The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-06-02
WEEKES AND HIS TWENTY-FIVE WIVES.
LITER lRy nFvEIopNFNTs-a urcu MOD Ar ro~p

| LITERARY DEvELoPMENTs-A HIGH MORAL TONE
We have received some very curious develop.
ments in regard to George W. Weekes, the late
proprietor of the Athenaum Our information is
entirely reliable and wonderful as the details prove
to be, they are nevertheless strictly true Weekes
| figured throughout the United States in the wear
eighteen hundred and hty-four, under the name of
! "Wentworth" and his brilliant career of swindno
will be remembered by many of our readers With
in a space of eight months he "established' news
/ papers in almost every prominent city of the Union
and had as many wives as he had journals. He
first commenced his career in the extreme east and
from thence proceeded to Philadelphia, where he
gathered together, by means of prospectus, suii-
cient funds to take him West
DESERVING his last wife, he proceeded to Lexng-
ton, KY, and there married Miss Hunter. Gin
1 1,ati next became his headquarters and he quick
under the name of Ella Went,rorth,s L,f iI;
new wife cnnvassed the city and subsor b-
ers, like the late Gamma Cora" and the success OF
the project was complete. To add still more to the
! nome treasury number of young girls en-
poyed as compositOrs and Gan association of ladies'
figured as the editors. Finding that he had etty
well CLEANED the place, Weekes bid adieu for the
season, to Mrs. W, No. 3, and with Mrs. W., No.
4, Journeyed to Philadelphia where another Ella
He'toorM's Journal was advertised-placarded and
canvassed for.
Taking large brick house in Fourth street, he
furnished it handsomely, and went to work on a
sun more extensive scale. Finding that one "Een
W entworth could obtain fifty subscribers per dav
at one dollar each, he multiplied the Elias by ten,
and employed ten more for the business rooms of
the "literary" Journal, which was to "eleyate the
tastes and reform the morals of the CITY of Penn
Posters and editorials from verdant editors an
nounced that "An association of ladies would man
age the paper, and none but females would be en-
ployed in the printing department. counting room,
etc. The young girls were selected with great care,
pretty face being absolutely necessary for the mr.
pose OF becoming a Wentworth
We do not in the least infringe on truth, when
we state that Weekes at this time, privately mar
ried six of these young ladies, and obtained com
plete ascendency the others. So well was the
VIllalny managed, that no one then doubted his
truth and affection. He planned trips to all the
surrounding towns, sent Ella Wentworths in every
direction to canvass and promise local journal,
while he also published for the time very nnaf
and creditable weekly paper in Philadelphia
Wife No. 3 in Cincinnati, who still reposed per-
feet trust in Weekes, having sold out the naner
there, made her appearance in Philadelphia, and
walters mystfed by finding three "Ellen
Wentworths" were already regstered-one hailino
from Harrisburg, one from York, and one Potts
ville-they having concluded to visit the city and
learned what detained their Mr. w. Exnosnre
could not be avoided. Weekes took the Cincinnati
wife, late Miss Hunter pocketed the grand cash. re-
ceived from the other twenty, suddenly decamped
and left scene of heart-rendng misery behind him
which pen cannot tell. The Sheriff took possession
of the furniture; the paper of course was "no
where" and the poor girls found themselves desti
tute and betrayed.
The next operations of Weekes were in Charles
ton, S. c. Under another name, with another paper
and his female canvasser, he was enabled in a few
weeks to acquire a large sum- With this he alb
seconded to England, leaving Miss Hunter with an
infant and completely penniless. After numerous
escapes from ofhcers, arrests for bigamy and with
dozen warrants for swindng ready to pounce upon
him, he wisely concluded to go abroad-but in his
usual provident manner, he provided himself with
Mrs. w. No. 25. What his career was in England
up to the end of last year, We have no means Of
knowing, our present information being obtained