The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-10-06
CLINE'S ANNIE. !"
! Seattle Man Was Worked
for q Sucker"
8 CAME OF a PRECIOUS PAIR.
q. Cosraft and Franklin Coon's
-. ~ rieecing Love-sick SWANS
!. uatrtmonial Advertisements.

S..nneeeYs OF the Binghampton Masrl.
sssI Bureau entered plea of guilty to
~ ~ mails for fraudulent purposes,
q esre sent 10 the penitentiary.
& ,eems that about year ago bright,
-. eood-looking little woman named
- Anna Cocraft met up with Frank
& Coon in New York city. Coon is de-
.tbed a being sneaky, repuisive look
4. ittIe business man. who would bear
So vaiching. He was doing successful
.sInx business at the time of this meet
but becoming enamored of G orgia
r.r,sft deserted his vile and child and
81 b live with her at Binghampton.
Z. 10 had been married. but left her hns-
~ 10 70 with Coon.
Ills couple set up printing office and
,Iuaery store. and although doing a
s. tnir business. were not making money
-surll TO i've as they desired, so they con-
srssi scheme by which they could
.,adle credulous fools out OF their money.
M began operation by sending the fol-
RIM advertisements to several matri-
Sonlsl papers:
plRe1NxI~-Age "a, height feet inches,
AZ u pounds. dark hair aud eyes. Would
~ 8 iorm the Acquaintance and correspend
81 eensleman from 26 TO IS We r. Of age with
svev 10 matrimony. Address Anna Coon.
fufhsnpsou. n. Y.
THEE WERE MANY FOOLS.
. fbeir advertisement seemed to catch
,kn,y Of soft and simple bachelors. and
m,sers came IN thick and last Their
rrssdice box was always full. and they
svud receive as high as forty letters day.
osersia and Coon correspondent with sew
4 III persons on the subject OF matrimony,
= nd ticsnres we're exchanged With score
' more. Trey disguised their handwrit-
4 he in answering the frantic appeals from
|hsir matrimoniaily inclined lovers.
|Coseia's FIRST victim was Arthur B. Full
Ira q Helena. Mont. In letter to him
|he i said to have protested her fondest
Ebw for him, and described herself as be-
| hs IN employe in shirt factory at Bing-
smpson. che told him she was an orphan
nd MS poor. and that the only objection
| DE- had to . speedy marriage was her in
| shlty to purchase wedding trosseau.
|Ske begged Fulton to send her money
|esough to buy suitable dress for the
|ossmony and to pay her expenses
10 Montana, telling him that she
would start Immediately. She sent
him photograph of beautiful woman
that she had bought from some photo
rapher, and passed it off as her picture.
Iaton's letters to her showed that he was
lghly pleased with her looks and he
iaslly sent her an express order for $i55,
shich she divided with her partner Coon.
IL bis daring failed TO appear, Fulton be-
uns somewhat impatient and wrote to
isr asking why his dear, darling Annie"
did not come. She answered that she was
TOO VI to travel and he has not seen her
~
THE SEATTLE VICTIM.
The next victim that the willy Georgia
look in Is said TO have been ]. i. Cline, OF
Seattle. He may be here yet. but diligent
inquiry failed TO find any one answering to
thst name. 1t is possible that the name
Vas assumed. but the anxious searcher for
matrimonial bliss was Seattle man never
lheless, and he fell desperately in love
With the woman at first sight of her photo-
graph, although it was picture of pro-
iessiona footlight favorite. Cline wrote
that be vas burning with love for the beau
uiui lady and desired to be welded to
her Of once. He offered to send her money
enough 10 pay her way 10 Seattle. and re-
ffetied the fact that his w0uld-be bride did
not possess wedding dress. AS proof of
hs devotion. he sent her postofisce money
order Tor 500. Georgia wrote back that
she would need more money and the Sc
atle man sent her $40 more. But she did
no' start to Seattle at the appointed time
soc Claimed TO be Ill from overwork, hat
xfote 70 Cline telling him that she would
loliow her letter as soon as well enough TO
uase. That was the last letter Cline re-
cised from her. although he wrote her
ssefal times urging his darling Annie"
ahurry up because his feyerish love was
eousnmng him. 1t has probably con-
Mmea him By this time, since he cannot
b found.
ueorgia wrote 10 many other unknown
insers, and but for her arrest would doubt
fs have done very profitable business
fs'ching suckers" She had a great
many different names and played her lit
egame very shrewdly. When arrested
sae Claimed that Fulton and Cline were
we only men from whom she had received
ANY money.
cooN's GIRIIsH HAND.
Wniie Georgia was at work in one quar-
Va, Coon was az work in another. He
vote many letters and seems to have
ladf numerous conquests. lie writes a
eii'sh nanc and answered his letters in a
WY sensational way, describing himself
: ueihg \ modest, unassuming and BASH
= souig woman anxious 10 get married.
pavia j. Winkler, of Grand RAPIDS.
@eh.. vas Coon's first victim. Winkier
VIC that he had 5000, and was ready 10
= nice little cottage at Grand Rap
~s'oF MS wife. He is an employc of the
.c'shesn Pacific railway, anu all of his let
s's we're written on the ietier-heads OF the
''apany. Coon sen. him photograph of
.'fesly woman, and Winkler was greatly
iNeased With it. Coon wrote that she was
eoof giri. working in an overall factory,
sAa ud no. have money enough to buy
eeas'ng dress, so Winkler sent an express
a Ioaes order for si2o. but his promised
aue was not ready TO Join him then, and
os eotten ready vet.
:, ineie were great many other dupes, as
,sosh oy the captured letters. some of
s1cn we're very aifeetionate and very in
sresling.
TOO MANY LETTERS.
Suspicion was first aroused by the large
s'aiher OF letters that Georgia and Coon
,ssss'sea, and the postotfice authorities
" 0usnt there was something wrong.
gu they confronted Coon with their
.sspieions he made clean breast of it. but
&c 70 throw Oft the blame upon the wo-
49, When arraigned, however, Georgia
ss s'a that Coon was responsible for her
~ s..ag IN that business, and had shown her
~ ~" 20 write the letter. Neither made any
sss.ehse. but seemed glad TO get off with q
'ouf months sentence.