The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-11-11
THE DIVORCE CONSPIRACY.
Real Head of the SwfndIe Makes
Good His Escape.

4
NEW YORK, Nov. 1O.-The real head OF
the fraudulent divorce gang was apparent
| ly not Henry Zeimer, the attorney who,
! with one of the professional witnesses OF
the gang. Frank Wilson, is now locked up
| in the Tombs, but was W. W. Royal, or
| w. Waldo Mason. or Royal W. Mason, or
| whatever his real name may be. He has
| disappeared.
| Mason was the man who did all the ad-
vertising. He got the clients. Sometimes
he appeared as the attorney for the plain
tiffs. but usually he put Zeimer in this
role while he acted for the defence, or
| else used the name Of fictitious person
| as attorney for the defence. A search
| warrant was employed today to get at the
papers in Mason's Broadway office. This
| was also Zeimer's office. The two men
| had desks in the same room.
All the machinery of the divorce swind1e
was found Just as Mason had left it when
he fled on learning Of Zeimer's arrest.
There were divorce application blanks.
some of them all filled out, photographs
which were to be used for purposes of
Identification by the witnesses before ref
erees; the papers in many of the fraudu-
lent cases now pending; letters from
clients asking how their cases were get
ting on; newspaper clippings concerning
divorces and other such matters, showing
the inner workings of the mill.
At least three other persons besides Ma
son are wanted. The search warrant
which let in the additional light on the
case was sworn out before Recorder Con
by Assistant District Attorneys Unger and
Gordon. Its technical purpose was to get
possession OF an affidavit in the Herrick
divorce case. This was the case which
was heard before Referee Hubbard, at IS
Wall Street, and resulted in the arrest of
Zeimer and Wilson.
Unger and Gordon, accompanied by De-
tectives Cuff and Mcknight, went to Ma
sons office early in the afternoon: The
building directory bears opposite room rs,
the two names Mason and Royal, the one
directly over the other, with no and
Room rs is on the sixth floor. On its door
in gold paint Is the sign, Royal and Ma
son."
The janitor Of the building Eugene st.
Luce, a colored man. opened the door. The
room is divided by partitions into two
small rooms, with tiny ante room. In
each OF the rooms there was a desk. One
was Zeimer's, the other Masons. Zeimer's
name was not to be seen anywhere about
the place. The walls Of the place were COW
cred with the cheapest sort Of pictures,
mostly chrOmos
Among them was a photograph OF an
elderly man with long grey beard and
rather slender in appearance.
This was Mason or Royal according to the
janitor. who said that he went by both
names. He hired the rooms as w. w.
Royal. An interesting find was a pile of
blank applications for divorce which show
ed how thoroughly organized the business
was. There were lot OF photographs of
These were marked as exhibits,
showing their purpose.
There were at least 200 letters from all
over the country. South America, Porto
Rico, and even Europe. tucked into the
pigeonholes of the desk. Among other |
things found was a certification OF incor
poration for the Marine Treasure Seeking !
Company, showing that Mason was more or
less versatile. The whole office was cheap |
in its general appearance. There was not |
q lawbook in IL. and but three chairs. |
Saint Luce, the janitor. said that Mason |
had been IN the building eighteen mon: hs
The janitor, who appears to be an honest |
chap. through Zeimer almost year ago.
was mixed up in one Of the divorce cases
as a witness. This was the case Of Ce-
ella Hatch against Metcalf Hatch, which
was heard before Francis P. Lowrey, as
referee, on December Il of last year.
Luce testified that he had delivered
note to Hatch in the Park Avenue Hotel.
and had found him undressed with Q
In the room. This is just the kind
Of story Wilson told in all his cases
where cGrroborating the woman core
spondent. The janitor explained today
how ne came to get mixed up in it. Saint
Luce said that one afternoon Zeimer
asked him II he wanted to make some
money that night. The janitor said he
did, and Zeimer told Saint Luce to meet
him at O'Clock in the Park Avenue
Hotel.
There Zeimer told him to take a note
addressed to Mr.. Wilson to a certain room
n the hotel. Saint Luce started and lei
ner went along. When they got to the
Dom Zeimer knocked on the door and
aid, ice" The door opened and man
ook the note without surprise or anger.
saint Luce saw a woman in the room
through the half open door. This man
vas said to be Hatch and Saint Luce gave
his testimony before the referee. After s
hat, however, he says he told Zeimer he
lid not want any more of that kind Of
york and he never did another job for
,eimer.