The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-01-31
A VICTIM OF
HIS OWN TOO
ARDENT LOVE
J. L. Duprey Tells of
His Undoing.
ENGAGED TO MRS. ALLISON
WAS INTRODUCED TO THE Wo.
MAI. BY I. w. Balm.
He Met Her Through Mar
rage Bureau, but Found
Her Full Of
Guile.

J, L. Duprey, gray-haired, low-voiced.
mild-mannered blacksmith from Winters,
went on the witness stand in the United
States District Court yesterday and told
a jury how he was played for a good
thing" by Mrs. Grace Allison through the
agency Of Bain's matrimonial bureau,
which has heretofore been known as the
Pacific Information Agency and Introduc-
ton Bureau. Balm, whose right name is
Isaac w. Balm. posed as the proprietor
of the bureau under the name Of H. c.
Curtis, and transacted all correspondence
for the same as Secretary J. w. Balm.
Mrs. Allison, according to the numerous
alleged victims, was Balm sole stock in
trade. In other words. whenever in an
swer to his rather seductive advertise
| ment, an unsophisticated farmer with
more money than sense applied to the
matrimonial bureau for a wife, Baln
would introduce him to Mrs. Allison and
she would do the rest.
BY means of the alleged scheme worked
by the pair Mrs. Allison is said to have
ing from all parts of the country. bleed
ing them for presents Of diamonds, pianos
and other valuables, until their money
ran out or their patience became exhaust
ed and then getting rid of them the best
way possible. She usually managed TO
break off relations with the victims before
but sometimes she found considerable diff
llfleulty in doing so. The two are believed
to have reaped a rich harvest by their
work.
Among those who claim to have been
deceived by the woman was j. l.. Duprey
Of Winters. Duprey came across one of
Bain's circulars last spring and wrote te
the matrimonial agent inqniring If he had
any good-looking willing to-be- wives on
tap. Balm, or Curtis replied that he had
and invited the blacksmith to visit the
bureau and inspect his stock. The result
| was Duprey came to San Francisco and
was introduced to Mrs. Allison. A pro
| and the process of bleeding the sucker
| was also commenced without allowing his
ardGr t change So to get cool After 6sine
suspicious and early last October de-
manded his, presents back Mrs. Allison
ing the United States mails TO defraud
and placed under $500 bonds each.
| before Judge de Haven and the forenoon
was consumed in getting a jury. Duprey
! took the stand at the opening of the af-
ternoon session and proceeded TO tell the
story of his courtship and financial IN
! Assistant United States District PAttcr..
meeting with Mrs. Allison she told hfn
she was worth $35 900, in addition to an es-
worth 100000. He then informed her that
| he was not a rich man and that she had
| too much money for him. She told him
/ that he did not need money so long as she
must have an engagement ring. but she
did not want any common thing, as she
went a great deal in society and must
have something she would not be
ashamed Of The ring was purchased for
! $500 This was in May of last year. and
! between that time and the 18th of Oeto-
Der. when the pair were arrested. the list
of presents included diamond pin al $3.50
piano at s475 piano cover at $50, arid
various other articles of lesser value
Duprey was still on the stand when court
adjourned at p m. The trial will go on
at II o'clock this morning.