New-York tribune., 1900-11-11
DIVORCE PLOT A BIG ONE.
THE PRACTICE MORE EXTENSIVE THAN
AT FIRST SUPPOSED.
LETTERS FROM PORTO RICO AND ENGLAND
FOUND IN THE DESERTED OFFICE
ALLEGED LEADER WARNED IN
TIME To ESCAPE.

Further investigation yesterday into the d
vorce mill that was unearthed on Friday tend
| ed to show that the conspiracy which was
! formed by a gang of professional periurrrs -
| secure divorces by fraudulent means practised
, its iniquitous operations TO far larger extent
than was at first supposed. SO far four persons
have been arrested for complictv u the frauds
These are Henry Ziemer, who poses a lawyer.
and has Office at No. 23a Broadway, Mary
H Tompkins. who gave her address No 3o2
! West Forty-third-st.; Mrs Byrde q. Herr'ck OF
No. 500 Bedford ave, Brooklyn and Frank VIII
son. who has several aliases. and who gave the
address OF No 315 East Seventy-seventh-st II
Is charged by the police authorities that these
individuals for long time past have been oh
tanning divorces by methods which involved per
jury. subornation OF perjury and forgery. for
clients who. while probably In some Instances OF
a somewhat gullible nature. were yet only too
ready to pay for the accommodation OF having
their marriage ties easily and quickly dissolved.
The makeup Of the divorce mill gang. which
for probably two or three years past has fooled
the courts IS not completed by the arrests Of the
four persons. named. The ramifcations Of the
conspiracy were wide and warrants have been
issued for the arrest OF AT least three or four
other individuals who proited by the scheme
fraudulenty TO sever matrimonial bonds The
man who Is suspected of being the rngleader
Of the conspiracy has not yet been arrested
This man, who is accused of being the head and
front of the whole affair. is variously known
as 'w Waldorf Maison" and as "W. W. Royal"
MAIsON AND ROYAL THE SAME MAN.
According to Eugene St Luce, the janitor of
the building at No. 23a Broadway, 'Mason"
and Royal" are one and the same person. Upon
the directory which is hung in the entrance hall
Of the building the name of 'Maison Royal"
appears but on the doors Of the offices the
sixth floor which occupied by the gang is
inscribed Royal and Maison.
Advertisements published in newspapers
offering assistance to those who wished for
divorce. These advertisements were signed by
Attorney Maison," but in many instances the
name of the lawyer who figured in divorce hear
ings before referee is given as Royal
To summarize the conspiracy il would seem
that when patron answered advertisement
he she assured that by agreeing col
usion absolute divorce could be obtained.
In the case OF a woman. she told that
correspondent would be produced at the referees
hearing, who would to a statutory viola
ton and witnesses would also be brought for
ward who would give corroborative evidence
The same followed in cases where
a the client except that the sex of
the pertured witness swearing to the criminal
act would be changed.
Under the provisions of the law undefended
divorce cannot go before referees This
fact however, obstacle that easily
overcome by Mason and Ziemer. The latter al
ways acted for the plaintiff, whether husband
wife, and when IL became necessary 10 put
in defence in order that the might he
heard before referee dummy lawyer would
be introduced. In where there was col
lusion between the parties this procedure was
comparatively easy. Zemer would tell his client
that 1t would he necessary TO send the case ne
fore referee. and therefore 1t would have 10
appear as being contested, uncontested cases ne
Ing always heard in open court.
DUMMY LAWYER BROUGHT IN
Ziemer and his witnesses could not play their
fraudulent parts In case after case in open court
without detection and therefore it was that a
dummy lawyer was made put in answer
for the defendant.
When the case came before the referee the
LAWYER for the defendant either failed to appear /
Tins leaving the case virtually uncontested, or
else retired leaving the impression behind him
that the weight of evidence much against
hin, that II would be futile for him to continue
with his defence
Another scheme practised by the consptrators.
which made recourse to forgery necessary, was
not to serve the defendant I'm the suit. The |
CoDtinuec seventh page.