New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-11-13
PRICE THREE CENTS.
WOMEN BUSY AT PERJURY
MRS. HERRICK JOINED DIVORCE GANG
AFTER SHE HAD BEEN A VICTIM.
ZEIMER HELPLESS IN THE HANDS OF
MAISoN-oTHER LAWYERS SAID
TO BE IMPLICATED

The deeper the Investigations go into the
operations of the gang who conducted a divorce
mill in this city, the more shameful become the
revelations The first step toward bringing
about the punishment of the conspirators was
taken yesterday. when Assistant District At
torneys Henry ". Unger and James Lindsay
Gordon brought to the attention of the Grand
Jury the evidence which they have obtained
against some OF the men and women who en-
gagged IN the tniquitous practices OF obtaining
spurious divorces by means Of wholesale COM
initials Of perjury subornatio1 Of perjury and
forgery. Although the Grand Jury took the un-
usual course OF deciding 10 hold an extra ses-
sion for the purpose Of hearing the great volume
OF testimony that had been prepared for them.
when they adjourned after O'Clock last evening
they had still to listen to the evidence Of several
more witnesses Inasmuch as the work Of the
Grand Jury is not completed rh. reDressnta+,va
or the District Attorneys Office refused TO make
public any information OF the proceedings II
was ascertalned however. that the Grand Jury
round indictments against ". Waldo Maison.
VINO was the leader Of the conspiracy and
TOT whom the police are now searching
Henry Zeimer, who acted as the attorney for
the gang. and Frank Wilson who in actions
Where women were the defendants would pose
as a correspondent reluctantly dragged into
n
Tossing TO a crime which he never committed
They were indicted for perjury and suborna-ion
or perjury. Although the District Attorneys
representatives do not hesitate 10 accuse them Of
forgery. il will be necessary before this charge
can be proved TO produce some Of the defendants
in the bogus divorce proceedings So far as
could be learned Mary H Thompson. alias
'Tompkins. and Mrs. Byrde O. Herrick. the
two women also under arrest. were not indicted
but it is possible that they may be TO-DAY The
two women. were among those who testified be-
fore the Grand Jury.
DIVORCE SEEKER JOINS THE GANG.
The evidence Of Mrs HerrIck was Of a some
what sensational nature. It will BE- recalled
that she was one Of those who applied to AIaison
and zeimer for assistance TO procure a divorce
from her husband. Until yesterday she was
looked upon as being one Of the unsuspecting
victims Of the gang However innocent she
may have been when she answered Maison's ad-
verttsement. she confessed yesterday that she
had subsequently Joined the conspiracy She
explained that Zeimer promised 70 get divorce
for her for the sum OF S150 She could not OBJ
tain this money. and her husband refused To aid
her in her efforts to break their matrimonial
ties Consequently she had TO inform Zeiner
that she would have 70 drop her case FOR want
of the necessary funds Thereupon Zeimer un-
folded TO her the nature Of the nefarious schema
he was engaged in and suggested that she
might work OUT her fees. by becoming what
he termed a professional correspondent
Briefly she was 10 appear a witness in
divorce cases and give perjured testimony OF
adultery. She confessed yesterday that she had
never seen the persons against whom she had
testified. and that the circumstances 70 which
she had sworn had never occurred.
Under the name OF Miss Galway" of No 10
red in he
case OF Sadie I. Gardner against Chester l.
Gardner. which heard before ex-Judge
Charles Donohue as referee. She said that on
September Il last she went TO the Morton
House with the respondent in the case and re-
maned with him about two hours In this
same case Wilson who gave his name as Frank
Barrett, swore that he saw Miss Galway with
Gardner in Broadway. and saw them go 10 the
Morton House.
Another case in which Mrs Herrick testified
was that Of TumbeIty against TumbeIty, which
was referred to George :. Billings. a we'll known
lawyer. of Brooklyn. She had arranged 10 give
untruthful evidence in another case which was
fixed for hearing at the latter part OF the last
week. but the arrests prevented.
Mrs. H=rrick informed the Grand Jury that
On the days when cases in which she came for
ward as a correspondent We're 20 he heard by
referees she, Maison Zeimer and Wilson would
meet in Matsoa's Office. NJ. 2c;9 Broadway. in
the morning Together they would memorize
dates. names and places. They vouII rehearse
the respective parts they were 70 play. march
10 the referees Office and tell their fabricated
stories.
BOTH CORRESPONDENT AND DETECTIVE.
Mary H. Thompson also testified 10 cases in
which she had given false evidence. In
statement which the woman has made she said
CHI haH as lauf md
as private detective When l was correspond
ent" she related u used TO say that 1 had
known the defendant. Then had 20 blush and
cry. and refuse TO answer other questions OF
course 1 never really had 10 degrade myself.
hut l had TO carry on in such manner that
the whole case would seem clear 10 the referee.
When the suit was brought by man the
private detective. I used say l a dress
maker who worked in the same house and saw
things that were not intended fer me q see"
Mrs Herricl and the Thompson woman testi-
fled that they received s. a day for their ser
vices. According To information obtained yes
terday. when Maison and Zeincr wanted to OBJ
tain female false witnesses they would advertise
for secretaries and office helpers. Selecting GER
tain Of the applicants. the men would put such
personal questions 10 them as would be imme-
diately resented by woman OF selt-respect.
Those women who did not exhibit indignation
Maisou and Zeirer thought -uted 70 their pur-
pose and they would be informed OF the nature
f the services required OF them Zeirner would
attempt 70 beIittle The perjury they were asked
to commit by suggesting that there was moth
ing wrong In appearing as a professional CO.
respondent. because harm was done any
body If people want divorces why shouldn't
they get them was the specious philosophy he
taught