Omaha daily bee., 1903-05-31
FOR DIVORCE MILLS
P orOter Sets a Lively Pace in
Wife-Ge.ting.
.-SiRTiol QUICKLY FOLLOWS WEDDING
stories Of wrathfII women ForsRken
mud swindIed by one of the
smoothest crooks ON the
chicago Pike.

Another Chicago man leaped into propd-
hence as a much-married man. Such a
thing as a legal separation from one before
accumulating another did not bother him
a little bit. lie simply took a change of
scene and a fresh wife with each change,
leaving TO the abandoned one the excite
ment and the experience OF procuring di-
vorce.
Besides his matrimonial record he has
a varied stock of names, beginning with
John Lepger when in the Ohio ~peniten-
uary and ending with Homer c. Reed In
the Chicago Jail. Recently he inveigled a
young woman of his acquaintance into a
hotel, pretending 1t was the meeting place
Of the Young Women's Christian associa-
ton. The woman, to protect her honor,
leaped from a third story window. sus-
tanning severe injuries. The arrest Of Lsp-
ger, alias Reed, followed. and the authori-
ties dug up his record. Prior to the last
escapade he was prominent as a promoter
Of shady money-making schemes.
From Miss Florence Beale of Chicago,
who married the man last october, sup
posing his name to be Mills, his true name
was learned, and also a number of facts
concerning his criminal career. 1t has
been established beyond doubt that he
served a term in the Ohio penitentiary for
picking pockets, and that he has been
married to women in various parts of the
country without going through the for
mality of securing divorce.
Mills n Former Convict.
The man whom I supposed to be Harold
C. Mills and my lawful husband Is John
Lepger, an ex-convict of Ohio" said Miss
Beale to an Inter Ocean reporter. HE
has been married TO three women besides
myself. l only know the name of one of
these wives, He was married to her in st.
Louis In July, 1899. and deserted her in
September of the same year. after secur-
ing about $780, of her money. She learned
of his convict record and secured a d.
vorce. 1t was from her that I obtained
these facts, but l am under promise not To
divulge her name or address at present
"He also married a young woman in De-
troit March 2S, 1902, and deserted her April
II of the same year. A trine over six
months a~fterward he married me. A few
months ago he went through a marriage
with a young woman in Pitts
burg. His marriage to me and the Pitts
burg marriage were both bigamous. The
facts are we'll in hand and will be proven.
Whether he has any more wives through
out the country 1 do not know. The De.
troit wife secured a divorce about three
weeks ago. 1t was in the Detroit papers
at the time. She supposed her name to be
Mrs. Harold c. Reed"
Long Criminal Career
From a friend of Miss Beale, who has
been working quietly on an investigation Of
the mans career since he deserted the
young woman last January, and from her
uncle and aunt. the Inter Ocean learned
some additional facts. This friend. who
does not wish his name divulged at present
said:
MY Investigations have shown me that
Lepger started his criminal career. so far
as known, in Ohio about ten years ago. He
was convicted of picking pockets in Day
ton early in 1894 and served one term in tht
penitentiary at Columbus. being known al
Convict No. 2564O. Upon his release he as
sumed the name OF HAROLD c. Reed and
opened a livery stable at Lima, o. He re
NAMED there about one year, gaining thu
confidence of a number OF people. and left &
large number of unpaid, bills.
"Ite next went to Cleveland, o., and
formed a building and loan association, in
ducing a number of prominent men in tina
city to lend their names and influence to tn
concern. He absconded with all the asset
in a few months, and vicrrmized, beside
the stockholders, a number or others whom
he had induced to advance him money
Lepger was not heard of again until tn,
summer OF 1899, when he appeared In st
Louis and induced a young widow witt
whom he became acquainted to marry hin
and put part of her fortune in a pictur
business. 1t was known as the H. C. Mil
Art institute, and was located in rooms 300
34 Of the Benoist building in that city.
st. LOais woman victimiEed.
1T was in reality only a picture enlarginl
scheme on a small scale, but he represents
to her that II required a large sum o
money. and got her to advance him abou
$500. She afterward gave hin a deed 4
some property in Illinois. which he dispose,
OF, securing about 81, 200 more. He deserte
her on September II. 1899. Upon institutinI
Inquiries she learned of his convict career
and secured a divorce the following year.
"Lepger next appeared In Detroit, an
founded the Provident Home company
similar to the enterprise started in Chicag