"Born in Ontario, Canada, in 1857, Elizabeth Bigley (Cassie’s real
name) launched her bizarre criminal career at the age
of 13. Arrested for passing bad checks, police released Elizabeth to
the custody of her parents. 2 years later, after a $5,000 check
bounced, a judge acquitted her due to temporary insanity. [...]
Elizabeth relocated to Cleveland, living with her sister and
brother-in-law on Franklin Avenue. One day, she offered to babysit
for the couple so they could enjoy an evening to themselves. While
they attended a vaudeville show, Elizabeth invited at least 2 (and
possibly as many as 4) mortgage companies to inspect the home’s
furniture. Using these possessions as collateral, she received cash
payments for the mortgaged furnishings. Elizabeth found a new home
and invented a new name before the first payment notice arrived at
her sister’s residence.
Now known as widowed Lydia DeVere, in 1882 she married Dr. Wallace
S. Springsteen, a physician and former Civil War hero who had engaged
in fifteen separate battles within a two-year period. Their hasty
marriage is partially explained by Lydia’s tale of being next in line
to inherit a large castle in Ireland, an event that would turn the
doctor into a very wealthy husband.
If their marriage took place quickly, the subsequent divorce
occurred with even greater rapidity. After learning of her dubious
past activities, Wallace started divorce proceedings after a
marriage of 11 days.
In their short period of marital bliss, Lydia had already run up
substantial bills to merchants. When a newspaper published her wedding
photograph, her numerous creditors learned how to press charges
against the former Elizabeth Bigley. The doctor chose to honor her
debts, even though he lost everything he owned; creditors even seized
his stethoscope."