Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-11-26
A BUNGLING FRAUD.
Strange Outcome of Divorce Suit
in a New York Court.
BOGUS SEPARATION PAPERS ISSUED
To Wife, Who Marries Again and Loses
Both Husbands at Once.
CHASE FOR A SINISTER LAWYER
ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DIsPArcH.l


NEW YORK, November 25.-Judge
Truax, of the Superior Court, heard on
Monday some of the evidence on the appli-
cation of William Coppersmith, jeweler
OF Maiden Lane, for absolute divorce from
his wife, Mary Helmer. August j. Fechter,
the proprietor OF Stuyvesdnt Hall, was
named as correspondent. Coppersmith is
about 35 years old, and his wife, an attrac-
tive woman, is somewhat younger. They
were married in 1877. Mrs. Coppersmith
left her husband IN May of last year and
last spring he learned that she was living
with Fechter. In May he applied for a
divorce. The defendant did not appear on
Monday and it was said that she was ill.
Fechter. however, appeared and was called
to the witness stand.
His answer to the first question, "Do you
know Mrs. Coppersmith?' astonished the
court. 81 did know Mrs. Coppersmith, 4"
he said, "but that is not her name now.
She is my wife, Mrs. Fechter." ''Do you
mean to say you have married the woman?"
Certainly. We were married last March.
She obtained divorce from Mr.. Copper
smith in January"
Judge Truax took a hand in the examin-
alton at this point and demanded to know
what evidence the witness had had of di-
vorce having been granted. "Why have
the decree at home" was the confident
reply. Judge Truax ordered the witness to
produce the paper in court the next morn
ing and adjourned the case.
A STRANGE DIVORCE DOCUMENT.
Fechter was on hand this morning with
his paper, and strange document it proved
| to be. 1t was entirely in manuscript and
| written upon an ordinary sheet of letter
paper. In'the upper left-hand corner were
the words, Supreme Court, Cook county,"
In the other corner was, "Mary Copper
smith agt. William Coppersmith." Then
followed what purported to be decree of
| divorce, containing more or less legal
verbiage, but setting forth no cause for the
granting of the decree. Below, in one cor
| ner, was an immense red seal stamped "Su-
preme Court Written diagonally across
the lower part of the page was blind
scrawl which might be interpreted as ''W.
| w. prall, ," or any other name resembling
that, and the word Judge" in fine script
| appeared close to the lower margin.
Nowhere in the document did the name of
the State wherein the alleged divorce was
| granted appear; neither were there names of
counsel upon it. Fechter handed the docu-
ment confidently to Judge Truax, and the
| Court examined it with amazement
'Don't you know that this is a fraud and
Judge to Fechter. No, DON'T 1 supposed it
was all right" replied the witness i'll evident
surprise. Then am 1 not married to her after
alT' Certainly you are not. Where did you
get this paper?"
PALPABLE EVIDENCE OF FRAUD.
Fechter produced some letters, which he said
Mrs. Coppersmith had received from time to
time while the action was pending, from the at
torney who represented her. They were written
on paper with Robert NJ. White, Attorney at
Law, 145 Broadway, New York." printed at the
top and signed by that name. They were notes.
which were written in a period of a few weeks
and which described the progress OF her suit,
| until finally White wrote that a decree had
| been granted in her favor. Fechter SAID he
| knew nothing more about the matter, except
| that he understood that White had received
| $50 for securing the divorce
DO you know whether Mrs. Coppersmith
went to Chicago last January, or whether she
lived in Illinois any part of last year?" asked
Judge Truax; Il know that she did not. She
was In New York all the time" was the reply.
| Judge TruaX quickly filled out 4 subpoena and
handed it to Lawyer Levy, Coppersmith's
counsel, saying: 1T is evident that gross
| fraud has been perpetrated here. AS an attor-
ney of this court l think it is your duty to help
| ferret it out. l wish you would endeavOr to
serve this subpoena personally upon this alleged
| lawyer, and I'll suspend the hearing of the case
until your return"
| A CHASE FOR WHITE.
Mr.. Levy accepted the commission and
hastened in search of the man described, but
| failed to find him. At 145 Broadway, he
learned that White no longer had an Office
there. The janitor said that a Robert NJ.
| White had nominally had an office in the build
ing with man named Grey, previous to last
MAY. The janitor had seen but one man in the
| office and did not know whether that individual
| was Grey White. He had the impression
that White was Grey and Grey was White. He
remembered that great many women called
| on Grey or White. He believed that White OF
Grey had moved to So Broadway.
| Mr.. Levy went to the latter address and
found upon the fourth floor a suite of rooms
| occupied. as the names upon the outer door in
dicated, by Grey & Co.. lawyers and collection
agents. Robert NJ. White, attorney" mid.
dle-aged man, with beard streaked with gray,
| was in the inner office. Mr.. Levy asked for
Ir. White. Mr.. White is not ill.," said the
man at the desk. But MT your name
| White? want to see Mr.. White, my uncle "
mo; my name is Grey. Mr.. White is out oi
| town. and will not return until Wednesday OF
| Thursday. What do you want to see him
| about?' "I'm inclined to believe that you are
| White"
TAKING CHANCES ON GREY.
"At all events PlI take the chances of your
being the man and serve on you this subpoena
which Judge Truax has just made out He
wishes you to come to court at once and ex
plain your action ill the Coppersmith divorce
case. Here is the legal fee" Mr.. Levy in
sists, without confessing any joke. that even
if Grey is not White he turnedwhte. He re.
covered himself. however, and protested
strongly that White was another man and not
myth. He said that White was in Boston
| and he produced a letter written upon a
| Parker House note head, in which the writer
said he would be in New York on Wednesday
or Thursday.
Mr. Levy replied that at all events Mr. Grey
was associated with White, and should appear
in court TO look after his partners interests and
reputation, Mr.. Grey finally said he would be
in Judge Truax's court at noon. He failed tc
| appear. however
Judge Truax granted Coppersmith an abso
| lutte divorce. Where do come in ?' inquired
the much-puzzled Fechter when this decision
was announced. rs she my wife now, or can
marry her over again ?' 'She is not your wife
and she cannot marry you" replied Judge
Truax, and the discounted German went out,
shaking his head.
The Ladies Delighted.
The pleasant effect and the perfect safety
with which ladies may use the liquid fruit laxa
| tive. SyruD of EipS. under all conditions make