The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-03-26
SEVEN LIVING WIVES
Who are about to Make it Very
Warm for Bigamist Chaplin.
ALMOST INCREDIBLE STORY
ofthc Career ora villain orthe First
watcr--He Pleads Guilty and
Asks to be Sent to the
Penitentlary Quick.

FINDLAY, o., March 25.-The champion
bigamist OF the United States is in jail
in this city. The bigamist, whose name
is Hudson Chaplin, has a career equalled
by few. He was born in Marshall, Ills.
about thirty-five years ago. After he
had gained his majority he commenced
clerking in DR.. Smiths drug store, where
he remained for four months. He then
went to Greenville, Ind, where he mar.
ried Miss Cora Carson, on a very brief
acquaintance. Soon after their marriage
he commenced abusing her in a shame
full manner. Her father came to her
rescue, and Chaplin was compelled to
leave the country to avoid arrest. He
went back to Marshall and stole DR..
Smiths diploma, and skipped the coun-
try.
A few months later he turned up at n
small village in Southern Illinois, and
commenced the practice Of medicine
over the name OF DR.. Smith. Here he
met Miss Nellie Webster, whose hand
he sought in marriage. They became
engaged, and Miss Nellie, having great
confidence in her ailianCed, loaned him
$500 with which to buy home and live
in us soon us married. Chaplin disap-
pearcd, leaving his prospective wife TO
mourn the loss OF her $500. We find
him few months later Mt Fresno, Cal,
where he gave his name as Prof. Baker,
a civil engineer. Here he met, wooed
and won Miss Clara Jones, wealthy
grain growers daughter.
STEALS Ills WEES MONEY.
Two weeks after the marriage knot
had been tied he got S, 900 from his bride
for the purpose, as he said, OF releasing u
mortgage on valuable property in San
Francisco. He next showed up in New
Orleans, where he was detected in Il
thief Mt the st. Charles Hotel, and was
forced to leave the city to avoid arrest.
Here his name was DR.. Orrin l., Barton.
He next went to Baton Rouge, La.,
where he hung out shinglc, CDR. o.
Lawrence Barton, n graduate ofthe Ohio
Medical College"
The local physicians soon discovered
that he was All impOstor, but not until
he had won the heart OF wealthy
planters widow. He was arrested for
sending obscene letters to local ply
sician, and the Court ordered him to
leave the State, which he did in quick
order, leaving his latest sweetheart 81 900
short. He next showed up in Concord,
KY, where he !courted and promised to
marry Il widow lady named Cochran.
She loaned him $1,000 to buy a drug
store, and he jumped the village that
night. A few months later he turned
up at Usage, Ill. Here he joined the NJ.
+. Church, and soon won the heart and
hand Of Miss Carrie Blank, the organist.
After their marriage they took 5000
which the bride had saved by teaching
music and left for Seattle, W. r.
Soon after his arrival he began whip
ping and beating his wife in a shameful
manner. One month later he left his
wife sick and without n penny, among
strangers, and skipped East. He re-
turned to Kentucky and located at
Bowling Green, where he formed the
acquaintance Of Mrs, Smell, and after n
brief courtship they were engaged. He
told her that he had been leftan immense
fortune in Marshall ILL.,, on thestrength
OF which she loaned him sos. He left
Bowling Green and soon loomed up at
Erie, Pa, and advertised himself as Dr.
O. Lawrence Barton, the noted marine
surgeon who had saved four young IL
dies from perishing in the flames when
the Clarendon Hotel at Clarendon, Pa,
burned. He caused himselfto be writ
ten up in the newspapers us hero. His
crookcdncss soon got the authorities af-
ter rhim and he skipped for Cleveland.