The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-01-25
A GAY LOTHARIO.
tTae lightning Rod Man, on His Ira aveIs-An
AniOnndInR Cnreer of VIIInlny.

A"o hie ntnins no. M Mnsan OF OF vi nLaNe's- ~"
A correspondent of the Detroit Free Press
tells the folowing;--
There is now iucarcerated in a gloomy dun
geon in the Washtenaw county jail, and await
ing his trial for bigamy at the February term OF
the Circuit Court, one of the most married men
TO be found this side of Salt Lake CITY,, His
Lame is William McCarty, somewhat famllmrly
known as the "Lightning Rod Man.
The ''make up of this fascinating matrimonial
genius is rather calculated to ensnare confdng
7eminines and to cause their susceptible heart
strings to vbrate with vehement muchness
when in his bcwildering presence. Last sum-
mer McCarty made his appearance in the
usually quiet little city of Ypsilanti in his uu-
euualed = ole Of ''The Lightning Rod Man." He
drove fast horse, wore apparel of the most
faultless cut and style, his raven rtnglets were
always redolent of sweet perfume, he bore in an
enormous poclIet-book the most convincing
(bogus) testimonials of high moral character, he
could warble beautiful Isle of the Sea- in
most enhancing manner, and his rendition OF
Captain JinlSs upon the clarionet wvs perfectly
Irresistible. Then, too, he was an elegant con-
yersationalist. He succeeded in ingratiating
himself into the good graces of a widow lady
living In Ypsilanti to such an extent that one
day about four months ago there was first-class
wedding at her house, and Mr., McCarty was
again q seriously married man. But "William
was gay deceivcr," and once married, retired
from business, obtaining pecuniary assistance
from his wife only to squander 1t. His means ex-
hausted, he returned time and again like the he
chance the victim of his wiles discovered letter
written by woman In Ionia, which bore un-
mistakable evidence that there was more than
one claimant for the proud title OF Mrs. McCarty'
A charge of bigamy was preferred against him,
and he was duly arrested and lodged in jail. De-
tectives were employed, .prompt Investigations
followed, and link by link a chain of evidence
was forged that stamps McCarty as q scoundrel
Twenty years ago, when only eighteen years of
age, he was married at the village of Ayr, Onta-
rio, to one Maria Cope, then in her sixteenth
year. Upon two different occasions he deserted
his wife for the companienship of other
women, and, tiring of them, was again
received back and forgiven by the de-
serted. His next move was to Ionia county,
in this State. Many residing In the township
of Keene. that county, will remember his
cruel desertion of his family while living there.
For nearly two years the forsaken wife with her
two little girls were left in miserable home in
the woods, solely dependent upon their own
labor for the scanty support which they OBJ
tanned. During the war McCarty, being imbued
with patriotic desire TO fill the ranks of our
army, returned to Canada and engaged in
'cIimping," or in enticing men over the border
and selling them for substitutes.
While in Canada he succeeded by means of
fair promises in inducing his niece, a young
girl of fine personal appearance, to accompany
him to this side of the border, under pretense of
visiting his family. Upon arriving at Detroit
he at once took her to a notorious den of ill
fame, from which, upon discovering its true
character, she escaped, and having little money
OF ner own, succeeded IN returning nome In
the fall of 1866, at Ovid, In this State, he mar
ried one Nellie Davis, lived with her Tor a
time, obtained all her property, and then de-
serted her. Broken-hearted and almost penni-
less, she left the State, and her whereabouts are
now unknown. 1t is quite impossible tolmake
any correct estimate of the probable number oi
women now in existence who have been law.
fully welded to William McCarty, but there is
good reason to believe that there are one or two
who have not yet been discovered. Words fai
to adequately paint the character of this socia
vampire, whose pastime for ears has been the
foul crime of bigamy. just and speedy pun
ishment should be inflicted upon him, which
shall serve as a warning to the hordes of un
princpled adventures who throng the ranks o
society and bring ruin and desolation to many
family circle.