The Batesburg advocate. [volume] (Batesburg, S.C.) 1901-1911, 1902-08-20
A WARNING
To Young Ladies WHO Answer Matri-
monial Advertisements.

moniaI Advertisements.
Advertisements for husband or
wife are frequently seen in the news
papers and they are answered by
many foolish people who believe that
it is sure and easy way TO get mar
ried rich. A few days ago negro was
arrested for some olfense at Littl @
Rock, Ark, and the following account
was given as to his connection with
one OF the matrimonial bureaus:
A negro, Il matrimonial correSpon-
dence bureau, a packet OF letters.
evidently from white girls all ovcr the
United States, was the amazingly
farcial combination That came to
light in the police department last
night by the arrest of a negro calling
himself Willie =. Prophet.
The man was arrested for trivial
o!fenSe, but IL being the invaria bic
custom of the police TO search every
person coming i'm their hands, the
same proceeding was begun on Pro
phct. \ number OF articles OF no i'm
portance were taken from him. but
when the search reached his coat
pockets be protested loudly and tried
to keep the officers from looking
into them. This naturally made the
Searcher a II 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 a 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 bhe man to be
white. they themselves being white
girls. The source of the letters was
explained 10y ticket membership to
Il mutual matrimonial correspondence
bureau in Austin, I'LL. 1t is the Gus
tom of the members TO give their
names and addresses To the bureau.
and through its agency are introduc-
ed by letter TO some person OF the
opposite sex, with whom they cores
pond flrtingly, sometimes seriously
and courtingly. and rarely the letters
eliminate 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 al all, to the Bureau and OBJ
tanned membership.
Extracts from the letters, however,
show that whethei or not he men,
toned his color AT the headquarters
OF t6s- Ss;as;isa. = 4 iss.izl llliS caGsaS.
pondents some fabulous es as to his
good looks, even going Alto the de-
tails as to the color of 81 hair, for a
sentence from one OF tt, h reads: II
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
SwectheartS
At first the police were amazed
then wrathfui and indignant. and the
man had played the monstrous hoax
on probably innocent, if indiScreet,
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 writers OF the letters
described themselves as having blue
eyes. auburn hair, fair skin etc
4 few OF the places which were
given as the residence of the cores
1 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
! yCang women of education.
From other papers which were in
: Prophets pocket it is evident that
ie 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 p0SSessor a charmed life, which he
had been wearing and had sent oil tC
! have repaired.