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A FEMALE IMPOSTOR.
SIR,—Finding a notorious impostor, who a few months back took up her residence at Tenby, and by her proceedings caused me much trouble—duping the charitable and imposing on the tradespeople—has now commenced the same game at Haverfordwest, and, I am informed, has the audacity to use my name in furtherance of her designs, I think it right to caution the public against her, and therefore beg you will be kind enough to insert the following particulars connected with her previous career. Her real name is Mary Westwood, but she assumes the names of Sarah Westwood, Sarah Rosa Westwood, Gertrude Neville, and Miss Welby. She is about thirty-five years of age; five feet two inches in height; slightly made; a native of Shrewsbury, and assuming an air of respectability. On the 19th of May, 1857, she was convicted at Cheltenham, for unlawfully pawning property, and sentenced by the Magistrates to three calendar months’ imprisonment. She was in custody in the name of Sarah Westwood in the city of Gloucester gaol, in October, 1857, and was ultimately discharged; and in the name of Sarah Rose Westwood she was convicted by the Sussex Magistrates at Hastings, on the 24th of November, 1859, for felony, and sentenced under the Criminal Justice Act, to three months’ imprisonment. She is exceedingly well known to the police at Aberystwyth, Carmarthen, Shrewsbury, Swansea, Newport, Cheltenham, Bath, Hastings, and Tenby; and has also been in custody in other towns. Some of her relations once placed her in a lunatic asylum, believing, from her conduct, she was afflicted with insanity; but she was immediately discharged by order of the Commissioners in Lunacy, who visited the Asylum, from the report made to them by the resident medical officer that he had no doubt of her sanity. Her usual line of conduct is to call upon, and, by her plausible manners, seek to ingratiate herself with, Clergymen and Dissenting Ministers, and more particularly single men—this being done to enable her to victimize more effectually all within her grasp.
Should any, after reading, find they have been imposed on by this adept in crime, by communicating with their Superintendent of Police they will doubtless assist in furthering the ends of Justice.
I remain, Sir, your obedient servant,
JOHN MAULE SUTTON,
Mayor of Tenby.— The Pembrokeshire Herald and General Advertiser, 03 May 1861 source