1894 upstate New York to a British physician and American mother, baptised at Trinty Church in NYC.  Her last letter written in 1920 shows her still dancing, however, she states she has pleurisy and consumption.  As the letters went to a dear friend and stop there, one can only think the outcome was not a good one.

We may be contacted at (*).

Bill

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[Trees]

How odd we thought Mascot was the daughter of Louisa WEISS a German lady was she also inventive when it comes to family history? On the 1900 census she was 3 so that is about 2 years out too and that census has her born in England but if her father filled the form in there is no reason to believe that
I really love this family they are far larger than life
Trees

[Harmonieautographs]

She state her Mother was Louisa White, who she claims was American.  Obviously if she had been German Louisa Weiss is the proper name.  However, she clearly states in the letter she was American and her Father Edward Pie Osbaldiston M.D. was British.

[Harmonieautographs]

Transcription of this letter:

"I am this Louise Mascot Obaldiston Born August 9th 1896 Born Lake Titus, camp mascot twelve miles from the nearest city Malone New York State (Lake Titus) is in the Aderondacks mountains near the boarder of Canada and at the time I was born was a wilderness.  Christened at Trinity Church Wall Street N. Y. City Father, Edward Pie Osbaldiston M.D. English, Mother Louisa White American, Marries Louis Vesely Czech Bohemian Chicago August 2nd 1916  Left New York for South America tour with Pavlova Feb. 8th 1917…Baby born Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Dec. 23rd 1916, Mascot Louise Pavlova Vesely.  Such is the sad history of my life, weep dear friends and be glad thine is not like wish and as now my hand is tired and weary and you are dreary of hearing from me……" 

[Trees]

Well that fits Louisa Weiss was Edwin Osbaldeston's mistress and we knew Louise Mascot was born in Lake Titus which was owned by Edwin and lost by him when he jumped bail having been convicted with Louisa for theft from a store in Malone they were arrested in Canada.. Her mother went on to marry fellow German Frank Lucas and Louise Mascot is with Edwin a physicianand his wife Alice on the 1900 census in Pennsylvania. We tink this Alice was really Louisa Wiess the age fits and Edwin a professor also listed with his real wife Alice and her children in New York the censuses being taken on different days)
Her father started life as Edwin Turner and as he went on adds first Osbaldeston then Pie to the name we tend to refer to him as ETO If you haven't done so do read the two parts of this thread it really is incredible. I have given Dinosaur the eyes up to your post she is a granddaughter of ETO and preparing his history I am sure she will be in touch (I relate to his first wife Ann Pratt who disappeared in Australia possibly murdered by ETO but we can't prove it)
Trees

[mc8]

I'm with you Trees--brilliant story of conmen and women across continents

I wonder if any of them were ordinary folk who believed the stories? Or did they all just chose to bury the truth and the evidence? Maybe the only one was Ann pratt, poor girl

[Trees]

Sadly I doubt we will ever know the fate of Ann PRATT but I don't think she was unaware of his activities in Australia after all  they took two cart loads of stolen goods from her house. They traced him when Ann tried to pawn a musical box from one of the burglaries Ann must have wondered how ETO had come by it. She was arrested with him but released. I think up to then she was genuinely in love with him and was disillusioned by his arrest for multiple burglaries before disappearing I hate to think she abandoned Mabel so did ETO murder her when he took Mabel off to N.Z. We just can't find anything about her disappearance
ETO was not above leaving his women to save his own skin. Poor Mascot's mother was arrested with him for theft from a store he put his property at Lake Titus up for bail leaving Loiusa Weiss to face the music alone

[Shiloh123]

Did you ever find where Dr. Edwin Turner Osbaldeston died? If not, he died in Asbury Park NJ, Feb. 18 1929. His ending is reported in the Chicago Tribune Feb. 18, 1929.
Also, the wife of  the bigamist Donald D. Stewart was an Ethel Turner Osbaldeston. She was arrested in San Francisco in 1922 according to the NY Evening Telegram of June 21, 1922.

Also found the tale of his death in the Brooklyn Eagle: Part 1- https://bklyn.newspapers.com/image/59872008/?terms=osbaldeston
Part 2- https://bklyn.newspapers.com/image/59872020

There are more articles in the Bklyn Eagle if you search under his last name.

Apparently his dau. Geneva A.T. Miller of River's Edge NJ inherited his estate and he was cremated according to the Asbury Park Press March 4, 1929.