The Washington herald., 1908-01-12
BUNDREN WHARFAGE"
PROVES TO BE 4 HOAX

and name she wrote to John Bundren
and secured a reply stating that he was
the John Bundren OF long ago. Her re-
ply to his letters informed her Eirlhood
sweetheart that she was still unmarried
His proposal was Immediate. II seems
that each had been faithful TO the other.
At the end OF eighty years Of waiting
John Bundren and Rose Mcclure were
TO be united.
The reunion planned by Bundren be-
came marriage party. Then the letter
said that Bundren was anxious to have
present at mis- wedding every nonagen-
aTian in the United States and as many
in England as could come to the party.
So eager was he to have them that he
was willing 10 pay the expenses Of those
who were unable 10 do 50 themselves.
He announced that he would sail r.
England for his bride. and would bring
her back in time to be married on the
Tooth anniversary OF her birth, August 2S.
The first letter Of this kind to be re-
ceiVed in Des Afoines came TO Mrs. Ruth
Mcpherson Morris, aged 100 years, who
resides on East Capitol avenue AIrs.
Anna Edworthy, her granddaughter, was
taken with the idea Of the trip and re-
piled that she with her grandmother
would be present at the ceremony. She
suggested the names Of Mrs. Elizabeth
Jones and DR.. William Peter, OF Des
Moines. as persons past ninety years.
They received invitations also.
The newspapers now began to make
features of the people who received the
invitations to the marriage. They were
all over ninety. and consequently inter
esting in themselves. Hundreds Of them
were scattered all over the United States
and some were reported as intending to
come from Europe. Many had been
prominent in politics and business.
The answers Of acceptance brought a
uniform reply. and enclosed were photo
graphs Of the bride and bridegroom to
be. This was along In July. The letters
were mostly written by John Bundren.
jr., in behalf OF his granduncie. The ons
to Mrs. Morris Of this city. read IN part
as follows:
Your most delightful favor has been
received and the contents have pleased
me beyond expression. feel that We
are closely kin In many respects, and l
rejoice greatly TO make the acquaintance
Of one so near my own age and whose
| goodness has permitted her TO live far
beyond the ordinary period Of life. whose
| general sweetness Of temperament and
| character and love Of things beautiful
/ has kept you ever in tune with the sweet
er haTmOnies Of this magnificent world
Of which you are the living expression
OF a rose Tipening into beauty I should
/ be more than delighted 10 meet you per-
senalIy and shall live in the sweet hope
Of doing so at some future date, whether
you are able TO attend the wedding or
not"
To the skilled eye the picture OF the
/ old gentleman is clearly made Up. The
! beautiful whiskers are false. On the
! back Of the picture was printed the date
/ Of his birth, April l, 1906 This was
enough TO convince the average person
that the business was a fake. but many
tnonagenarians continued to make prep
Some touched savings which had been
put away to keep them comfortable dur
ing their old age. Some put themselves
1 in want for the rest or their lives be-
| cause OF their desire to make a good
entry into life again. But their hopes
were dashed. The summons 10 start 20
the wedding never came. The papers
gradually published the details Of the
fraud.
The man who perpetrated the fraud is
said to have given the name OF John B.
Bundren. He conceived the idea and car
ried IL out. Immense labor was involved
| in carrying on all the correspondence.
| but he seems to have done it alone.
Bundren was a clerk in the medical sup
ply department OF the United States
army
"Bundren" left ST Louis about August
| 1. after admitting that the principals in
the romance. HIS "greatuncle' and Rose
Mcclure, Johns childhood sweetheart,
were creatures OF hts vivid imagination.
He attempted to justify his deception Of
| hundreds Of nOnagenaTians and centen-
arians invited to the wedding, on the
ground that he wanted TO obtain some
! information for a book on longevity that
| he intended to write, and knew Of no
other method Of obtaining it,