The Cairo bulletin., 1905-02-06

replied Hook, again exploding IN
laughter.
How do you know, if she never
was your wife,"
1t Is a Great Joke With Him.
"Ah, that's the jeke-that's the
Joke" cried Hook. Don't ask me TO
explain it now-wait till | get to Chi
cago and then Wen all enjoy the
joke-the police and all"
Hook was holding on to the cell
bars to keep from sinking to the floor
in an excess of laughter.
Did you poison thbse wives. of
yours VINO died so suddenly" asked
the interviewer with some severity.
Poison them." shouted Hook. mo.
they all died of kidney trouble
20, then you admit you were mar
ried to or living with those who
died?"
Hook was again shaking with laugh
ter, but he recovered momentarily
and replied:
mo, | DON'T have been married
only twice Can't you understand"
The interviewer confessed he could
nor and Hook informed him that
was the joke"
Were you ever married to Mrs.
Mary Steinbrecher VINO had the sa-
loon at 333 Belmont avenue?' Hook
was asked.
Il never had the pleasure of the
ladys acquaintance" replied the hi
larious one.
Then he was shown photographs
of himself and Mrs. Stenbrecher, TAX
en- on their wedding day, two months
before her mysterious death. Hook
took the print and gazed at it with
mirthful expression.
Il know the lady, but | can't place
the gentleman" he said.
"Was that your fountain pen found
in your room?" was another question
mo, it wasn't don't know any
thing about it, snapped the fat Ger
man
We'll, the police say it contains
poison"
Angered by Talk of Poison.
mo, it doesn't" schreeched Hook,
his face red with anger. 1T amt poi
son--it's headache powders
20, then you do know something
about it.
Hooks answer was another convlu-
sion of laughter. He said the joke
really was TOO good to keep, although
%, . s,.o,,1l tr,r 30 onptoip bfrncaIf until
ne got to Chicago and save it for
the police.
Hook declares he has gained five
pounds since he has been in jail, He
says he has not missed a meal and
for the first time in many years he
has had sufficient leisure to sleep as
much as he wants. But he cannot for
give Mrs. Katherine Kimmerlie, the
New York boarding house keeper,
who caused mis- arrest.
disappointed" in Last Widow.
Il was disappointed in her" adj
mits Hook. "and yet | am glad | dis
covered her true nature before mar
rying her even if | was arrested.
appointed in a woman after you get
married to her. Anything is better
than that-even Jail"
Hook thought this was one of the
best things he had said in long time
and II was quite a while before he
recovered from the ensuing burst of
laughter sufficiently to continue the
conversation. Then of his own ac-
cord he got to philosophizing on the
subject of his troubles.
my father used to tell me that wo'
men would be the ruin of me" said
the adventurer. Il have such an af-
fectionate nature and women are al
ways-always-wh do you call it
pulling the wool over my eyes. Yet,
they take advantage of my nature"
Widows Weak, Says Hook.
"Well, how about all these wives
who died so suddenly after marry
ing your" ne was asked. Don't you
think that they got the worst of the
deal?"
You don't know women as well as
| do, replied Hook. Women are not
widows"
The adventurer shook his head vi
olently as if he considered women
extremely perishable goods at the
best and his reflections apparently
were so melancholy that he sank
back on a bench with his head on his
chest and gave himself up to a short
period of musing.
Hook said he was born in village
near Frankforton-the-Mai in 1854.
He served a short time in the Fran
co-Prussian war and afterward at
tended the university of Heidelberg
for a period, the length of which has
grown dim in his memory.
Taking Way With Widows.
Hook has a taking way with wild
ows, he admits, and especially with
childless widows. He took his pick
of those who had money and consent
ed to make them happy-for a day or
two. Two months is the longest
time he has been known TO have lived
with any one wife, and two days the
shortest season of his devotion.
Sometimes he would have a run of
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