Buda Godman

Buda Godman
Born	Helen Julia Godman (1888-12-04)December 4, 1888 Chicago
Died	1945 (age 56) unknown
Nationality	United States
Other names	Helen Strong Alice Williams Helen Smith
Criminal status	1916: Convicted, released on bail, jumped bail, charges eventually dropped 1932: Convicted, sentenced to prison in New York
Spouse(s)	1907–1910: Tell Taylor
Parents	Otho Godman Julia Conklin
Conviction(s)	1916 1932

Buda Godman (née Helen Julia Godman; 4 December 1888 — 1944) was an American actress, singer.^[1] From 1907 to 1910, she was married to the popular songwriter and music publisher Tell Taylor. But six years after Taylor divorced her, Godman was arrested and convicted for participating in a scheme to blackmail a wealthy business executive widower. Termed a " badger game," this involved framing the victim in an illegal situation of being with an unmarried woman against her will, in a hotel room across state lines, which, if true, would have been a violation of the Mann Act.

In 1932, at the trough of The Great Depression, Godman, under the name of Helen Smith, was convicted for grand larceny and sentenced to prison in New York.

Published stories about her crimes have not been romanticized. But her legendary beauty,^[2] social status, schooling, and perceived well-being and economic means, and financial support of family and friends that included Charles A. Stoneham had been the impetus for public intrigue, and, in some cases, served to minimize vilification. In the 1916 trial, she portrayed herself an innocent pawn in the scheme.

Criminal events

1916 Blackmail scheme

Indicted co-conspirators: Buda Godman, Helen Evers, Homer T. French, William Butler, Doc Brady (alias James Christian), George Irwin^[2]

In 1916, Godman, under the alias "Alice Williams," persuaded Edward R. West, a wealthy business executive and widower from Hyde Park, Chicago, to travel with her from Chicago to New York City. West was the Vice President of the C. D. Gregg Tea and Coffee Company of St. Louis, Chicago, and New York. While "Miss Williams" and West were in their room at the Ansonia Hotel, two men, impersonating Federal law enforcement agents, entered the room and "arrested" West for violation of the Mann Act.^[3]

The men transported West and Godman back to Chicago and coerced West into paying them $15,000 to avoid prosecution, embarrassment, and damage his and Alice's reputation. West reported the incident after becoming suspicious. Several of the male blackmailers were sentenced to prison. Godman was released on $10,000 bail provided by two friends: Mrs. Susie Summerville and Mrs. Rene Bernice Morrow, née Martin. Morrow, in 1912, had been acquitted of the charge of murdering her husband. Summerville and Morrow forfeited bail when Godman skipped town and vanished for four years. In 1921, citing lack of evidence, the charges were dropped.^[4]

Cecil Dudley Gregg (1867–1925) of St. Louis, who has no direct connection with the blackmail innocent, was the founder and president of C. D. Gregg Tea & Coffee Co.

This particular scheme is known as badger gaming — an extortion tactic where a pretty girl lures a wealthy man into a compromising position; an associate breaks in, takes some pictures, then they all sit down to haggle over the price.^[5]

Chattanooga

Buda, under the alias of Louise French, and Jack French were arrested February 2, 1921, in Chattanooga for producing and attempting to pass raised bills, a counterfeiting technique of gluing numerals onto a low-denomination bills to make them look like higher denomination bills.^[6]

Denver

Godman was a paramour of the Jackie French (né John Homer French), bookmaker for Lou Blonger.

Havana, Cuba & New York

After the 1916 scandal, up through the mid-1920s, Godman became the protege of Charles A. Stoneham, who, among other things, owned the New York Giants baseball club and in Havana, Cuba, owned the Cuba-America Jockey Club, the Havana Casino, and the Oriental Park Racetrack. For years, Godman's Park Avenue apartment served as a stage for criminals that included Arnold Rothstein, the gambler; Owney Madden, the Bear King; race track notables, and Broadway climbers. To the other residents of the apartment house, she was known as Mrs. Stoneham; for others, she had other names; and meanwhile the 1916 blackmail charges in Chicago had been dropped.

1932 Glemby jewelry heist

John Homer French - At the time of his arrest in 1922

In 1932, Godman, under the alias "Helen Smith," was arrested and charged for an attempt to serve as a fence for $305,000 worth of stolen jewels from New York businessman Harry C. Glemby.^[7] On November 10, 1932, Godman was sentenced 4 to 8 years.^[8] She began her sentence on November 17, 1932, as prisoner number 1652 at the Auburn Prison and,^[9] with other inmates, was transferred on June 30, 1933, to the Bedford Hills Prison.

Other schemes and collaborators

Godman had been involved in jury tampering.

Aliases

• Helen Strong^[5]
• Alice Williams
• Helen Smith
• Louise French (1921)
• Helen Taylor (she was married to Tell Taylor from 1907 to 1910)
• Mrs. Stoneham (fictitiously married to Charles Abraham Stoneham)

Associates

• Dapper Don Collins (pseudonym of Robert Arthur Tourbillon; 1880–1950)^[10] (1916, Chicago)^[11][12]
• Doc Brady (pseudonym of James Christian) (1916, Chicago),^[11] alias W. J. Cross
• John Homer French (1916, Chicago);^[11] aliases: Jackie French, Homer T. French, Jack H. French, John Fitch, John Filmore^[13]
• George W. Irwin (1916, Chicago)^[11]
• Helen Evers, wife of George Irwin

Family

Marriage of Tell Taylor and Buda Godman, 1907

Parents

Godman was the daughter of Otho James Godman (1863–1910) and Julia Conklin (1868–1930) of Chicago.^[14] Otho had been a well-known telegraph operator^[15] and, in 1903, the first to operate a wireless telegraph from a boat on Lake Michigan — the boat being the SS Milwaukee.^[16] Otho was also a horse race-sheet reporter, according to several sources.

Siblings

Godman had two older siblings: Hester Ann (1886-1923). She accompanied her sister Helen Julia (Buda) on the trip to Cuba and its return. The sisters were accompanied by Charles A. Stoneham. James Arthur (1887-1945). James followed his father in becoming a telegrapher.

Marriage

From 1907 to 1910, Godman had been married to Chicago music publisher and composer Tell Taylor. They married November 4, 1907, in Chicago. Godman had met Taylor about two years prior when Taylor had been a dinner guest at the St. Joseph's Convent and Academy in Adrian, Michigan, where Helen had been attending school. Taylor had just started his songwriting career and was appearing with a traveling stage company in Adrian. Godman and Taylor had become good friends before dinner was over but did not correspond afterward. Two years later, while attending the performance of "The Girl Question," by Howard, Adams, and Hough, at a theater (the La Salle Theater) in Chicago, Godman recognized Taylor and sent a note to him backstage, and they became reacquainted. After spending much of their time together lunching and dining during the following week, they met once again for dinner at a downtown Chicago hotel, and sent for a judge to marry them in the hotel's parlor.^[17]

In 1910, Tell filed for divorce from Buda in Chicago. In late September of that year, the divorce was granted. In the proceedings, Tell accused Buda of having "affinities" with other vaudevillians^[1] and stated, "I married Buda when we both were drunk and I found out she was quite incapable of loyalty to anyone." ^[18]

Death

Her date of death is not verified. She is believed to be buried in Tippecanoe County, Indiana.

Published residences

• September 25, 1920: 7437 Merrill Avenue, Chicago

Source: SS Morro Castle Manifest, departing Havana, Cuba September 25, 1920, arriving New York City September 30, 1920, Ellis Island Archives ^[19]

Charles A. Stoneham is listed on the same SS Morro Castle Manifest^[19]

• March 31, 1921: 7437 Merrill Avenue, Chicago

Source: SS Ulua Manifest, departing Havana, Cuba March 31, 1921, arriving New York City April 4, 1921, Ellis Island Archives^[20]

Charles A. Stoneham is listed on the same SS Ulua Manifest

Hester Ann Gagen (1886–1923), Buda's sister, is also on the same SS Ulua Manifest^[20]

• November 11, 1932: West 54th Street, New York City

References