The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1902-08-20
A WARNING
To Young Ladies Who Answer Matri-
monial Advertisements.

Advertisements for a husband or a
wife are frequently seen in the news
papers and they. ore answered by
many foolish people who believe that
it is a sure and easy way to get mar
ried rich. \ few days ago negro was
arrested for some utfenSe at Little
Rock. Ark. and the following account
was given as to his connection with
one of the matrimonial bureaus:
\ negro. a matrimonial correSpon-
dence bureau. a packet OF letters.
evidently fro white girls ali over the
United States. WAS the amazingly
farcial combination that came tt
light in the police department last
night by the arrest OF negro Calling
himself Willie p. Prophet.
The man was arrested fnr a trivia!
otfense. but it being the invarlahlc
custom of the police to search every
person coming in their hands. the
same proceeding was begun on Pro-
phet. 4 number Of articles of no I'M
portance were taken from him, hnt
when the search reached his coat
pockets be protested loudly and tried
to keep tie officers from looking
into them. This naturally made t:Ic
searcher al the more curious to Learn
what the man concealed, he says, be-
cause in this way almost by accident.
important matters have come to light.
The searching proceeded. whether or
no. and large packet Of letters ad.
dressed to Willie Prophet" were
found. Upon examination it develop
ed from the text Of the letters that
the writers supposed the man to be
white. they themselves being white
girls. The source Of the letters was
explained by a ticket membership to
a mutual matrimonial correspondence
bureau in Austin. III. 1t is the Gus
tom of the members to give their
names and addresses to the bureau:
and through its agency are introduce
ed by letter to some person OF the
opposite sex. with whom they cores
pond hirtingly. sometimes seriously
and courtingly, and rarely the letters
culminate in marriage. So far as
known, only people Of the same color
are thus introduced.
1t would seem. however, that Pro-
phet has represented himself as a
white man, or rather not represented
himself at all, to the bureau and OBJ
tanned a membership.
Extracts from the letters, however,
show that whether or not he men
toned his color at the headquarters
Of the concern, he told bis fair CORES
pondents some fabulous tales as to his
good looks, even going into the de-
tails as to the color Of his hair, for a
sentence from one Of them reads: i
like the color Of your hair and eyes
very much, also your age"
The tone of all the letters Is some
what sickening, abounding in such ex-
pressions as my own sweet dear" and
my darling Willie" your loving
sweetheart" Now and then is inter
larded the single dears, darlings and
SweetheartS.
At first the police were amazed.
then wrathful and indignant, and the
man had played the monStrous hoax
on probably innocent, if indlscreet,
young white women, and there were
many expressions of regret that the
negro could be tried only on the
charge for which he was arrested.
Some of the writer's Of the letters
described themselves as having blue
eyes, auburn hair, fair skin, etc.
A few of the places which were
given as the residence of the CORES
podents are Shenandoah, Iowa; East
Jordan. Utah; Milford, Michigan:
Gainesville, Texas; Ontaria, Canada;
and Chicago. Most of the letters were
written in small, feminine hands. and
a part of them were evidently from
young women Of education.
From other papers which were in
Prophets pocket it is evident that
he is one of the victims of the get
rich quick" advertisements, and OF
every kind Of hoax that be worked on
the public. One Of his letters referr-
ed to a magic ring, which would give
the poSsessor a charmed life. which he
had been wearing and had sent off to
have repaired.