COINING CUPID'S WILES.

How Matrimonial Agencies Prey on the Public—Their Degeneration Into the Worst Forms of Crime.

$1,000,000 Secured by These Get-Rich-Quick Schemers Discovered by Detective Clifton R. Wooldridge, Chicago's Famous Police Detective.

125 matrimonial agencies in Chicago raided and closed in the last five years.

4,500,000 matrimonial letters seized and destroyed.

1,500,000 matrimonial agencies' stock letters seized and destroyed.

1,400,000 matrimonial stock photographs seized and destroyed.

500,000 photographs sent to the matrimonial agencies by men and women who were seeking their affinities seized and destroyed.

40 wagon loads of matrimonial literature seized and destroyed.

One of the most insidious forms of crime is the Matrimonial Agency. Seemingly harmless, or at most merely foolish, is the Matrimonial Agency at its inception.

But step by step within the past few years we have seen the Matrimonial Agency turned into a volcano belching forth fraud, swindling, bigamy, desertion, and finally ghastly wholesale murder.

We have seen the Matrimonial Agency sweep the whole range of the world of crime from the petty thieving of a Carson to the almost unbelievable horrors of the Gunness Farm.

THE SORROWS OF CUPID "He Does Not See All the Rocks Ahead When He Brings Two Young People Together"—Beatrice Fairfax.

And this monster is hydra-headed. Stamp it out in one place and it immediately reappears in another. Send a "manager" to prison once, twice, ten times, and the minute the prison doors are open he is back at the old stand doing business.

Something of the tremendous efforts being put forth to stamp out this evil may be gained from the headlines of this story, where the strenuous work of Detective Wooldridge of Chicago is summarized.

Chicago has been and is today infested by a formidable community of matrimonial agencies who invade all ranks of life. They promote many specious schemes to lure the elusive dollar from the pockets of unwary victims. These operatives are sharp, smooth and unscrupulous—the most dangerous of criminal perverts.

Were the census enumerators of the United States to compile a list of the "sucker" public the gullible ones would aggregate tens of millions. There is not a township in this great nation that does not contain its portion of confiding persons who are ready to believe anything, from the rankest catch-penny advertisement to a fallacy in theological dogma.

They are willing to open up their hearts to unknown matrimonially inclined correspondents; to accept as gospel the incredible statements of impostors and to pay out money gained by hard toil for something which the reason of a child should tell them it is beyond the power of man to provide.

They are easy prey alike to religious and political impostors and unscrupulous adventurers. Investigations for years past into the innermost secrets of swindlers, and the observations incidental to official experience disclosing how victims are drawn into the net of the grafter, impel the belief that the faith of many persons passes beyond the bounds of credulity into the domain of imbecility.

Men and women who are engaged in promoting matrimonial agencies are guilty of crime. It is opposed to the fundamental principles of society. Such a practice should under no circumstances be tolerated. It is inconsistent with the highest ideals of what should constitute the proper marriage relations.

Human Derelicts Are Dupes.

Human derelicts of a low mental caliber are the dupes of these matrimonial agencies. Few people know that such schemes as these are carried out. Few know that advertisements by men of wealth, women of culture and pretty widows who seek matrimonial alliances are merely means by which scoundrels get a revenue.

Matrimonial Agents' Methods.

To describe adequately the technicalities of the marriage agencies and bureau swindlers' methods would be impossible without presenting actual copies of documents necessary to the system. Early in the investigations the discovery was made that the scores of matrimonial agencies, "introduction bureaux" and "marriage clubs" were using practically the same literature. Few departed from the stereotyped plan for "pulling the suckers on." For the most part the prospectuses and "follow-up" letters were identical.

As often happened, however, when a victim was "landed right" and ventured to Chicago from his distant rural retreat prepared to carry out in earnest the game that had been worked upon him in a spirit of mercenary recklessness, the methods of handling him were varied in respect to both finesse and effectiveness.

Any person familiar with the uses of the typewriter easily could have discovered that the "personal" letters received from time to time were nothing more than circulars printed by the thousands. So vast was the number of the gullible that seldom, if ever, was an actual, bona fide letter sent in reply to those from the victims.

Space was left at the top of the stock letters for the insertion of the name of the person to whom it was sent. In their haste the swindlers often begrudged the time necessary to change the "Dear Sir" to "Dear Miss" or "Dear Madam" when a woman was addressed on stationery intended for male clients.

Notice! She's engaged but engagements have been broken so hurry before the wedding bells have rung.... Going! Going! Third and Last Call!

No Trust Here.

The general uniformity of the literature was at first thought by me to indicate that the matrimonial agencies were banded together in a gigantic trust. But later I learned that as they increased in number the newcomers exhibited conscienceless audacity in copying the forms used by their predecessors. It was also found in some cases several matrimonial agencies were operated from one address and one or two men, or a man and his wife would represent half a dozen concerns by changing names and locations every thirty or sixty days. Because of these facts and the added fact that whoever compiled the original forms from which the others copied, realized, he was in an illegitimate business, the plagiarists were never prosecuted. Thus the buncombe administered to the suckers became uniform in phraseology.

If a person desired to make assurance doubly sure for gaining wealth and marital bliss and he applied to several agencies at the same time, the same mail would bring him letters from each matrimonial agency with which he communicated, worded identically. They would be mimeograph copies, and the only difference in their appearance would be in the printed heading indicating the name of the agency. The name of the recipient would often be written at the top in ink different in color from the body of the letter.

Working the Double Cross.

The usual beginning is a small subscription fee paid for a "matrimonial" paper. This paper contains alleged descriptions of men and women, principally the latter, who are claimed by the publisher to be seeking wives or husbands through the matrimonial agency. The subscriber who becomes interested in any of the descriptions is made to pay a fee for more detailed information and alleged record of the financial circumstances of the person. There is sometimes an additional fee for a photograph. This picture may or may not be one of the person described, but that matters little. Almost any old photograph will serve the purpose. In all the raids made on matrimonial agencies collections of photographs have been found.

That tens of thousands of otherwise intelligent men and women should either entrust pictures of themselves to an agency by which it is to be sent out to unknown persons, or should even begin such negotiations as those carried on through the matrimonial agency, is incomprehensible.

The money derived in the aggregate from subscriptions to the matrimonial paper, the fees for particulars and those for photographs and miscellaneous "services" amount to large sums. With many of the agencies the services stop at this point, but many others undertake personal introductions of lonesome maids and widows to the invariably "honest and affectionate" bachelors and widowers, and when this is done there are other fees, depending altogether on how much the victims appear to be willing to stand.

A large number have been found and suppressed in which there was but one lonesome maid or widow and one honest and affectionate bachelor or widower, the former being the woman accomplice of the manager of the agency and the latter the manager himself. They answer love-lorn correspondents of both sexes and select for victims those believed to have the most money. If the assistant to the manager is posing as the possible bride in the case the wife hunter must make satisfactory settlements with the manager for conducting the negotiations, and this amount, with that which the accomplice is able to secure from the victim, amounts often to a considerable sum. After the victim is separated from his money something happens to prevent the happy conclusion of the marriage negotiations.

Two Well-Defined Forms.

There are two well-defined forms of the "matrimonial agent." The one is the man who openly runs an agency, who advertises "golden-haired young ladies, worth half a million dollars," "blue-eyed widows of languishing temperaments" and "wealthy farmers." It is through this class of "bureau" that the great crimes of the matrimonial business have been engineered. Hoch, Mrs. Gunness, Holmes and other arch-criminals made good use of this type.

The other type is just the plain swindler. The man who works along the secondary lines, as they may be called, would scorn to be a matrimonial agent. He is either a reverend gentleman of the cloth, a minister to whom some languishing widow is looking for spiritual direction, and he thinks that she "needs she should get married," to quote the East Side phraseology; or he is a lawyer who has a wealthy client, who, not being a business woman, is incapable of running her own affairs, and he again thinks of marriage as a solution; or, again, he is "an employment agency." This secondary type is generally a cheap sort, grafting on the gullible for five or ten dollars, or even as high as $100.

CONCRETE EXAMPLES.

Type No. 1.

September 8, 1905, John H. Harris, 168 Hamlin avenue, editor and publisher of The Pilot, a marriage agency paper, and manager of a cheap mail order house, was raided and arrested by Detective Wooldridge.

Among the letters seized were complaints from his patrons. They received no returns for money paid him, and averred his paper was being used to blackmail men and women. Complaints were also made that many of the names which appeared in the paper were not authorized, and other names attached to the order were forgeries.

The following is the copy of a letter dated September 1, 1906, and is only one among hundreds of others sent out by the thousands by Harris. Many more thousands were sent through the mail to his sub-agents, who worked on a commission. This agent employed other agents, who started an endless chain by copying the letter and having the friends do likewise.

Chicago. Ill., Sept. 1, 1905.

Dear Sir:

We have a very recent application from a brown-eyed widow of 41, medium size, musical, has no children. She informs us that she has recently come into possession of a fortune of over FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS, and that she wishes to marry an honest, affectionate gentleman. We also have a recent application from a pretty, blue-eyed lady of 20, who estimates her present means at FORTY THOUSAND DOLLARS, and her inheritance at twenty thousand dollars. Her form is graceful, her education good, her disposition gentle and she desires a steady, honest husband. We believe she would start her husband in business. And to accommodate those ladies and quickly find a husband for them we make the following SPECIAL OFFER:

Fill out the coupon at the bottom, and send it to us with one dollar (and six postage stamps) and enclose a sealed and stamped letter to either or both of the ladies referred to above. We will immediately mail your letter to the lady or ladies, and place your name on our books, and send you a certificate of membership for six months, and send you the full names and addresses of the handsome widow of means, and the handsome blue-eyed maiden of means, and also send you a list of names and addresses of other ladies of means and otherwise. And until you are married, or until the end of six months, we will, on or about the first of each month, mail you a list of descriptions, names and addresses of ladies of means and otherwise, without application from you or any expense to you. We have good reason to believe that either of the ladies mentioned above would make you a good wife, but if they do not meet your approval you can select one who will from the stream of ladies of means and otherwise who are constantly requesting us to secure husbands for them, which enables us to introduce you to those whom you would be pleased to meet with a view to marriage.

Faithfully yours, John H. Harris. Pub. of The Pilot.

John H. Harris, Chicago, Ill.

Dear Sir:

I herewith enclose $1.12 as full payment on the above offer.

Name ———— Postoffice ———— Street, or Box No ———— State ————

United States Inspector of Mails at Chicago Postoffice R. W. McAfee compelled John H. Harris to furnish him with the names and addresses of the two women heiresses who were worth $40,000 and $500,000, respectively, who were just dying for the want of a good, kind husband to spend their money for them, and were seeking marriage through his paper and matrimonial agency.

(Interest in Science; Marriage)

Harris gave the name of Mrs. H. R. Adams, at Huntington, Md., as the $40,000 woman and Jennie Ziehler, Lawrence, Mass., as the $500,000 woman. Upon investigation it was found that neither of the women was worth a dollar. The $500,000 woman was in the insane asylum.

This letter, together with The Pilot, marriage paper and its printed advertisements, was plainly intended to draw the unwary and deprive the ignorant of their savings.

John H. Harris then appealed to ex-Mayor Edward F. Dunne of Chicago, under the alias of A. Ingird, taxpayer, citizen and reputable business man, to have Detective Wooldridge stopped from further interfering with him or his business. Men who operate these frauds pretend to be honest and high-minded; by constant practice of their wiles upon others they develop self-deception and come to believe in their own honesty to such an extent that when questioned they assume a good counterfeit of honest indignation.

Mayor Dunne upon investigation learned the large mass of evidence gathered, and ordered the investigation to go forward, which, resulted in the arrest and holding over of John H. Harris to the Grand Jury.

Commits Suicide.

These complaints and evidence were turned over to Colonel James Stuart, Chief Inspector of the Mails at the Chicago Postoffice, for further investigation. A fraud order was requested. On August 18, 1907, Mr. Harris committed suicide by blowing out his brains at 168 N. Hamlin avenue, Chicago, Illinois, after the mask had been pulled off and his methods exposed.

One is unable to state whether John H. Harris is opening a mail order house, paper and marriage agency in the other world. When he left he did not leave word where he would make his next stop, but if he went to the other world, we are not informed that wireless telegraph or balloon companies have as yet perfected the lines of transportation or communication.

Harris is a fairly representative and concrete expression of the regulation matrimonial agent. It was through such agencies as his that the great crimes eventually were pulled off.

Secondary Types.

But in the following letters we have an excellent example of the second type, the little grafter who wants anything you can give, from $5 to $100. From the text of the letters it will be observed that this man was operating as a minister, a lawyer and an employment agency at one and the same time, as the letters are all from one source.

In the case of the lawyer this scoundrel was trading upon the name of Edward H. Morris, one of the foremost colored attorneys of the United States, a man universally respected and admired by men in all walks of life. When the fact of this trading on his name was brought to the real attorney's attention he was furious, and he cheerfully gave all the assistance in his power to Detective Wooldridge.

This smooth one was afterward arrested in New Orleans, convicted and sent to prison for a term.

Here follows the text of the letters:

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.

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.

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."

"GOT A GOOD HOME ALREADY PAID FOR, AN' MONEY IN DE BANK."

"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.

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.

(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.

IN CUPID'S WORKSHOP.

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.'

"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."

Deserts Wife After the First Day.

"There I slept the first night, and the next morning I was on my way to Cleveland, and started a nice practice with the $150 I had left. I paid the balance to my friend, Badillo, and inserted an 'ad.' in the Plain-Dealer.

"I had two answers to my 'ad.,' and selected a Mrs. Moore, a nurse, and a Mrs. Kreidman. I got from the nurse $100, and was making love to Mrs. Kreidman and Mrs. Moore, when I got a letter from wife No. 3, with whom I corresponded all the time, telling her I traveled for a firm.

"So I left, and forgot that I left in Cleveland a paper under the tablecloth which had my address in Brooklyn. One morning (ten days after I left Cleveland) two detectives came to the house in Brooklyn and arrested me. As there was no bail for my offense (obtaining money under false pretenses), I returned to Cleveland a week later, and there I married a bad woman in jail, Mrs. Kreidman.

"She gave $200 bond, but I left her four days after, as she was a bad woman. I slept one night at her house, and three days after I went to Chicago and went to see a matrimonial agent at 55 Washington street.

Identified in Chicago; Wedding Stopped.

"He introduced me to a nice Jewess, and her father gave me $400. I started an office on Fourteenth street, when a man from Philadelphia recognized me, and told her father, a rag dealer, that I was a married man, named Hausen, just in time to prevent the marriage.

"I left Chicago as Dr. Weston and went to St. Louis, where I started an office in Olive street as Dr. A. Dresser, and there I advertised and selected from a number of letters that of a farmer's daughter that had $1,000, and married her (Katie). Six days after I left her and left America and went to Roumania, and married a girl, a Jewess, in Pitest, and lived in Roumania as Dr. F. A. Shotz.

"Happy six months; I got 3,000 francs, and we left for Germany. There we had a quarrel, and she returned to her parents."

Dr. Witzhoff further states that the number of all the girls and women he merely promised to marry and secured money from would reach over one hundred.

One of the women Witzhoff married lived in Chicago, Ill.

May 13, 1903, John J. Marietta (alias Homer C. Reid, Harold C. Mills, A. S. Anderson, C. H. Huston, C. B. McCoy, H. C. Jones, Harold C. Reed) was arrested through exposure by Laura E. Strickler, a beautiful young girl from Cincinnati, Ohio, who boarded at the Young Women's Association, Chicago. She had been lured to the Newport Hotel, 73 Monroe street, where he proposed marriage and attempted liberties. Miss Strickler became frightened, jumped from the second story window and was badly injured.

Marietta married no less than six women, three of whom, Sophia Headley, Marie Butler and Flora Beals, appeared in court to prosecute him September 28. He was convicted. Judge Brentano's court of bigamy, and given five years in the Joliet penitentiary.

TITLES ARE CONSIDERED GREAT ORNAMENTS "For as it was in the beginning, the American girl came over and energetically pursued the Lords."

Marietta said he secured most of his wives through the marriage agency. Mills said to Miss Headley, after meeting her the second time: "How anxious are you to marry me? Make me an offer in cash of the sum you are willing to settle on me." "Three thousand dollars," she answered. "All right," he replied, "but you know I am from Missouri, you will have to show me." She gave him the $3,000 and they were married.

At the time of his conviction Marietta had in the bank $25,000, said to have been secured in the above manner.

BREAKING INTO THE NOBILITY.

How Titled Rakes Use the Agencies.

The marriage bureau is not a distinctly American institution. They know the animal in Europe, only there the operators refer to themselves as marriage brokers, and are decidedly more careful than their American prototypes to steer clear of crime.

The idea of marriage broking has thoroughly permeated the effete nobility of Europe. The broken-down "nobles," out at heels and buried under a mountain of debt, look to America for a rich heiress to whom their titles may be sold. For many years they looked to the brokers on their own side of the water to provide them with golden girls; but of late years they have been mixing with the American Matrimonial Agencies, sometimes to their sorrow, as attest the case of Count Larisch.

Woes of Count Larisch.

The story of the attempt on Count Larisch is not an unusual one. Briefly, the count, who is an Austrian, but who has estates in Prussia, was anxious to replenish his treasury by marrying an heiress. A syndicate composed of the men now under indictment, it is said, financed him. He set out to marry the daughter of Faber, the multi-millionaire pencil manufacturer of Nuremberg, giving his notes for $50,000, payable upon his marriage to Fraulein Faber. The venture was a failure, for Fraulein Faber did not care to become Countess Larisch. The noble fortune-hunter then went to America in quest of a bride. Whether it was on his own account, or under the auspices of another marriage syndicate, does not appear, though it is hinted the latter is the case. In any event, he was successful, and married Miss Satterlee, of Titusville, Pa.

On his return the members of the first Faber syndicate demanded payment, and presented a note purporting to have been given by Larisch without the qualification that it was payable only after his marriage to the pencil manufacturer's daughter. Larisch, regarding the Faber affair a closed incident, and declaring the note presented a forgery, refused to pay. The matter got before the public prosecutor and the exposé resulted.

Lord Bertie Cavendish—Champion Matrimonialist.

Oct. 24, 1905, Miss Gladys Simmons, Hot Springs, Ark., married Lord Bertie Cavendish after two days' acquaintance. He represented himself to be of noble birth, son of the late Marquis of Queensbury, and to have immense possessions in South Africa and Mexico, which he was unable to obtain on account of his banishment from England for serving against the British in the Boer war, due to the activity of British army officers against him.

Miss Simmons' mother received information that her son-in-law's name was not Lord Bertie Cavendish, but Douglass. By photographs and further investigation his identity was established as that of an adventurer.

Following is a partial list of his wives, several of whom have asked the court to grant them divorces:

Miss Louisiana Hobbs, Lambert Point, Va., near Norfolk.

Mrs. Mabel Duncan, Denver, Colo.

Mrs. Scott, South Bend, Ind.

Mrs. Beatrice E. Anderson, Fort Worth, Texas.

Market for American Heiresses.

There has been more than one similar scandal involving members of the high nobility and rich American girls.

It will be remembered last year there was a stir created by The broadcast announcement that Prince Hugo Von Hohenche-Oehringen, Prince Heinrich Von Hanan and Baron Berhard-Muenhausen, accused an Englishman, O'Brien, who was alleged to be the agent of Berlin marriage brokers, of attempted blackmail.

IDLENESS, TITLES, MONEY, UNHAPPINESS, NOTORIETY, DIVORCE

Among the Americans whose names are said to be on the list of this marriage syndicate, without their personal knowledge or consent, are the Misses Angelica and Mabel Gerry, the Misses Nora and Fannie Iselin, the Misses Adeline and Electra Havemeyer, Mrs. Lewis Rutherford Morris, formerly Miss Katherine Clark, daughter of Senator Clark, of Montana; Mrs. Francis Burton Harrison, formerly Miss Mary Crocker, daughter of Mrs. George W. Crocker; Miss Dorothy Whitney, the Misses Beatrice and Gladys Mills, Miss Gwendolyn Burden, and the Misses Florence and Ruth Twombly.

Government Officials Roused to Many Frauds by the Matrimonial Agencies and Bureaux Throughout the Country, "Agencies" to Put Under Ban the Swindling Operations.

Mrs. Jennie Scott, Arrested by Postal Inspectors, Tells Secrets of Her Matrimonial Agency.

The second blow has been struck against the affinity trust, of Chicago, and the second member of the alleged trust in Chicago, Mrs. Jennie Scott, a woman of many aliases, by Postoffice Inspector James E. Stuart.

This woman was arrested at her home, at 214 Thirty-second street, her "Cupid shop," where she received thousands of letters, descriptions and photographs of affinity seekers from all over the United States and Canada. She received them in the name of "Glinn's International Corresponding Association," to join which from $2 to $5 was drawn from each affinity. Thousands joined.

Same Literature Used as in Marion Grey Case.

Postoffice Inspectors A. E. Germer and Frank Sheron worked up the case against the woman and discovered that the same literature was used by this woman as was used by Marion Grey, convicted for the misuse of the mails in operating an affinity matching business at Elgin.

There were some changes, however, in the method. This is shown in the literature sent out by this woman. Her literature explains to the affinities that the business is absolutely honest and above board, and must be kept so. Under "special reduced rates," she drew in hundreds of women clients, many of whom sent in their pictures.

MRS. JENNIE SCOTT

TYPES OF "AFFINITIES" FOUND BY MARION GRAY, SKETCHED IN COURT WHERE BEAUTY IS ON TRIAL

Mrs. Scott operated also at 2208 Wabash avenue, where she had a room for receiving mail. She was known not only as Mrs. Scott, but as E. L. Glinn, Mrs. Jennie Call, Mrs. A. M. Harvey and Mrs. E. L. Glinn. She lived on Thirty-second street, with her young daughter.

Clients All Wealthy; Take Their Word for It.

Almost every client on the books of this marriage-fostering concern claimed to be worth from $5,000 to £1,000,000 sterling.

Many of them were alleged to have large incomes. Some were said to have children and are not to be divorced, but still seek life partners.

Witnesses Need a Shepherd.

Then, from among the queer little party huddled together on the benches at the rear of the big court room—a helpless, shepherdless flock—Mr. Shirer began to call out his witnesses.

First of the hungering souls who sought life companions through Mrs. Scott came Mrs. Mary Quinn, of Trenton, Ill., a short, dumpy little person of about thirty-five or forty, who was chiefly remarkable for the white hat she wore.

"I saw the ad.," she whispered—it was with the greatest difficulty that Judge Bethea induced her to talk so she could be heard ten feet away—"and I answered it. They sent me back a circular and a photograph of a nice-looking fellow who was said to be rich.

"I sent my $2 and wrote that I would like to get into correspondence with him. They sent me back word that he was corresponding with another lady just then, and didn't want any more names at present, but there was another one just as good.

Nice Letters Lack Rich Tone.

"I corresponded with him until three weeks before I remarried my divorced husband, last December. He wrote very nice letters, but he certainly didn't sound rich."

"You got what you asked for, didn't you?" asked Mr. Murphy.

"Oh, yes, I guess so; I'm not complaining."

The uncomplainingness of the alleged victims is the odd feature of the case.

JAIL FOR CUPID'S AID Marion Grey, Pretty Love Broker, Who Was Sentenced to a Year in Prison

Dr. Montgomery Porter, a graduate of the University of Arkansas, came all the way from his home in Pine Bluff, to say that he had answered one of Mrs. Scott's advertisements but had not paid the $5 fee, "which she charged the men members."

Porter C. Dyer, a graduate of the Ohio State University, who lives in Austin, O., said that he paid the fee and was disappointed, "because the names sent were not those of refinement and culture, as promised in the circulars."

Mrs. Flora Scott, a restaurant keeper at Middleport, O., tall and not particularly stylish, couldn't recall what any of the circulars said, but she was quite sure she hadn't landed a rich husband yet.

Southern Beauty Sends $2.

The handsomest of the witnesses was Miss Avis Christenberry, a stately brunette from Memphis, who rather liked the looks of the rich young man's photograph used for bait and sent in $2.

"They told me he was corresponding with some one else just then," she testified, "and I corresponded with two substitutes, but they didn't entertain me much."

Wilson Schufelt, a real estate man, said that he had rented the matrimonial headquarters to "Mrs. A. M. Harvey" for a mail order house business. Mrs. Harvey got her mail under the names of Glinn and Hill, and when the postal authorities became interested in her she told Schufelt that her name was Jennie Scott. At her home, 214 East Thirty-second street, she is known as Mrs. Jennie Call.

She was indicted under the name of Glinn. It was testified by E. J. Beach, superintendent of the Twenty-second street sub-postal station, that the matrimonial agency received from 50 to 200 letters every day.

She was arraigned before Judge Bethea and found guilty, on April 25, 1908, and was sentenced to one year in the House of Correction, and was fined $500.

THE HORRIBLE GUNNESS FARM.

The Ripened Fruit of the Matrimonial Agency.

But the giant blossom of this plant of hell is not bigamy, not swindling, not desertion; it is murder, wholesale, ghastly murder. For it is the matrimonial agency, nothing else, which is directly responsible for the unbelievable horrors of the Gunness Murder Farm, at Laporte, Ind., the revelation of the existence of which shocked the entire civilized world as it has not been shocked since the time of the Borgias.

This wholesale murderess invariably lured her victims to their fate through advertisements in a "matrimonial paper," or through an agency. She would insert the usual stereotyped "ad." of the wealthy widow lady who desired a mate, but always a mate with money.

Always being able to produce proof that she was well-to-do, it was an easy matter for her to persuade her victims to visit her at the Laporte farm. She invariably stipulated that they should bring a substantial sum with them.

Arriving at the Gunness farm, the prospective suitors were invariably impressed with the evidences of wealth and luxury. After a stay of a few days, during which time the cunning murderess would find out how much money her victim had, and whether he could immediately procure more in the form of cash, the victim would be invited to supper and his food drugged.

He would then be escorted to his room, where he would soon become unconscious. Chloroform was then administered, the body hurled through a chute to the basement, where it would be dismembered and placed in a gunnysack.

The sack would then be taken out and buried in a convenient spot on the farm. It was an inquiry from the brother of one of the victims, Andrew Helgelein, which revealed the whole horrible affair.

THE DEATH HARVESTER. A Crop on the Gunness Farm.

It is estimated that this woman, through the aid of the matrimonial agencies, murdered more people than any other human being that ever lived. She exceeded the records of the Benders, Holmes, and even those arch-assassins of the middle ages, the Borgias.

Lombroso Discusses Monster.

Dr. Cesare Lombroso, of the University of Milan, the world's greatest criminologist, in discussing this woman, said:

"In general the moral physiognomy of the born female criminal approximates strongly to that of the male. The female criminal is exceedingly weak in maternal feeling, inclined to dissipation, astute and audacious, and dominates weaker beings sometimes by suggestion, and at other times by muscular force; while her love of violent exercise, her vices and even her dress, increase her resemblance to the stronger sex.

"Added to these virile characteristics are often the worst qualities of women; namely, an excessive desire for revenge, cunning cruelty, love of dress and untruthfulness, forming a combination of evil tendencies which often results in a type of extraordinary wickedness. Needless to say these different characteristics are not found in the same proportion in everybody. One criminal will be deficient in intelligence, but possessed of great strength, while another, who is weak physically, triumphs over this obstacle by the ability with which she lays her plans.

"But when, by an unfortunate chance, muscular strength and intellectual force meet in the same individual, we have a female delinquent of a terrible type, indeed.

"In short, we may assume that if female-born criminals are fewer in number than the males; they are usually much more ferocious.

"What is the explanation? We observe that the normal woman is naturally less sensitive to pain than a man, and compassion is the offspring of sensitiveness. If the one be wanting, so will the other be.

"We also find that women have many traits in common with children; that their moral sense is deficient; that they are revengeful, jealous, inclined to vengeances of a refined cruelty.

"In ordinary cases these defects are neutralized by piety, maternity, want of passion, by weakness and an undeveloped intelligence. But when a morbid activity of the psychical centres intensifies the bad qualities of women, and induces them to seek relief in evil deeds; when piety and maternal sentiments are wanting, and in their place are strong passions, much muscular strength and a superior intelligence for the conception and execution of evil, it is clear that the innocuous semi-criminal present in the normal woman must be transformed into the born criminal more terrible than any man.

"What terrific criminals would children be if they had strong passions, muscular strength and sufficient intelligence; and if, moreover, their evil tendencies were exasperated by a morbid intellectual activity! And women are big children; their evil tendencies are much more numerous and more varied than men's, but generally remain latent. When they are awakened and excited they produce results proportionately greater."

List of the Victims.

Below is given a partial list of the victims of this inhuman monster, as it appeared in the Chicago American, Sunday, April 26, 1908:

Partial Catalogue of Mrs. Gunness' 180 Victims.

1. Max Sorenson, Mrs. Gunness' first husband—whom she poisoned.

2. Peter S. Gunness, second husband, whom she killed with a meat axe.

3. Her infant child, whom she strangled to death.

4. Miss Justina Loeffler, of Elkhart, Ind., believed to have been married to Johann Hoch and sent by him to Mrs. Gunness to be murdered and buried.

5. Olaf Limbo, Norwegian farm hand.

6. Ole Budsberg, a hired man, from Iola, Wis.

7-9. Three well-known men of Fort Wayne, Ind., who have disappeared in the last two years.

10. A horse trader from Montana.

11. Jennie Olsen, eighteen years old, adopted daughter of Mrs. Gunness.

12. Henry Gurholt, left Scandinavia, Wis., on March 12, 1906, saying he was going to marry Mrs. Gunness.

13. George Bradley, forty years old, of Tuscola, Ill., went to La Porte, Ind., October 20 of last year.

14. Olaf Lindboe, farm laborer, of Chicago, employed by Mrs. Gunness.

15. Lee Porter, of Bartonville, Okla., quarreled with his wife and answered one of Mrs. Gunness' matrimonial "ads."

17. Crippled man from Medina, N. D.

18-20. Three children of Mrs. Gunness killed or burned in house—Myrtle, aged 11; Lucy, 9; Philip, 5.

21. Body of unidentified woman found in ruins of burned house.

22. Strange baby left last fall by man and woman, as told by Ray Lamphere, arrested as accomplice of Mrs. Gunness.

23. John O. Moe went to La Porte from Elbow Lake, Minn., day before Christmas, 1906, with $1,000.

24. Armat Hartoonan, wealthy Armenian rug merchant of Binghamton, N. Y., who went to La Porte in 1906 in answer to a matrimonial "ad."

25. Charles Neuberg, of Philadelphia, took $500 and went to visit Mrs. Gunness in June, 1906.

26. George Berry, of Tuscola, Ill., went to work for Mrs. Gunness July, 1905. He took $1,500, expecting to marry the widow.

27. John A. Lefgren, aged forty-eight, disappeared from the Chicago Club, and is believed to have gone to Mrs. Gunness' farm.

28. E. J. Tiefland, retired railroad man, of Minneapolis.

29-30. A Los Angeles college professor and wife—names not yet ascertained.

31. Andrew K. Helgelein, Aberdeen, S. D., ranchman, the last victim, whose fate led to the discovery of Mrs. Gunness' crimes.

32. Charles Edman, farm laborer, from New Carlisle, Ind. Took $3,000 in savings to Mrs. Gunness' home.

33. Frank Riedinger, young German farmer, of Delafield, Wis., went to La Porte in February, 1907.

34. Babe seen by a neighbor, Mrs. William Diesslen, which afterward disappeared.

35. Unknown young woman visitor, seen to go to Gunness house; never accounted for afterward.

36. Unknown man, a widower, and his young son, went to Mrs. Gunness' house a year ago—never seen again. One of the bodies found on farm was that of a small boy.

37-57. Twenty-one babies entrusted to Mrs. Gunness' care while she was running a "baby farm" on the outskirts of Chicago all disappeared mysteriously.

57-180. Other unknown men, women and babies, who went to Chicago and La Porte homes of Mrs. Gunness, and were never seen again, are estimated to bring the grand total of victims up to 180.

This, then, is the crowning work of the matrimonial agency; this horrid burying ground of dismembered bodies, this ghastly charnel pit on an Indiana hillside. By their fruits ye shall know them. In the dread Gunness Farm behold the ripened fruit of the matrimonial agency.

RIDES OUT OF THE CLUTCHES OF MATRIMONY

She Steers Him Straight for the Lily Pond.

IN LIGHTER VEIN.

The Funny Side of the Matrimonial Business.

There is necessarily the amusing side in all this miserable trading upon the affections of fools. Some of the letters sent in to the matrimonial agencies are little less than "screams."

Imagine, if you can, a big, husky farmer, a collarless, coatless son of the Utah deserts, gushing forth that he "could live and die on love." Think of a staid and sober trained nurse who has arrived at the ripe age of forty pouring into the ears of the matrimonial agent that she "wants a man who is a flower," and also saying confidingly that she believes that she requires a few more years in which to prepare for the "solemn step."

One who is 39 and dark, blushingly admits that she is a "young girl" of loving disposition, and, since love is the destiny of us all, prays for a husband of fifty or thereabouts.

One who describes herself as "lively and frolicsome" frankly admits that she is out for the money and can get along without the love end of it at all. It is needless to say that this letter comes from the Pennsylvania Dutch regions.

Here are a few of the gems:

Could Live and Die on Love.

Huntsville. Utah, Dec. 27. 1902.

Mrs. Ellen Marion. Grant Works, Ill.

My Dear Lady:

I wish to beg your pardon if I appear rude in trying to personally introduce myself, but allow me to assure you that I am sincere in my quest for a kind friend, and it is nothing but the purest and holiest motives of the human heart that prompts the intrusion.

I saw your advertisement in the Valley Farmer, and in it I seem to behold the image of an ideal lady, who is well worthy of the highest esteem and admiration from a true gentleman, and how happy and thankful should the man be who is so fortunate as to captivate the love and heart of so noble a prize. Among many others your advertisement to me seemed to be the most suitable and impressive. While it would not be within good taste to express a great love for you at present, yet I believe that I could come as near living and dying on love as the next one. My object in writing you is to find if there should be a chord within our natures that could be touched mutually to harmonize with the word love.

I have been married and know of the joy and happiness of a kind and loving companion. Two years ago death robbed me of my greatest prize in life. Since then I have been baching it. I am tired of roughing it alone, and if there were only some one to meet me with a kind smile of approval I could work much harder and be a better man for it, and I do most earnestly and sincerely solicit your correspondence with a view to closer ties should our natures prove congenial.

Should you feel inclined to favor me I would certainly feel highly flattered.

Not a Flirt.

Please do not rank me with the ordinary flirts and adventurers, for I assure you that I am honest in my intentions and would not mislead or advise anyone wrongfully. My age is thirty-seven, height five feet nine inches, weight 175 pounds, have a good moral character in every respect, honest and industrious, without any bad habits, total abstainer from liquor and tobacco, move in the best society, am of a quiet, kind and loving disposition. Home is the dearest place to me on earth and I know how to make it happy. I can appreciate and know the real value of a kind and loving wife, and the dear lady that becomes my wife will find in me a true and honest husband, a kind and loving companion, one whose greatest aim and object will be to make his home and loved ones happy.

To you the above may have a smattering of self-praise and flattery, but the facts are wholly true, which I hope in due time will be fully demonstrated. Should you wish to hear further from me I shall be quite pleased to furnish any information desired.

Anxiously awaiting your acquaintance, I am,

Yours sincerely, Jens Winter.

With best wishes and compliments of the season.

AROUND THE CLOCK WITH A "HOME HUSBAND"

LOVELORN WAILS.

I want a man who is a flower, with love and affection oozing from all its petals. Maybe, however, I need a few more years' preparation for the most solemn of steps—matrimony. I admire a man of good physique, kind, gallant, conscientious, of good morals as can be expected nowadays, home-loving, and fond of children.—Application for a husband from Catherine M. Barnes, trained nurse, aged 40, Indianapolis.

Love is the destiny of us all. At times it seems it is going to side-track and pass us. Therefore, I ask you to help me to find a handsome man of 50 or over who has some money and can make more.

I am a young girl of loving disposition; do not powder, except on special occasions; can cook, and know how to dress on nothing or little. I want love and fidelity. Do not send me the name of any traveling men.

I am 39 and dark.—Miss Ella Miller, 837 Spring Garden street, Philadelphia.

Introduce me to a widow with money who wants a good entertainer and honest man. I have no funds, but don't tell her that. I play, sing and recite well.—Adam Werker, Glen Ellyn, Ill.

Her Ideal Husband.

"My ideal must be tall," suggests Miss Mary Hester, from Wayland, N. Y., "and a gentleman in every sense of the word. He must be of good standing socially and morally. He must be of temperate habits, kind, generous, affectionate, devoted—a man of ability, who would be a companion socially, intellectually and morally to a true, pure, devoted wife."

She says she would ask for no more.

"READ US 'BOUT WHUT DE FOLKS IN PITTSBURG AN' NEWPORT IS UP TO."

"I'D RUTHER BE MARRIED TO A WOMAN WHO WAS REFORMIN' THINGS OUTSIDE DE HOUSE DAN IN HIT."

This One Is Real Frank.

Here is another letter from Reading, Pa:

Dear Sir: I notice by Sunday's paper that you are looking for a wife. Now, strange to relate, I am looking for a husband. I don't know what your requirements are, but I do know mine, and the chief ones of them are money, a good home, less work and worry, and happiness. If love comes, too, I shall not object, although I have lived long enough to realize that there can be a sort of lukewarm happiness without love.

Be that as it may, I judge my capacity is sufficiently large to satisfy the sort of a man I judge you to be. Now, for the next item of importance—myself. I am tall and slender, five feet six inches high, and quite "figuresque," as one of my girl friends tells me. I am of the Irish-American type; hair medium in shade and profuse as to quantity; deep-set, very bright gray eyes; good carriage, on account of which strangers often consider me haughty—an entirely erroneous idea.

Am of a lively, frolicsome nature. I am full of fun, and no matter how black things are I always find something to laugh at. I am twenty-three years old, and decidedly domestic, that being, in fact, my only accomplishment. I am artistic only along some lines; have no musical talent and am not an artist, but I love both devotedly. Am very practical, in fact, and a good housekeeper. There is lots more I might tell you, but we will call this enough for the present. Should like to know something about you, and hope you will be as truthful and frank as I have been.

Sincerely yours, Mary Anderson.

ONE OF THE LUCKY ONES.

A Matrimonial Agent Captures a Rich Husband and Retires from Business.

Mamie Marie Schultz, a matrimonial agent, outwits the police and postal authorities after being raided and broken up, moves to other quarters, continues business, finds a rich man seeking a wife among her patrons and marries him.

September 11, the German-American Agency, run by Mamie Marie Schultz, 3150 Calumet avenue, was raided by Detective Wooldridge, the literature seized and destroyed. Mamie Marie Schultz was fined $25 by Justice Hurley. The evidence obtained was submitted to the postal authorities for action.

Mamie Marie Schultz fled to Oak Park, where she continued her matrimonial agency. After she moved to Oak Park she was notified "by order of the town board" to vacate, but she laughed at the order and enjoyed the newspaper notoriety she attained, for it only increased her business. It is said she made thousands of dollars out of her matrimonial agency.

With a stealth that is characteristic of his art, Cupid has accomplished what Oak Park officials had been trying to do for two years. He has closed out the Oak Park matrimonial agency by making a victim of his promoter in that vicinity, Marie Schultz, manager of the matchmakers' concern.

The postmaster, United States marshal and several of the town officers yesterday received letters signed "Mrs. J. D. Edwards," announcing that Marie Schultz "had been caught in her own net" and had deserted the village for a "palatial" home in Seattle, Wash., where her new husband, J. D. Edwards, is a wealthy lumber dealer.

Swift Courtship by Edwards.

Edwards, it is said, arrived in Oak Park on Tuesday, and after a whirlwind courtship this "Lochinvar who came out of the West" had won the whole matrimonial agency.

"Marie," the name in which all her extensive advertising was done, has defeated the officials of Chicago, Oak Park, and even the United States postoffice inspector, in every effort they made to suppress her enterprise.

To Postmaster Hutchinson she wrote requesting that all letters addressed to the agency be returned to the writers, as she didn't "want any more of their money." The postoffice force was burdened with the task of mailing back to some 500 lovelorn men and maidens the letters which had accumulated in "Marie's" postoffice box.

But the bleatings of the overgrown calf from Utah, and the wails of the maiden lady who desires a "flower" for a mate are both eclipsed by the mushy outpourings of a Chicago business man.

This fellow evidently possesses the artistic temperament. Not only is he moved to write prose poetry, "to bay the moon of love," but he insists on inserting illustrative sketches of an ardent wooing.

He has forged the white heat of his passion, which evidently puts Ella Wheeler Wilcox at her fiercest to shame, into pictures. Here we behold him, hand in hand with his beloved, under the kindly stars. There, more prosaic, it is true, but still quite passionate, is the drawing room scene, with the lady seated on his knee. Behold the works of genius when love impels.

The Festive Farm Hand Frivols.

Among the hundreds of applications for a wife Detective Wooldridge found one from Jacob C. Miller, of Martinsville. Pa. Miller filled out the application blank as follows:

Q. Where born? A. Lancaster, Pa.

Q. What language do you speak? A. English.

Q. Nationality? A. White.

Q. Weight? A. 130.

Q. Color of eyes? A. Greenish blue.

Q. Color of hair? A. Brown on a little patch.

Q. Complexion? A. Fair.

Q. Circumference of chest? A. 36 inches.

Q. Circumference of waist? A. 36 inches.

Q. Circumference of head (just above ears)? A. 13 inches.

Q. Circumference of neck? A. Wear 15-1/2 collar.

Q. Profession? A. Farm hand.

Q. Income per year? A. Nothing.

Q. Extent of education: common, high school or university? A. Common.

Q. Do you use tobacco or liquor? A. I use a little tobacco, but no liquor.

Q. How much real estate do you own? A. Nothing.

Q. Do any of the pictures we have submitted to you suit, and will you marry? A. Yes, the one with the turned-up nose.

Q. If we secured you a wife worth $250,000 would you be willing to pay us a small commission for our trouble? A. Yes.

THE FAKER AND THE PRESS.

Some Newspapers Are Buncoed, While Others Willingly Assist Rascals.

Strangely enough, the abomination known as the "matrimonial agency," bureau or what-not, has succeeded in hoodwinking the great American press to a certain extent.

Advertisements appear in leading journals all over the country. Without this the great fraud could not exist ten minutes. There are numberless instances, we are quite sure, where the publishers have no suspicion that they are furthering the cause of scoundrels. In others, we regret to say, the motive for accepting these advertisements is traceable to nothing more or less than just the plain greed of the publisher.

It is impossible for a private citizen to prophesy whether the entire power of the government of the United States can purify the columns of some of our greedy newspapers.

HOW TO TRAIN A HUSBAND

These matrimonial agencies are frauds. The newspaper man knows this and takes their money for the advertisements, and becomes a messenger of a crime for a paltry sum, and if I were the District Attorney I would get busy and call the attention of the Postmaster General to these alleged newspapers for the purpose of shutting off their distribution through the mails.

Here are a few samples of the ads appearing in the reputable daily press of the country:

MATRIMONIAL AGENCIES' ADVERTISEMENTS FOR RICH WIVES AND HUSBANDS.

They Appear in All the Leading Newspapers Throughout the Country.

This is a very select list of ten ladies picked at random from our books by one of the leading newspaper reporters of this city, February 1, 1904:

Minnesota Maiden—30 yrs., 5 ft. 2 in., weight 128 lbs.; brown hair, blue eyes; has $10,500.

Missouri Maiden—28 yrs., 5 ft. 7 in., weight 150 lbs.; blonde, blue eyes, German; has $4,800.

Pennsylvania Maiden—20 yrs., 5 ft. 4 in., weight 132 lbs.; light hair, blue eyes; will inherit $30,000, provided she is married on her 21st birthday.

Can a Man or Woman Know Each Other Before Marriage?

BEFORE.

"When he was wooing her, Romeo devoted his time to thinking of delicate little attentions that he could pay Juliet, and of things he could do to make her happy."

AFTER.

On Christmas he is liable to shove a dollar or two at his wife, remarking: "Get yourself something. I don't know what you want, and I haven't time to fool with it."

"ONE HOUR OF IT IS WORTH LIVIN' FOR AN' DYIN' FOR."

"AN' DAT WOMEN'S CLUBS IS DE CAUSE OF ALL DE PO' LITTLE NEGLECTED CHILLEN."

Wisconsin Widow—49 yrs., 5 ft. 3 in., weight 130 lbs.; black hair, black eyes; no children; worth $15,000. Will marry elderly man.

Indiana Maiden—29 yrs., 5 ft. 4 in., weight 122 lbs.; brown hair, blue eyes; pretty and worth $7,000. Would marry farmer.

Illinois Maiden—21 yrs., 5 ft. 8 in., weight 140 lbs.; chestnut hair, blue eyes; worth $40,000; is a cripple. Will marry kind man who will overlook her misfortune.

New Jersey Widow—28 yrs., 4 ft. 11 in., weight 150 lbs.; brown hair, blue eyes, one child; worth $35,000. Will marry and assist husband financially.

Ohio Farmers Daughter—Orphan, 25 yrs., 5 ft. 7 in.; brown hair, gray eyes; has large farm. Alone, will marry immediately, farmer preferred.

Montana Maiden—Half-breed Indian, age 25, 5 ft. 4 in., 130 lbs.; black hair, black eyes; has large ranch. Will marry honest white man.

Illinois Bachelor Girl—Age 35, 5 ft. 7 in., 160 lbs.; black hair, brown eyes; owns fine estate, valued at thousands. Would marry gentleman of equal wealth.

Pennsylvania.

Beautiful maiden lady, refined and well educated; American; blonde, age 37 years, height 5 ft. 4 in., weight 106 pounds; worth $30,000.

Nebraska.

Stylish young brunette, fond of society; American; age 28 years, height 5 ft. 3 in., weight 135 pounds; Baptist, and worth $25,000; income $3,000 a year.

Ohio.

Stately widow, age 49 years, handsome and remarkably well preserved; height 5 ft. 6 in., weight 160 lbs.; no children; worth $5,000; wants elderly husband.

Kentucky.

Beautiful blonde Southern girl, educated and refined; age 21, height 5 ft. 2 in., weight 115 lbs.; American, and worth $10,000; wants nice-looking husband.

Pretty little girl, age 19 years, height 5 ft. 3 in., weight 112 lbs.; American; worth $10,000. Says she is very anxious to marry.

Boston, Mass.

Fine-looking lady, age 37 years, height 5 ft. 3 in., weight 140 lbs.; American, Protestant, and worth $20,000.

Young lady, blonde, age 25 years, weight 128 lbs., height 5 ft.; American, Methodist; income $720 a year; worth $25,000.

Chicago, Ill.

Maiden, age 26 years, height 5 ft. 4 in., weight 140 lbs.; Scotch, Protestant, Methodist; income $1,200 per year; worth $75,000.

Monroe Co., Pa.

Young lady, age 23 years, very pretty, height 5 ft. 5 in., weight 150 lbs.; German, Methodist; worth $12,000.

Dover, N. H.

Stylish, brown-eyed lady, age 24 years, height 5 ft. 6 in., weight 135 pounds; American, Methodist; worth $50,000.

New York City.

Young widow, age 32 years, height 5 ft. 5 in., weight 140 lbs.; Irish Catholic; worth $40,000.

Utah.

Maiden lady, age not mentioned, height 5 ft., weight 120 lbs.; worth $35,000.

And all this, ridiculous, murderous and otherwise, is all outside the pale of the law. The matrimonial agency is a crime per se. It is a criminal institution. It has been pronounced to be such by the best and foremost judges of the United States, Germany and Great Britain.

Judge Klerbach, sitting in the case of a marriage broker at Goettingen, Germany, in 1903, declared that the marriage broker was a criminal in intent, from the very nature of his business.

In the celebrated case of Alan Murray vs. Jeanie McDonald at Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1898, Justice Grahame pronounced from the judicial seat one of the most scathing arraignments of the marriage bureau ever delivered. "Leeches upon the body social, blood-suckers, destroyers of womanhood, abominations of the bottomless pit," were some of the phrases used by Justice Grahame in denouncing Murray.

In the petty sessions at Tinahely, Ireland, Justice O'Gorman in May, 1905, is reported in the Wicklow People, a newspaper which has a wide circulation in the South of Ireland, as fiercely denouncing the marriage broker business. The Justice declared that the marriage broker was a wolf, "preying upon the weaknesses of humanity, a pander to the lowest instincts"; that he had no right to demand the interference of the law in his behalf, but rather that the law should always be exercised for the suppression of his nefarious traffic.

Same Thing Nearer Home.

To get nearer home. In the Chicago American, February 12, 1903, Judge Neely, in the case of the State vs. Hattie Howard, declared from the bench that to "sell men and women in marriage is the height of crime." Judge Neely further said:

"Men and women who engage in this business of promoting matrimony for money are guilty of crime. It is opposed to the fundamental principles of society. Such a practice should under no circumstances be tolerated. This practice should be stopped. The trade should be killed. The courts should make it their business to discourage this thing in a way that may be easily understood."

Judge Kohlsaat, of Chicago, has inveighed against the practice in equally vehement terms. Judge Kohlsaat declares that "the Police Department of Chicago is entitled to great credit for what it has done in discouraging this business. I hope it will continue its vigilance until every promoter of marriages of this character has been compelled to leave the city. They should make such criminals give the city a wide berth."

There, then, is the law. The business is a crime in its very nature. It leads to bigamy and wholesale murder. It is made the instrument of the thief, the swindler and the murderer. How much longer will the American people look with calmness upon these practices, upon these abominations, which make a stench of the very air of the great and free country in which we live? The answer is up to you.