The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1907-04-26

;k SCHEM me,
MH!aasyy Wcsasa Ga!.sdd. BY
Syndicate.
pERE EASY VICTIMS.

Three Thousand of Them Wero Anx
iOus to Get Husbands. Some Quee
Finds From q Search OF the Room
Of James Williams. Alias Jamc
Marshall, Who Was the Manage
OF the Syndicate.
Many startling facts have beel
brought to the surface by an exami
nation Of the house in Philadelphia
used by the Marriage Syndicate
about which we published a shor
article last week. Convinced by tn,
recent confession Of James Matthia
Williams, alias James Marshall, tin
head Of the Brown street marriag'
syndicate, that he is Withholding
from them much Of his past, the de
t~ectives working on the S arr
making a rigid Investigation to un
cover more facts.
They believe that his career previ
Gus to marrying "Teenie" Marshall
to whom he confessed he was maj
ried in st. Louis, November ID, 1902
was one Astounding with dark sec
refs, and since the institution of hi
marriage syndicate it has been mono
the less full of adventure. The de
tectives believe that Williams ha'
been married to many women in th(
West.
With the object Of verifying tho
statement in the mans confession
that he was married to "Teenie'
Marshall in st. Louis, David Johnson
superintendent of the Bryant Detec
tive Agency, has started for the
Western city. He expects to learr
more concerning Williams career
after having worked on the case
there, and has taken with him the
names and addresses Of several hun.
drcd of his st. Louis correspondents
"I fully believe we have a seconC
Johanna Hoch in Williams" said Ed
ward Bryant, a detective. I'VE al
ready have a strong proof OF crook
edness in his career, in addition t.
the bigamy charge in this city. HI
offered the men who were taking
him to prison the other night $500
if they would let him escape"
Bryant, with q number of detec
tives, has completed an EXHAUSTIVE
search of the house at 5122 Brow
street, where the matrimonial gam
was conducted. A number of letter
from those in this state who joine'
the syndicate have been turned t
the postal authorities, and they Wi
communicate with the persons who's
names are on the letters, in order t
see what was the outcome Of tn
transaction. 1t is thought that othe
marriages by Williams may be dis
closed by this means.
In a rear room on the second foo
were found a number of pieces Q
supposed gold ore. They were in re
atty bits Of rock in which were i'm
bedded particles of gold leaf, Atfrs
glance they might be mistaken fo
ore from a gold mine. On a tabl
neal the tore was a box of blan
certificates for stock in the Mont
Christie" Mining company. One c
Mafshall's boasts was that he oWne
a gold mine in Montana, The detet
tiyes believe that he used the ore an
the certificates to impress the gull
BILE women whom he intended t
marry.
Among other things found wer
twenty-five fancy vests, nine men
hats, and no end of coats and trous
ers. A bottle of hair dye was foun'
on a mantel. Several suit cases fuI
of clothes were found in the house
as if the couple had made prep
a%rations to jump quickly if taken b.
surprise.
There are many curious missives
in the 5000 letters received by the
syndicates. They came from every
section Of the United States, prirri
pally from the West end Mexico
Canada, and far-away british CO
lumbia. There was hardly a news
paper Of prominence in the country
but published the syndicate's allur.
ing advertisement. The letters rar
the gamut from the sixteen-year-olC
girl with blonde hair and blue eyes
to the widow of two-score years ara
ten, with gray hair and plump ap
pearancc.
From the general run Of the let.
tiers it can be seen that most of the
victims were extremely anxious tc
pet a man with lots Of money nc
matter how old he happened to be
Many of them showed refinement
and intelligence. Some OF them were
fine specimens of the ignorant anC
himsy character of their writes.
Some of them were giddy girls moi
yet past twenty, who were lonely anc
wanted a man who would be kind tC
them. Among the letters + some
from men Of business standing II
various cities. They fell such easy
victims to the advertisement thai
they used their own business letter
head paper on which to answer.
Nurses, matrons of hospitals, mil
liners, dressmakers, boarding-schoo
girls, and women of leisure took
chance in answering the advertise
ment. Among every one Of then
paid from 81 to SIS to join the syndi
cate. The price they paid "a mark
ed in ink on their letter after thu
money was received.
One of the letters read:
"Sinccrc, 5l22 Brown ST., Philadcl
phia, Pal will be pleased to cor
respondent with. All the ncccssar,
social advantages may be had. lie