Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-03-28
TEN WIVES
And Twenty Bogus Medical Diplomas.
Arrest Of DR.. Chaplin on Be.
fiOus Charges.
Evidences of Els RascRIity Shown Up b.
One OF BIS Victims and by the OoD-
tents of His Trunk.
Cincinnati Enauirer.

Cincinnati Enquirer.
FINDLAY, OHIo, Mafcn 23 AT 10
O'Clock Tonight Sheriff Cusac arrested
and lodged in Jail DR.. ]. M. Chaplin on 8
charge of bigEmy prefer ed against him
by his seventh living wife, lady from
Greebville, Ind. The arrest OF the doctor
discloses a most remarkable state Of
sffSirs, and 50 investigation OF his record,
now in the hands OF the prosecuting
attorney Of Wood county, r. s. Par
ker, Stamps Chaplin as being the
champion bIgam ST ard rascal Of the ag. =,
as it il Clesr he has been the husbs nd OF
ten different women, seven Of whom are
yet liviUg, and from none of which Was
he ever divorced.
The doct, came to this city about two
months age, and hanging cut his shipgle
began the practice OF medicine, tut 1t was
noticed he cid but little in this line, and
about three weeks ago he wss msrr ed 10
Mrs. Laura FfebergeT, 8 widow lv!Gg in
Nortn Baltimore, 8ho had over SIP 600 I
ready money in her own right, besides
valuable prop,rty. The amour Cement
OF the msIrisge was pretty generally Cir
Cu!ated and reached one If his wives,
living at GTeeDviile, Ind, to whom he
was married last August, and two monthS
later abandoned after securing whist
money she possessed.
Suce ihst tine this woman has de-,
voted herself to running down the doctor's,
history, with the startling result that stleF
found that he bad E wife living at Ftesbe,
Cal; one at Russellyille, Ky; oug 81
Madison, Wis one at East St Il 'uiss
IL and RnOther in Connecticut, bestsfe-
herself, not uniting the lsIest victim,
the WIDOW ABOVE named. Armed, 9ighg
letters from eEcn Of these ladies' and
documents proving their claims IS he
lawful wives ot the CAV deceiver,khe
csme here, and, laying her proofs Before
the Prosecuting Attorney, sWore out
warrant for Chs plin's arrest, and he was
soon in custody. In the jsil he Wss inter
viewed By your correspondent, to whom
he EGmltttd that he was married to the
GreeOvllle Cnd } woman, but, suppOsing
her dead, had married again. As to the
others he would make no admissions or
denials.
Toe sheriff and prosecuting attorney
examined his trunk immediately after his J
arrest, ard there found abundant proof |
of the mans duplicity and rsscality. |
Certificates Of marriage to three women, |
one In Maine, one in Pennsylvania and |
another in Michigan, were found, thus
swelling the total number Of bis mar.
risges to ten. Whether these last
named are yet slive it Is Of course, not
known, but will soon bs determined.
In addition to the Wilderness Of his q
Smous career, about twenty bogus medi,
cal diplomas were found, indicat.
ing that he had been prac-
ticing medicine under various names,
the most frequent used being DR.. Grin
L. Barton. a preliminary hearing will
be given the doctor before Judge Barnd
In the morning, when other developments
are likely to be made.
Chaplin is ABOUT forty years old, dresses
well, is dark completed and well built,
and has plausible wsy about him well
calculated to secure confidence. His last
wife Is nearly Frustrated over his arrest
md the unhappy disclosures which have
been made tonight.