Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-09-05
BOOKING DID TRICK
Woman of Many Spouses Tells How She Won Men.
ADMITS TO FOUR MARRIAGES.
But It Is Believed That sa4e Has Been q Bride Not Less Than Dozen Times - To Be Placed on
 Trial Friday.

PATERSON, N. J., Sept. 5.-Alternat- ing between smiles and tears, Florence Murphy Chabbenau Barnes Abner- Ferrest at the county jail talked freely of her matrimonial experience. She admitted having gone through the mar riage ceremony with four men, all of whom are living, and declared that she had never been divorced, so far as she knew. It is believed, however, that all of the husbands have not been heard from and that " hen the record is com pleted it will be found that the woman has been bride not less than a dozen times.
 Mrs. Ferrest (Ferrest is the name of the last husband) brides herself on be- ing good cook, and says this accom- plishment won at least one husband. Speaking of her experience, she said: 3sI was not fifteen years old when First married. My father is James Murphy, an upholsterer for the Penn sylvania Railroad company. We lived in New Hope. Pa, but after the death of my mother I left home and went to Lambertville, N. J., and there met Michael Chabbenal, marble cutter. He proposed to me and we were at once married by Squire Lyman, his daughter, who has since died, acting as witness. Six months after the we'd ding Chabbenau ran away from me and I had every reason to believe that there was a woman in the case. went to Bordentown and lived with my sister for a time, and after wan dering about from town to town work ing as domestic I came to Paterson. That was about three years ago.
 .One night in Main street I met Charles Abner, a farm hand. I must admit that I was intoxicated, and when he said to me, You are a nice little woman and should not go about in the world alone; let's get married, said, All right We went to Mrs. Graham's, in Hamburg avenue, where was living. and justice was called. He married us right there, but I took it all as a joke. Next morning when I came downstairs I demanded to know who the ugly looking man in my room was and they told me he was the man I had married the night before. I repudiated the whole business. for, do you know, the man was a sight hunchbacked and cross eyed. He went away and I have not seen him since. "Soon after I met Milton Barnes. He was working in the Rogers Locomotive works. After we were married we went to Dover, where sister of Barnes lives. She told me that Barnes had wife and two children in Plain field, N. J. I had previously told Barnes about the marriage to Charlie Abner, but explained that justice of the peace told me that the marriage was not legal. When9I heard tflat he had another wife, however, left him and returned to Paterson.
 T found employment as a cook in a hotel in River street. It was here I met Ferrest He was a guest at the hotel, and he told me he was very fond of my cooking. We were mar ried by the Rev. Mir. Decker of Pater- son, but before the marriage l ex- plained all about the other marriage and told Forrest that only the first marriage was legal. and I believed nay first husband was divorced. left Ferrest last week because he was cruel to me, and it was spite that caused him to make the charge of bigamy"
 The alleged polygamist will be brought before the court for trial on Friday next.