The New York herald., 1878-09-20
SIX TO ONE
The Prisoner Who Was Waited
Upon by His Wives.
A RECEPTION AT THE TOMBSs
Some Points in the Career Of an Alleged
Confidence Operator.

ono O'Clock yesterday afternoon. requesting him "a
admit Henry 0tmann md six ladies. The SIX ladies
were all ANXIOUS to see Aiolph Honmann, who 10 .
prisoner charged with bigamy, whose con-
jugal allegiance is claimed by thaI
fourteen women, all widows The ladies hled In
In mournfui procession, some fat somo lean, thetf
ages ranging from thirty TO iorty i've years, and al
bearing severe expression oil countenance the OBJ
ject OF their visit being the Identification oil Adolph
Hoffman, as tue destroyer OF their marital bliss and
the appropriator OF their frugal savings
SURE or THEIR
They had learned OF his Incarceration, and the de-
scrpton OF the given In the press convinced
them that he other than the berayer who had
thus far boeu successful in eluding their grasp.
Deputy Warden Finley conducted the fair In.
quisitors, two by two, the cell Of
the gay Adolph, and pointed out to tha
ladies' the object OF their soliciuds The scene that
followed was decidedly amusing, and the bachelos
Warden whose galantry to the sex proverbial was
thrown inte state of trcpidaton les. the ladies'
should wrest tho door OF the cell from Its hinges and
lynch the unfortunate inmate the spot.
"rake him out," yelled one stout German woman
''unt we'll finish HIM ourseifs.n
''rar ana feather him," suggested anothoE
"Nover mind,' said third, 'ho married
me. He only promised to; but Pm glad to see him
undcr lock ana key"
RErRRAr
Gradually the six women persuaded TO leave
after having had full opportunity to convey to the
prisoner unbiased expression OF their regard Re
for his part, was reticent when confronted by 50
many Witnesses OF his inndciity, but wont brayeIy
through tho ordeal Sngulariy enough not ono OF his
wives evinced tho slightest symptom OF affection for
Adoph, but all Joined in ment don or
his practices No words OF sweet ewslI we're sx.
changed when the party leit tho cell
Adoph HOLMAN Is native OF Holland, forty i've
years OF age OF medium height. slender 1guro aud
regular features. His expression Is pleasing and his
ADDRESS would account Tor his url-
usual success with tho lair sex. AS Keeper
Hennessy remarked, "Adoiph don't look ike
u pad c,iow lie seems kind Of man VINO would
be always kind TO widows and orphans. suppose
that's why there arc SO many OF them here LOOKING
THE CHARGE OF DrGAxy
Adolph will be tried at tho General Sessions on the
specific charge Of bigamy 10 contracting marriage
win Mrs. Antonia Geiger, whom no marco
on the i2th OF June last. la contracting these
ali victims have thus far appeared idoattdod
| bin as the man who had beguilod them.
PRISONER
Alter the had iclt the reporter paid q visin
| TO the much married Adoiph, aud iouud nm pacing
| his narrow cell IN n conte en piative mood ho an
swerod qui.s readily wnen addressed saying. ~ SUP
pose you are another gentleman OF tho press come
inquire about these ladies"
The reporter made attempt to conceal the object
oil his interview, and then Hoffman quite
but two, nor they dout Know They are u lot Of
fools VINO have been swindied BY other men, aud.
seonR my arrest iu the paper, they pounced down
me, and were wiling TO idcntify as their husband
There woman who advertised for a IN q 70 60
into tho restaurant business with hor. Some man
| came aong took her money, and away with II
Shc thought that looked very mucn like him,
| was not quito sure, and beioro she went away was
| wiling to swear was the man,
| Hoffman went on to say that he DID not think he
ought 10 De considered guilty OF bigamy When arA
tho country he but years Of age,
apd married widow with Two children. He waf
obliged 10 leave her on account OF tna
| conduct oi one OF her sons, ard aftcrward became
acquainted with Mrs Antonio Geiger OF No. lag EasA
Thirty ninth street While going with a.
journey through Pcnnsy vana no wns robbed OF 5000
inis is the money, he says, that hc - accused
OF having taken from Mrs. Gcigor, aud hs
| evidently Tears her than nil the rest>
| II would Keep away, no says, he u
pretty certain the others would trouble him
tence for bgamy n, and, on being informed that ~
threo years. he iolded his arms aud re-,
prisoner being left alone TO sho enjoymsnt OF has nsW
| reflections
| uoFFMAss CAREER.
While continuing investigation of this peculiar.
case, the reporter met Mr. B kosuig. u private de-
iectivo, VINO furnished The following sketch Of Hod
"On tho zStn OF July last was employed by Z
| woman named Mary berscnor, who livod AZ No 432
West Thirty ninth street. Tho floor, front,
whero sho was employed houscxeepes.
man named Wilhelm Bergcner, aud SAID inss
when he married har Ia July, 1877 profcssed 10 be
yn anc ooy one chd al .ba, s,,os sic" vim s%n
pox Soon alter her boy, Charles, her nrst hus-
untrue. Tho boy became disgus,od With his siep
iather and went to Texas; but not hkiDg it there
wrote homo for Eoney to come back Borgener bor1
rowcd the sum $40 from a friend OF wsfcs
and the boy came home and Insisted that his mother
should leave her husband.
The latter then persuaded hts wife TO compcn
Charles 70 work, and took him himself 10 ma q
named Sei,z, who kept restaurant In Leonard street,
One day ChAsIes came homo and said that Mr. soit.
wanted TO see his ssepiathe.; that he didnr icsl
IKE returning 70 the business; as pn.,.asa he ais
came homo tho next day and complained q
hn wiie tnat Mr. sestz had bsen robbed of cigars,
charging the boy with the THEFT Ho stated thal
Sslz had demanded $780, but that he had paid him
only SIS settle the aaair. Tho wife became quisa
excited assaulted both iatner ana son, the latter
denying tho She charges brought against tn.
Two weeks isssr Mr. ssnz camo up 10 her residsno1
when Bsrseucr was not home. Mrs. Bcssoner told
him that be md accd very badly dem sndiug $i0U
whom latter expressed astonshmsnt at the
ment, anu SAID that he only 70 ask the return
| Of si3 which she. had loaned Mr. rgner Ia cash,
and inal was no truth whatever IN the charge
Of hcr boy having robbed nim of cigars anything
olss She then saw that husband q sw indlof.
| FOLLOWING poorsTEPs
Bat after Mr. seeizs departure she more mado
| up with him. Bergner then compelled the boy %
work again and forbade him 10 enter his house.. Tho
stealing and lying 60 further than honesty shall
follow The example Of the nan you call your
Sorgeoer heard subseqaenty .nat Charles was The
leader Of gang OF young ncn who shot man In
Wss.onss'e, ecany ssa sp'ns S nS mas ssnes oss q
Wno thu dis,rossod a, tho fate which had bsfaiiss
her son she noieed that her newly found husband
had considerable money, most Of which consisted Of
now ton aud 1y dollar bills. Whom l heard this
mado up my mind that tho widow chaser wa
probably passcr oil counterfeit money, and foi-
lowed Bcrgsner for days ana weeks, and asesr'
tanned that bis real name was wilhelm
Mott, born In Aiidort ooeramt welsshsim, in
the Kingdom of wurtemborg; that his fstbes
oWnoa me largest ho,el Ia tns place, and thai Moa
had served eighteen months In tho fortress Of Uu
for obtaining money In hts fatber'snams. Il sppesra
that amer sorving nis Uim seut 70 thia
> country by his iather In 1895, and ha9
ever since been hv,ng on tne receipts el
winch no travelled I ascertained 10 b
Bsrgensr, Grunsvald, Housman, HOLMAN anl
EcksteIn. tracked him to Boston. and oao OF his
wives has since found IN HIS pockets Icttcr recon-
mending a Mss Sophia Shcmmcll, by hef employee
Herman Fstcr, for honesty and industry. the iace
that said document was found In Honman's or Mot's
pockets regarded ss addtional evidences that ne
ust have practisod tho tricks there In Ncu
| York and other places.
/. ms BRoruRRs STATEMENT.
He has O brother named Charles Molt, WAGNER