Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-09-28
mAnn,ED ra,grY.rHaEE rInEs,
James Brown auicsiy Convicted on
tne evidence or Five victims.

A Detroit special says: When James
Brown. the champion Benedict OF the
| Northwest, tottered into the recorders
court room this afternoon be looked as
NJ the fact that he was the husband OF
thirty-three women had been sufficient
punishment for him. A good deal OF
sympathy was temporarily worked up
over Brown, and even those Of bis dupes
who we're present had their hearts touch
ed by his appearance. He came IN
palsied and decrepit His face was ashen-
hued and his hair and beard awry and
matted. He looked neither to the front
nor to the rear, and, stunning the eyes
of the squadron of women who once
called him husband, he kept his eyes on
the floor.
During the trial. which lasted only
three hours, it was developed that
Browns wretched appearance and CON
dition were due 10 eating soap, which
he had stolen from the Jail washstand
and which be had eaten purposely to
deceive the Court aud Jury and excite
sympathy. There was a very large at
tendance. There were old and young
women, blondes and brBnettes, bomely
aud comely women, richly and poorly
dressed women, and women Of several
nationalities. They formed a small
contingent of the dupes who once
thought that they were lawful wives
of Brown. The complaint on which
he was tried was sworn to by only
one of them, Nary Benjamin. young
woman who married the prisoner III tins
city on August 9th, last year. -Four
others of his victims were called to give
their testimony. These we're Helen
Brownlee, Annie Winters, Annie Nj.
Hazel, and Nancy Robertson. A dozen
more might have been called to give
their testimony, but it was unnecessary.
Five ministers swore 10 marrying Brown
to as many different women. IL is AS
serted by the police that Brown has mar
ried not fewer than thirty-three times
since 1888. His usual method was to adj
vertisc for a housekeeper, marry such Of
the applicants as he selected for the
place, representing himself as widower,
and desert his victim after a few days.
He lived with Miss Benjamin just six
days; with Miss Robertson, five days
with Miss Winters, three days with an
other two weeks, and the longest time he
lived with any one of them was month.
After the five wives named above and as
many ministers had proved those mar
riages, the prosecutions case was sub
mitted and Brown took the stand as his
own and only witness. He claimed to
be forty years old. then admitted he was
forty-fye, and finally said be was not
positive what his age was. 1t was plain
ly his intention TO play the insane dodge,
and be did 1t fairly well, cheerfully
and constantly contradicting himself.
protesting not to be able to remember.
and asserting that he WAS once confined
IN an asylum at New Orleans. He adj
mitted to having served in the Michi-
gan State prison for adultery, denied
that he had been in the New York peni-
tertiary, and with comical indignation
said the prosecutor was "no gentleman
to ask the question. During his exami
nation Nancy Robertson could not con-
tain her indignation and branded Brown
as a deeply dyed scoundrel. The jury
thought so, too, and convicted him in
Just four minutes. Sentence was de-
ferred.