Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-06-24
WHOLESALE POLYGAMISr.
"eekes and his Twenty. y.five wiyes-I;,e.
'e'eP"ents-A High Moral Tone.
from the San Francisco CIo,,a

| "HOLEsALE POLYGAMIST.
"eekes and ms Twenty-Five wives-Ljte.
| rary yDeVeiepments-A High Moral Tone.
lFrom the San Francisco Globe.l
We have received some yerv cur;or. dsr.,o,
menus IN regard to George W. Weekes, late nro.
Prieooi OF the Athenaum Our information !.
enureiy reliable, and, wonderful as the detail,
bpo'e 10 oe, they are nevertheless strictly true
"eekes inquired throughout the United States
Ia tne year 1854, under the name of 0Went.
worm, and his brilliant career of swindIino
Will be remembered by many of our readers
Within a space of eight months he estabIisbej
newspapers In almost every prominent city of
.ne Union, and had as many wives as he had
| journals. AS ""~
he first commenced his career in the extreme
East, ana from thence proceeded to PhiIadel-
Pnla, where he gathered together, by means of
prospectus, sufhcient funds to take him West.
Deserung his last wife, he proceeded To Lex-
lngton, Ky, and there married a Miss Hnnter
CINCINNATI next became his headquarters, and
ne quickly created a sensation by getting mn n
weekly under the name Of Ella Wentworth =
journal. His new wife canvasse,i the city and
state Tor subscribers, like the late Gamma Cora -
ana the success OF the project was con- plete. To
Of roun ou, more 10 tne home treasury, number
Oh young giris were employed as compositors
ana y" an association of ladies' figured as the
editors Finding that he had pretty well
Cleaned the place. Weekes bid adieu for n sea-
son to Mrs. W. No. 3, and with Mrs. w. No a
lourneyed to Philadelphia, where another Ell,,
Wentworth's journal was advertised, placard-
ed, and canvassed for
Taking large brick house in Third stroet
ne furnished it handsomely, and went to worh
on a still more extensive scale Findino tb.t
one Ella Wentworth" could obtain ffty sub-
scribers per day, at one dollar each. he muIti.
piied the Elias by ten, and employed ten more
lot the business rooms of the Literary" jour.
nal, which was to elevate the tastesi and re-
form the morals of the city of Penn. Posters
and editorials from verdant edito.s snnounced
tnat an association of ladies would MANAGE
the paper. and none bat females would he en-
ployed In the printing department, countinp
room, " &c. The girls were selected with great
care, a pretty face being absolutely necessary
ior the purpose OF becoming Wentworth.
We 10 not In the least infringe on truth
when we state that Weekes at this time pri
vately married six of these young ladies. and
OBTAINED complete asccndancy over the others.
30 well was the villainy managed that no one
then doubted his truth and affection. He
Planned trips TO all the surrounding towns
sent Ella entworths in every direction TO cam
vass and promise a local journal, while he also
ble weekly paper in Philadelphia.
Wife No. 3 in Cincinnati. who still renosed
perfect trust In Weekes, having sold out the
paper there, made her appearance in Philadel-
phia, and stopped at one Of the leading hotels.
Here the walters were mystifei by findin.
three - Ella Wentworths" were already regis
tered-one hailing from Harrisburg, one York.
and one Pottsville-,hcy having concIndeS To-
visit the city and learn what had detained
Ms'r Mr. W. Exposure could not be avoided
Weekes took the Cincinnati wife, late Miss
Hunter, pocketed the grand cash received from
the other twenty, suddenly decamped, and left
a scene OF heart-rending misery behind him,
which. pen cannot tell. The sheriff took posses.
sion OF the furniture; the paper of course.
was I" no where" and the poor girls found
Themselves destitute and betrayed.
The next operations of Weeks were in Charles
ton, South Carolina. Under another name,
with another paper and his female canvasser,
he was enabled. in few weeks to acquire quite
large sum. With this he absconded to Eng
land, leaving Miss Hunter with an infant and
completely penniless. After numerous ESCAPES
from officers, arrests for bigamy, and with
dozen warrants for swinding ready to pounee
upon him, he wisely concluded to 20 abroad
but, In his usual provident manner, he pro.
vided himself with Mrs. W, No. Is.
what his career was In England, up to the
end OF last year, we have no means of knowing,
our present information being obtained from a
late resident of Philadelphia, who was victim
lied by the fellow, and who, in legal proceed
lngs against him, came into possession of the
whole details Of his infamy.
The arrival Of our informant in thi, CITY is
supposed to have been the cause of the sudden
departure of Mrs. Anna COra's husband. AS
Anna is an English woman, it is most probable
that she was the last acquisition previous to a
hurried departure for the United States. Near
ly four years have elapsed since the flight from
Charleston. Weekes, on his return from Eng
land, boldly commenced his swindiDg opera
tions in Texas and New Orleans, under his real
name.
few weeks sufiiced in that region and con-
sequently, in January last the pair cIandes-
timely left the Crescent City and sailed Cali
forniaward. Presuming on flush times in this
latitude, Mrs. "Anna Cora was told 10 raise
the tariff to 50, sum cheerfully surrendered
to the fair pirate by our gallant citizens Ano-
ther chapter Of this eventful history has closed,
and new one will, doubtless, be commenced
| in Australia.