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MATRIMONIAL AGENCIES' STOCK LETTERS UNDER THE GUISE OF
MINISTRY.
REV. JOSEPH SPENCER,
80 Madison Street.
Manager of American Book Concern.
Dealer in Religious
Books.
Chicago, Ill., July 26, 1905.
MR. O. W.
ZINK,
Marshall, Mo.
Dear Sir:
For many years I
have been a MINISTER of the GOSPEL and
during that time I have not only
performed hundreds of
marriages, but have arranged many, and there are
at the
present time among my acquaintances some half dozen
wealthy
ladies, ranging in age from twenty to forty or fifty
years,
one of whom is the handsome widow whose photo I enclose
herewith.
She is worth, in actual cash and negotiable
securities,
fully $50,000, inherited from her worthy husband,
who
departed this life a year ago and, as she is without
friends, relatives or children, her physician, a friend of
mine, has on
account of her utter loneliness advised her
to marry, believing that
marriage and change of scene will
prove for her a blessing in disguise,
and naturally she has
turned to me, her spiritual adviser, in whom she
has the
utmost confidence. I have several times talked the
matter
over with her, and, knowing that she is very much averse
to advertising, I have undertaken to introduce to her some
gentleman who
would make her a good husband, and to arrange
a marriage for
her.
As her physician thinks it advisable for her to reside
elsewhere than Chicago, I have been somewhat perplexed as
to how to
secure for her a suitable introduction and in my
dilemma consulted a
matrimonial agency and, after several
conferences with them, I have
decided to submit for your
kind consideration my proposition and manner
of procedure.
I have studied the matter carefully, have gone
thoroughly
into your description and instructions as filed with
the
agency of which you are a member, and in my mind there is
not the slightest doubt as to you two proving mutually
suitable to each
other. Of course, you cannot form the
proper idea of her from the small
photo enclosed, but in
age, appearance, circumstances, etc., she is just
what you
have been seeking in a wife.
She is in every
respect a thoroughly good woman, unusually
bright and intelligent, but
knows nothing of business, and
is in absolute need of a husband to look
after her affairs,
but, TO BE CANDID WITH YOU, I am getting along in
years,
and have a large family to support and as I only arrange
a few marriages at intervals, I must necessarily have
compensation
adequate to the service I render.
Now, I can, by recommending you
personally, cause her to
enter into a correspondence with you that will
undoubtedly
lead to your marriage, if you are still desirous of
such
a marriage, as I presume you are, from the fact that you
are registered with a matrimonial agency. I will, for the
consideration
of $100, introduce you to her by letter and
after you have exchanged
three or four letters, will have
you visit her at her expense, as you
may mutually agree, if
you will follow my simple
instructions.
I am not making you this proposition on the spur of
the
moment, for I have spent much time and thought before
deciding to write you, and all I ask is that, AS AN
EVIDENCE OF YOUR
GOOD FAITH and to cover the immediate
expense necessary thereto on my
part (such as asking her
to dinner with me a few times in order that I
may during
the good cheer that abounds at such times dwell at
length
upon the matter without any unnecessary delay), that you
enclose me immediately upon receipt of this letter BANK
DRAFT,
REGISTERED LETTER, or EXPRESS MONEY ORDER, for $10;
the balance, $90,
you need not pay me until after you have
married her and assumed the
management of her affairs.
Upon receipt of this small amount, $10, I
will absolutely
guarantee your marriage to her within sixty days and,
if
before that time you should feel that you do not care to
pursue the matter to a conclusion, I will positively refund
your money
upon my honor as a MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL.
My standing in my
profession is such that I could not do
otherwise and, as I have stated
before, there are several
ladies to whom I could introduce you, now that
I have
really taken the matter up with you, but I consider you
two
really suited to each other, so will not go into further
particulars. Trusting to hear from you AT THE VERY EARLIEST
POSSIBLE
MOMENT, I am, with assurance of my regards,
Very
respectfully,
WANTED A RICH HUSBAND.
Cedar Rapids,
Iowa,
July 15, 1905.
REV. JOSEPH SPENCER,
80
Madison Street,
Chicago, Ill.
Dear Sir:
You
asked me in your letter to give you a description of
the man that I
would like to become acquainted with. I wish
him to be as tall as I am,
to have dark hair and a very
good disposition. I would like him to be
rich. His age to
be about 45 years, also have a good education. I want
him
to be a temperate man, and to have a nice appearance, one
who is lovely at home, and does not care for society and
likes music. I
do not care what his occupation is if he is
honest.
Hoping
to hear from you soon, I remain
Yours truly,
MISS
VERNIE ADAMS.
Oshkosh, Wis., July 20, 1905.
REV.
JOSEPH SPENCER,
Chicago, Illinois.
Dear Sir:
You
asked me in your letter to give you a description of
myself, which I
take pleasure in doing: I am a young man 26
years of age, 5 feet 6
inches tall, weigh 140 pounds; blue
eyes, red hair; I am strictly
temperate, do not gamble;
kind disposition, a farm hand; have no means;
income $15
per month.
I would be delighted to make the
acquaintance of several of
your prospective rich women who are seeking a
husband. Send
me a list of those who are worth from $50,000 to
$75,000,
also their photographs, whereby I can make a selection,
and
I will send you your fee of $5. I remain,
Sincerely
yours,
THOMAS FLINN.
MATRIMONIAL AGENCY UNDER THE GUISE
OF AN ATTORNEY-AT-LAW.
EDWARD MORRIS,
Attorney-at-Law.
82 Madison Street.
Trusts and Estates a
Specialty.
Chicago, Ill., Jan. 4, 1905.
MR. GEO.
FERLIN,
Los Angeles, Cal.
Dear Sir:
I have
during my professional career arranged many
marriages for ladies of
means, and at the present time
have among my clients some ten or twelve
wealthy ladies,
ranging in age from twenty-five to fifty years, desirous
of
marriage, one of whom is the charming widow whose likeness
I
herewith enclose.
She is worth $60,000 ($25,000 in ready cash, the
balance
in high-class tangible property inherited from her
mother,
recently deceased). She is alone and childless and her
physician, on account of her bereavement, has recommended
a marriage and
change of scene, and in her dilemma she has
consulted me, her legal
adviser, and I, in turn, without
her knowledge, appealed to a
matrimonial agency with which
I have for several years had business
relations in a
professional way.
Out of the several names
submitted to me I have, after much
thought and deliberation, selected
yours, and I beg that
you will consider carefully my proposition and the
fact
that I am not in business for my health, but for revenue,
together with a desire to please my clients and to give
them value
received.
This lady, while unusually bright and intelligent,
knows
little of the ways of the world, and nothing of business,
and, to be candid with you, needs a husband to manage her
estates, and I
can, by recommending you personally, cause
her, through me as her
attorney, to open negotiations with
you for a marriage; so if you desire
a wealthy wife, as I
presume you do from the fact that you are
registered with a
matrimonial agency, I will, for the consideration of
$100
introduce you to her, have you visit her at her expense, as
you may mutually agree, and will absolutely guarantee your
marriage to
her within sixty days, if you will follow my
instructions to the
letter.
All that I ask is, as an evidence of your good faith and
to
cover the immediate clerical expenses necessary thereto,
you
enclose me immediately upon receipt of this letter,
BANK DRAFT OR MONEY
ORDER for $10, the balance ($90) to be
paid after marriage, and when I
have caused her to place in
your hands, or under your control, a goodly
portion of her
worldly possessions.
Now, if you wish to
accept my proposition, enclose me
immediately the small retaining fee
($10) and promise me
that you will follow carefully my instructions;
otherwise
do not write me, as I positively will not enter into
further correspondence until you have engaged me as your
attorney upon
the lines I have laid down.
If before the end of sixty days you feel
that you do not
care to pursue the matter to a conclusion I will
refund
your money. My standing as an attorney is ample evidence
that I will faithfully carry out my contract. Remember that
I have among
my clients, as I have stated before, ten or
twelve wealthy ladies to my
certain knowledge desirous of
marriage.
Awaiting your
immediate reply, I am
Sincerely and professionally
yours,
EDWARD MORRIS.
EDWARD MORRIS,
Attorney-at-Law.
Chicago. Ill., Jan. 11, 1905.
MR.
GEO. FERLIN.
Los Angeles, Cal.
Dear Sir:
Your
letter in reply to mine received, and I will say,
that as a leading
attorney, and a prominent member of the
bar, I could not act for you
until you have first retained
me as your attorney in this matter, and
sent me the small
retaining fee of $10, as
requested.
[Illustration: OH! OH!! OH!!!
AWFUL CONSTERNATION AT
PIKES CROSSING! DIRECTORY GOWN IN TOWN. BY
JIMMINEDDY!!].
Now, my
dear sir, if you really mean business and really
want to marry the
charming and wealthy young widow in
question, I see no earthly reason
why you should hesitate
for a single instant to retain my services in
connection
with this matter. You may give me good references, and
I
can give you the same, but that has no bearing on the case
whatever. I cannot, as stated, do any business with you
until you first
enclose me this small retaining fee, as I
must be in a position to
truthfully state that you are my
friend and client.
You may
have had unfortunate dealings with matrimonial
agencies, but as an
attorney in high standing, I am not
to be compared with such concerns,
and on receipt of your
small retaining fee, I will guarantee to do my
part and
arrange a speedy marriage if you adhere strictly to my
instructions.
Trusting to hear favorably from you at once, I
am,
Yours very truly,
EDWARD
MORRIS.
P. S. I do not ask for the balance of the $100 until
after
your marriage, and I have caused the lady to place in your
hands or under your control a goodly portion of her worldly
possessions.
EDWARD MORRIS,
Attorney-at-Law.
Chicago, Ill., Jan. 23, 1905.
MR.
GEO. FERLIN,
Los Angeles, Cal.
Dear Sir:
Your
favor at hand with enclosure accepting my proposition.
Now, I wish to
assure you that everything you write to me
will be treated in the
strictest confidence, and I will say
that it will be necessary for you
to follow to the letter
the instructions which I will from time to time
give you.
In order to break the ice, I would suggest that you
address
a letter to Mrs. Lucy Kline, in my care, briefly setting
forth the fact that you are a friend and client of mine,
and that as you
are matrimonially inclined. I have advised
you to open a correspondence
with her. You can say to her
that I have favored you with her
photograph, and that same
meets your approval, and that you would very
much desire
her acquaintance and what it may lead to. I have
already
taken up the matter with her, and she is expecting a
letter
from you, and in reply will send you her private
address.
I would advise you, after receiving her reply, not
to
write too often or too long letters. In other words, do
not
appear to be too anxious, for it must devolve upon me
to bring you two
together. The correspondence you may have
with her is simply a
preliminary introduction leading to
the establishment of congenial
relations and eventually,
marriage.
Important business
prevents my writing a longer letter to
you today, and in order that I
may be prepared to take the
matter up, I suggest that you write your
letter so that it
will reach my office in about one week from
today.
Yours truly,
EDWARD
MORRIS.
MATRIMONIAL AGENCY UNDER THE GUISE OF EMPLOYMENT
EXCHANGE.
Positions for Men and Women. Commercial, Technical,
Educational,
Professional. Those Hardest to Find and Hardest to
Fill.
G. H. CANNON, Manager,
Ohio
Block.
Chicago, Ill., Sept. 21, 1905.
MRS. A. A.
BURROWS,
San Fran. Cal.
Dear Madam:
I am
directed by a client for whom we transact much
business, to submit you a
proposition, which both he and
I sincerely hope you will accept. He is a
bachelor of
middle age, of fine appearance, and is the owner of a
large
manufacturing plant, as well as of a magnificent
residence,
in which he lived until recently with his aged mother,
who,
greatly to his regret, departed this life some six months
ago. Since her death he has felt the need of a woman's
guiding hand in
the management of his household affairs,
and it is to offer you a
position as his housekeeper that I
am addressing you
personally.
I beg to state that attached to the position is a
salary
of $75 per month, your board, and an allowance of $25 per
month for your clothing, and you will have full charge
of his household
expenses, including the employment
and discharge of servants, consisting
of a butler, two
housemaids, driver, cook, etc.
If you
accept the position his carriage will be at your
disposal at all times,
and you will be the actual head of
his household, with no restrains of
any kind upon you. As I
have stated, this client is a bachelor, and on
account of
his mother's determined opposition to his marriage
during
her lifetime, he has gone little in society, but since
her
death he has never ceased to feel the need of a woman's
hand
and presence in his home.
His first thought was marriage, but after
a lengthy talk
with me he very cheerfully acquiesced in the
suggestion
that has led to the writing of this letter, and now to
the
point.
I suggested that he allow me to secure for him
a
housekeeper who might possess the qualities he most desires
in
a wife, and then I consulted a matrimonial agency with
that end in view.
Your description seemed to fit so exactly
his idea of true womanhood and
appealed to him so strongly
that his first impulse was to address you
directly, but
being of a sensitive and retiring disposition, he came
to
the conclusion that he should become thoroughly acquainted
with you, and could not do better than allow me to carry
out my original
plan to make your acquaintance.
To be candid with you, this position
is a very lucrative
one, and will undoubtedly lead to your marriage with
this
gentleman, if you see fit to accept the proposition, and
for that reason I trust you will give it the consideration
it
deserves.
As he secures the help necessary to the running of
his
large factory through this firm, of which I happen to be
the
manager, you cannot but understand that I am thoroughly
acquainted with
him, and am in a position to arrange this
matter to your mutual
satisfaction.
It is a custom to charge a fee of $5, but in this
instance
we would make no charge at all, only our client,
insists
that we require our usual fee simply as an evidence of
good
faith, and that there may be no misunderstanding. If you
accept the proposition I have submitted kindly fill out the
enclosed
form and return to us with EXPRESS MONEY ORDER or
BANK DRAFT for $5,
which amount will be returned to you
as soon as you have taken charge of
his household affairs,
as your good faith will have then been
proved.
As soon as you can start for Chicago I will send you
expense, free railroad transportation, and if, after your
arrival here,
you do not care to accept the position, a
return ticket, etc., will be
furnished you so that you will
not be out one dollar of
expense.
This offer is made to you in the strictest confidence,
and
I sincerely trust you will so regard it, and not discuss it
with any one, at least not until all the details have been
arranged.
No matrimonial agency in the world can do this for
you,
nor do I think such an opportunity will ever occur to you
again, so kindly sign the enclosed form and return it to me
immediately
with the small fee necessary, or do not write
me at all. No harm will
have been done by having submitted
the proposition to you, but if you
cannot take immediate
advantage of it, I simply will not correspond
further in
the matter. Trusting that you will see your way clear,
and
wishing you well, I am,
Very
sincerely,
G. H. CANNON.
[Illustration: OPINIONS
DIFFER]
The above are illustrations of the method. Cannon, Rev. Spencer
and
Attorney Edwards are all one and the same man. We now turn to a
few
special examples of differences of procedure among the
various
bureaux.
A PERSISTENT OFFENDER.
One of the most
successful operators who ever invaded Chicago with
matrimonial schemes was
one John Carson, who, on April 8, 1908, was
fined $1,000 and costs for misuse
of the United States mails after
he had plead guilty to the charge, which was
preferred by Inspector
Ketcham.
Carson, at one time or another,
operated no less than eighteen
concerns of this nature. He was first
discovered in 1902 in Chicago by
Detective Wooldridge, operating no less than
five matrimonial and fake
concerns simultaneously. These concerns
were:
The Loretta Matrimonial Publishing Co., 98 Ogden
Ave.
The Unida Matrimonial Publishing Co., 408 Ogden
Ave.
Mr. John's Matrimonial Publishing Co., 565 West Madison
St.
Mr. J. C. Hills Matrimonial Agency, 565 West Madison
St.
The Chicago Mutual Securities Co., a Chicago Medicine
concern, 567 W. Madison St.
Carson evaded arrest and fled to St. Louis,
where he was shortly
afterward arrested by the postal authorities and
sentenced to eighteen
months in the State Penitentiary at Jefferson City, in
addition to a
fine of $500.
BOBS UP AGAIN.
In 1904 Carson
bobbed up again in Chicago. Since that time his record
is best given from a
report made to Chief of Police John M. Collins
by Detective Wooldridge, who
repeatedly broke up Carson's games. The
report, in part, is as
follows:
Feb. 9, J. H. Carson Woods' Advertising Agency, 62 Ada
St.
Goods confiscated; fined $25.
March 9, 1904, J. H.
Carson, Mill's Advertising Agency, 71
W. Lake St. Fined $15.
May 4, 1904, J. H. Carson, alias J. H. Hayes, 408 Ogden
Ave., raided.
Literature seized and destroyed by order of
court.
May 4,
1904, J. H. Carson, alias J. H. Hayes, 255 Madison
St., raided.
Literature seized and destroyed by order of
court.
Nov. 15,
1904, J. H. Carson, alias J. W. Bessie, 480 Ogden
Ave., raided.
Arrested; released; writ of habeas corpus.
Nov. 15, 1904, J. H.
Carson, alias J. W. Bessie, 67
Flournoy St., raided. Arrested; released;
writ of habeas
corpus.
Jan. 4, 1905, J. H. Carson and Oscar
Wells, promoted and
run the J. H. Hunter Matrimonial Agency, 164 East
Randolph
St. Oscar Wells was arrested and fined $50 by Justice
John
K. Prindiville.
April 19, 1905, J. H. Carson and J. R.
Ferguson, conducted
the Jesse H. Lee Matrimonial Agency, 84 Washington
St.
Ferguson was arrested and fined $15 by Caverley. The
literature seized and destroyed.
TURNS CLAIRVOYANT.
May 27,
1905, J. H. Carson conducted the Clay's American Bureau of
Correspondence, 62
Ada St. He was arrested and fined $25 by Justice
John K. Prindiville. The
literature seized and destroyed.
Aug. 21, 1905, J. H. Carson and J. R.
Ferguson conduced the Ferguson
Directory, a Matrimonial agency at 171
Washington St. This place was
raided and Jesse R. Ferguson was arrested and
fined $25 by Justice
John K. Prindiville.
May 27, 1905, J. H. Carson
conducted the Jesse Lee Matrimonial Agency,
84 Washington St. He was arrested
and fined $25 by Justice John K.
Prindiville.
Aug. 19, 1905, J. H.
Carson was arrested for conducting a Chicago
Matrimonial Agency at 171
Washington St. and 95 Fifth Ave., under
the name of Prof. John C. Hall,
Astrologist, Occult, Scientist,
Clairvoyant, Medium, and
Lifereader.
With this record behind him this rascal actually had the
nerve to
bring suit for false arrest against Detective Wooldridge, but
quite
naturally, he failed to appear when the suit came up for
trial.
He has not been heard from since the fine imposed on April 8,
1908, by
the Federal authorities.
AGENTS OF THE UNDERWORLD A NEST
OF POLE-CATS.
But crime is not the only long suit of the Matrimonial
Agency. Some of
these miserable frauds have descended into the depths and
wallowed in
the slime of the ultimate shame.
With unbelievable
effrontery they have attempted to trade upon the
basest instincts in human
nature; they have attempted to coin the most
abominable of the brute passions
of men.
Nothing can exceed the turpitude, the brazen shamelessness of
the
Matrimonial Agency, when it decides to go the limit.
Attest the
following from the literature of the New Era Advertising
Agency and
Introduction Bureau, Curtis, Clark & Co., Props., formerly
located at 112
Clark street, Chicago. This abomination was raided
by Detective Wooldridge
and the following sample from one of the
circulars seized shows the nature of
the concern:
"If you are willing to give your name and protection
to
one who has fallen and wishes again to enter the ranks of
respectability, we have some young women who have led fast
lives and
accumulated considerable money, and want to marry
some respectable man,
settle down in a new place and be
respected and respectable. THEY ARE
HANDSOME, STYLISH,
LIVELY AND FULL OF FUN: HAVE MONEY ENOUGH FOR BOTH.
They
will no doubt make good, loving and true wives for some
good-natured fellow who is not particular about their
past. Through our
efforts several wealthy ladies of the
demi-monde have married very poor
men in return for their
name and protection, given them a life of ease
and luxury,
and the opportunities are greater today than in the
past,
considering the fact that the world in general is anxious
to lend a helping hand to those who have erred and wish to
become
respectable again."
This pole-cat literature was being sent broadcast
through the United
States mails. In some way it evaded the inspectors until
the 23rd of
September, 1902, when Detective Clifton R. Wooldridge descended
upon
the nest of pole-cats, seized the literature, chased "Curtis,
Clark
& Co." out of Chicago, and made further evil-smelling
operations
impossible.
These abominations are now practically
impossible, thanks to the
activity of the great police detective. But the
above illustrations
shows to what depths the marriage bureaus can descend,
once they have
become started on their infamous careers.
November 26,
1902, Detective Wooldridge raided the Climax Matrimonial
Agency, located at
418 LaSalle avenue, which is situated on the North
Side, in one of the most
fashionable places in Chicago.
It was run not only as a matrimonial
agency, but a matrimonial paper
and mail order house. Among the literature
seized was a circular
containing a picture of the manager's wife, and of
which he sent out
over 300,000. which gave the description of her, which read
as follows:
SHERIFF DUPED--ATTEMPTS ROLE OF LOTHARIO.
"I am
23 years of age, 5 feet 2 inches in height, weigh 120
pounds, have a
turn-up nose, plain-looking and worth about
$147,000. I desire to marry
a good, honest, affectionate
man. On our wedding day I will give my
husband $5,500 in
cash, and one year later, if we are still living
together,
I will make over to him $25,000 more. No milk-and-water
man
need answer."
[Illustration: "GOT A GOOD HOME ALREADY PAID
FOR, AN' MONEY IN DE
BANK."]
[Illustration: "DES A PLAIN LITTLE
ONINTERESTIN' FAMBLY ROW."]
One letter from a Mississippi sheriff shows
that the officer of the
law is willing to forsake bachelorhood for a woman
who, though plain,
advertises that on her wedding day she will give her
husband $5,500.
This is the gay Lothario's letter:
Miss Ot--I
take pleasure in answering your "ad" in the
"Hour at Home." You stated
in your "ad" you were worth
$147,000, and would give the man that
married you $5,500 on
his wedding day. You say you are
plain.
I am good looking, so the people tell me, and if you
correspond with me we may come to an understanding. I am
willing to
marry you if you give me proof you have the
money, and will do all that
you say in the "ad."
I will do my best to make your life happy.
Awaiting your
reply, I remain.
Yours
truly,
W. M. M., Sheriff.
BIGAMY AND THE
BUREAU.
Where the Professional Bigamists Find Wives.
The
matrimonial agencies that have been investigated and suppressed by
Detective
Wooldridge and the postoffice authorities have disclosed an
almost incredible
phase of woman's nature.
There are today in the United States no less
than 50,000 women who
have been married, robbed and deserted by "professional
bigamists."
This fact represent the most serious phase of the matrimonial
agency
swindle, for it is the history of nearly all noted bigamists
that
they secured their victims through the matrimonial agencies. Of
the
thousands who become subscribers to these agencies, however,
comparatively
few ever proceed far enough to encounter the tragic
features of the swindle.
It might be inferred from this that women
are much easier to entice into
matrimony than men. Probably, however,
this is an untenable conclusion. When
a woman does start on marrying
bent, mere men fall before her like grain
before the sickle. Miss
Marion Rapp, arrested at Philadelphia, is known to
have secured eight
husbands in three years, and is suspected of having
captured six or
eight more. Miss Rapp is still young, and if her career had
not been
untimely cut off she might have made a record that would have
done
credit (or discredit) to her sex.
[Illustration: PUTS A SNAFFLE
BIT ON THE OLD MAN]
The sad experiences of people who have been
victimized by gay
deceivers, male or female, perhaps contain a lesson to
persons who
carelessly contemplate matrimony. When a stranger proposes
marriage
at first sight it may possibly be well to take a look into his or
her
antecedents. This is not the most romantic way to proceed, but it is
a
way that may have a great practical advantage. It probably would be
endorsed
by every one of the 50,000 women in this country who are now
looking for
professional bigamists who married them and ran away with
their
cash.
That the matrimonial agency business is not confined to Chicago
and
dupes of the system are found elsewhere than in rural communities
and
among the poor and humble is demonstrated by recent revelations
in
Europe. During one raid I seized a large quantity of literature in
the
offices of a swindling concern doing business under the name of
Mason, Brown
& Co. The "firm" advertised itself as the largest of its
kind in the
world and the only one "indorsed by press and public and
patronized by
royalty," adding that its "clients and representatives
were to be found in
every land."
In extra large type the information was conveyed to the
victim that
he or she need not be ashamed to resort to the agency method in
order
to secure a life partner, as the royalty of Europe used this
means
exclusively in contracting marriages, especially in cases
where
American heiresses were sought as wives for titled but
impecunious
foreigners.
When it was casually remarked during an
examination of a wagon load
of Mason, Brown & Company's advertising
matter the reference to the
titles and heiresses was the only true statement
it contained, there
were smiles of incredulity. American millionaires were
said to be too
shrewd and level-headed to enter into deals with marriage
brokers
when the life happiness of their fair and independent daughters
is
concerned.
[Illustration: (Divorce Decrees; Spring)]
It was
but a short time after this conversation, however, that the
following
cablegram was published:
THE CASE OF COUNT LARISCH.
"Aug.
25th, 1905: The alleged attempt to blackmail Count
Franz Joseph Maria
Von Larisch Monnich out of 200,000 marks
on a pre-nuptial note alleged
to have been signed by the
count, and the implication of army officers
and members of
the aristocracy in the marriage brokerage business,
has
caused more talk in high circles than anything which has
happened since the elopement of Crown Princess Louise of
Saxony."
It is said the Kaiser had to take a hand in the matter, and
insists
that this business shall be stopped finally and effectively on
the
ground it is bringing the army and nobility into disrepute
and
ridicule.
The harm done by these agencies is almost incalculable.
Foolish women
having money at their disposal fall easy victims to the many
scheming
scoundrels who make a practice of subscribing to the
matrimonial
agencies for the purpose of securing the addresses of
prospective
victims.
As instances of the harm done by these
matrimonial agencies the case
of Johann Hoch, who married fifty women, and
after securing all their
money, either poisoned or deserted them. He was
captured in New York
City, January 30, 1905, after he had married a woman in
Chicago, Mary
Schultz, alias Brees, alias Bauman, poisoned her, then made
love to
her sister, married her, secured what money she had and deserted
her.
Hoch was brought back to Chicago, tried for murder, convicted and
hung
February 23 1906. This is a glaring example.
[Illustration: IN
CUPID'S WORKSHOP.]
[Illustration: ROUTING HER THROUGH
"Ten dollars
extra, cabby. If you catch the train with her. She's
my
mother-in-law."]
The case of Fredrick Carlton, indicted on two
charges of grand larceny
in Brooklyn, New York, July, 1905, is
another.
It is stated on what seems to be reliable authority this man
made the
acquaintance of women in various parts of the country through
the
medium of matrimonial advertisements, married them and decamped
with
their money at the first favorable opportunity. Still
another:
Dr. George A. Witzhoff, champion bigamist, arrested in
Bristol,
England, October, 1905, for bigamy and given a long term in prison.
He
was wanted in many cities in the United States.
Witzhoff confessed
to marrying and robbing thirty-two women. Most all
of the women he married
lived in the United States, and were secured
through the matrimonial
agencies.
WITZHOFF'S CONFESSION--BOUGHT FIFTEEN WIVES FROM ONE
AGENT--TAKES
$4,000 FROM HIS FIRST WIFE.
"Then, one night, after
indulging in plenty of wine, she
confessed she had a child in Pittsburg.
I left her there,
telling her I was going to bring her child, which was
nine
years old. Instead, I went to New York with her money
($4,000), and paid my friend part of his money, and started
a practice
as a dentist in Fourteenth street as Dr. A. R.
Houser. I went to see a
matchmaker. He introduced me to a
widow of means. We got married in two
weeks at the City
Hall, New York.
"She had all her money
loaned away, so I was compelled
to seek another one, as Sig. Badillo was
hard after his
balance of $1,000.
"I went, to Philadelphia
and got a Jewish matchmaker again
on Fifteenth street and Fairmount
avenue, and he introduced
me to a Miss Jocker as Dr. A.
Houser.
"I got $800 from her. I paid Badillo $500 and left
for
Springfield, Mass., where a woman answered one of my ads. I
inserted an 'ad.' as follows:
"'A professional gentleman of nice
appearance, aged
thirty-two, desires the acquaintance of a
sincere,
affectionate lady, with some means; object, matrimony;
triflers ignored. Give particulars in first letter. Address
Busy Bee,
the Journal.'
[Illustration: (Man with many wives inside
heart)]
"I had about twelve answers to this advertisement, and
I
picked out a boarding house mistress, and ten days after
she
was Mrs. Westfield, and as she was a vulgar woman,
I left her two days
after. She had given me $500 before
marriage.
"I returned to
New York to wife No. 2, and a week after I
went to St. Louis and
inserted an 'ad.' as previously, and
got fifteen answers. There I
selected a farmer's daughter
and married her as Dr. Doesser. I married
and left her all
within a week.
"I came to Detroit, and with
her money, $350, I started
a dental practice as A. Houser. In answer to
my
advertisements in a German paper, Mrs. Piser came.
"We
went to Toledo, O., five days after our first
interview, and we got
married. I left her six days after.
"I came now to Pittsburg, as Dr.
Wolfe, got a furnished
room in Allegheny. In answer to an 'ad.' in a
German paper
a sexton's daughter answered, the ugliest I ever had.
Three
days after we went to the justice of the peace and got married." |
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