Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-09-29
BIDDING FOR A BRIDE.
Entrapped by a Clever Advertise
ment, W0uld-be Benedicts
WASTE A LOT OF GOOD MONEY.
Prompt Answers to Appeals for Pecuniary
Assistance From
TIE LADY EACH EXPECTED To WE'D
,sprc,.1 rELEenAM TO THE D1spArou

1 II
BUFFALO, September pa peculiar
case came to light in the United State.
| Court here last week, when Judge Foxs
was called upon to pass sentence upor
Georgia Anna Cocraft and Franklin Coon
for obtaining money fraudulently through
the mails. Both pleaded guilty. Georgia
| got three months in the Erie County Peni.
tentiary and Coon was sent to the Bingham
ton Penitentisry for four months. Georgia
is pretty, we'll formed little woman, but
Coon is a sneaky-looking chap.
The history of their past is singular. Mrs.
| Cocraft met Franklin Coon about year
ago somewhere in Columbia county, where
Coon was engaged in the printing business.
Mrs. Cocraft was then residing with her
husband in Providence, R. l., Coon agreed
to desert his wife and child and live with
the woman in Bimghamton, N. Y. There he
set up printing Office and stationery store.
Here the couple concocted plan to make
some money by a cunning scheme.
A LITTLE ADVERTISING DEVICE.
They sent this advertisement to several
matrimonial papers:
DERsONAL-AGE, "a: HEIGHT, FEET 6
i inches; weight, 40 pounds; dark hair and
correspond with a gentleman from 26 20 30 years
|. of age, with view to matrimony. Address
ANNA COON, Binghamton, N. Y.
Answers flew in thick and fast. Georgia
and Coon began correspondence with sew
eral men on the subject of matrimony.
Pictures were exchanged with score or
more of lovers. Georgia selected Arthur
B. Fulton, of Helena, Mont, for the first
victim, and in letter to him she professed
her ondest love flor him. She described
herself as being very poor ana an orphan.
She told Fulton she was employed in a
shirt factory and the only objec-
ton to speedy marriage was that
she had no wedding trousseau.
She begged Fulton to send her enough
money to purchase a suitable dress and
enoug to pay her expenses to Helena, tell
ing him that she would start Immediately.
She sent him photograph of a beautiful
woman that she had purchased of pho
tographer for % cents Fulton was highly
pleased and he readily promised to send the
money.
After some further correspondence he sent
an express order Ior $155, which Coon and
Annie divided. When Fulton wrote and
asked his "dear, darling Anna" as he called
reply to the effect that she was very ill and
could not come.
DEVOTION WAS COSTLY.
j. F. Cline, of Seattle, Wash, was writ
ten to next. He fell in love with the pho
tograph sent to him-one of a professional
actress. Cline said he was burning with
desire to wed the beautiful Annie. He
would gladly send money enough for two
wedding outfits, and as proof of his deyo-
ton he sent a check for $3.50. Georgia
and later the Seattle farmer sent an ad-
ditional sum of $40. The most loving let
ters were exchanged, and poor, ignorant
Cline did not realize that he was being
"worked." He sent her money at three
different times.
Georgia forgot to 90 to Seattle; she wrote
and told Cline that she was i'll from over
work and was unable to travel. Cline did
not give up hope. He wrote several more
letters but stopped writing when he got
package of returned love letters with note |
saying that Annie had moved out |
Of town.
Georgia wrote to scores of other men with |
The same result in many cases. She called |
Miss Ella Randall ,and several other names.
COON WORKS THE RACKET.
Coon, himself, was not idle all this while.
BE writes small girlish hand and answer
I'd number OF the letters in sensational
way, describing himself as modest and
pretty young woman anxious to get married.
he signed the name of Annie Coon to all
lis letters.
David J. WInkler, of Grand Rapids,
Mich, was the first to answer. Winkler
aid he had money and was ready to marry
ind begin keeping house. He is an en-
,loye of the Northern Pacific Railroad.
Winkler never suspected that he was writ
ng to man.
Alter Coon received his declaration of
owe he exchanged photographs with him,
ending an actress picture, with
which Winkler was greatly pleased. Coon
wrote that he worked in one of the factories
md was very poor, and did not have money
nough to buy wedding drees. Winkler
vas asked to forward enough to pur-
hase one. He hurried to the express Office
md sent S12O by return mail. Coon wrote
Jack that he was not ready to go. Winkler
Erote that he was willing to send more
money if it was needed. He sent the money
'ut never heard from Annie again.
THE END OF THE GAME.
Coon then turned his attention to W. G.
Hart, of Washburn, Wis The "poor grip
acket was worked with good success again.
Ioon sent a beautiful photograph, and Hart
ent some money. Some funny correspond
ace passes between the two men.
Justin E. Joslin, of Laurens, N Y, fell
victim to Annie, but he wrote that he was
'oor, and Annie had no use for him after
hat.
The postofice authorities at Binghamton
hought that Georgia and Coon received too
nany letters and watched them. Coon and
ieorgia suspected that they were watched,
nd so separated, Coon staying at Bingham
on and Georgia going to Providence, R. 1.
When confronted with the authorities sus-
cions he made clean breast of it, but
Ieorgia accuses him of everything.