New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-01-23
WIFE STOLEN, HE SAYS.
BRINGS SUIT FOR $4,000.
Russian Commercial Man accused
by armenian Chemist.

Dr. Dicran l. Dadirrian. the Armenian chem
fist who lives at No. 60 West 113th-st., and
whose Office IS at No. % Lexington-ave.. has
begun an action for $4,000 damages against
John G. Whitson. of No. 657 Madson-ave.. for
alternating his wife's affections. A warrant was
issued for the arrest Of Mr.. Whitson. but it is
said he had left town. His bail bond is $1,000
whitson. whose right name. his wife says Is
Edward Rhnelander Kopple. is a Russian and
was president OF the Autopress Company. which
has an deliberately furnished set OF offices at No.
ia Liberty-st. for which. it is said. $1,000
year is paid
Dr. Dadirrians wife, who it IS charged. has
left the city with WhitsOn. is only twenty-ohe
years old She was Miss Virginia A. Gerken'
stepdaughter Of Eugene F. Grove OF the firm OF
Perkins. Goodwin & Co. paper manufacturers
OF this city.
In his affidavit DIT. Dadirrian asserts that they
were married on March %. 1905. About June
his wife introduced Whitson TO him as friend
OF her family. He found. he says, when
ever he and his wife went 10 dinner or the
theatre that Whitson always managed TO be
tnere. but he thought nothing Of it until one
day whitson asked permission to take his wife
for a drive. They were gone two hours Then
DR.. DadirrIan grew suspicious
He put private detectives on the case and soon
learned he says. that Whitson enticing his
wife away from him. Finally. Dr. Dadirrian de-
cIares, she left him in September; hence the
action for $4,000 damages.
Last month Whitson, or KoppIe left his wife
and their two children. It largely through
the wife's statements that Charles w. Sinnottr
Dr. Dadirrian's counsel obtained valuable evil
dence Mrs. Kopple. Whitson. as she is
known there lives at No. "a Lenox-ave. In her
AFFIDAVIT she says that she married to
Kopple on April IA. 1896. and that he has never
legally changed his name According to her
story, which MI Snnott says he has verified,
Kopple was arrested some years ago for grand
larceny in this city, when he was an agent for
the Equitable Life Assurance Company. He was
admitted to bail. but fed to Russia, and it
might rever have been known that he returned
but for his attentions to Mrs Dadirrian. for he
had assumed the aliases Of Charles H. Gardner
Edward Morrison, Charles J. Goodson, Henry L.
Goodhart and finally John G. Whitson.
Mrs Kopple. in her affidavit, confirms the one
made by Dr. Dadrrian. that Whitson stole his
wife II also appears. so Mr.. Sinnott says that
Whitson induced eleven Catholic priests In va
rious parts of the country TO subscribe to Sl02'-
900 worth OF stock in the Whitson Autopress
Company. Among them was the Rev Edward
Hill Of Brooklyn. who subscribed $4,000.
Father Hill. It is said. accused Whitson Of
irving 10 swindIe him. He died soon after the
Interview. Mrs. Kopple says. from the effects
OF g.
The copartnership directory for 1919 shows
that the VVhitson Autopress Company had an Of
fee at No. 70 Liberty-st., that IT was incorpo-
rated under the laws Of New-York State. with
capjtal Of $4,000. that its president was J. G.
Thitson. and the directors Robert Schalken-
bach and Edmund Walcott.
Mrs. whitson. when seen at her apartments
IN the Saranac, in Lenox-ave-. last night. said
that she was born in London. that she met Whit
son. or Kopple, in San Francisco. and was mar
r,ed to him there in 1896. 1T was my money
she said. that purchased the rights to the Au-
topress: my money that promoted it and made 1t
a success" Mrs Whitson admits that the press
has never been on the market.
At the Office Of the Autopress Company
young woman was in charge. She said that Mr.
Whitson had been out Of town for several weeks.