The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1909-07-15
NEDS TEN WOMEN;
DUP!Es a OTHERS.
John Madison, Star Bigamist, Ar
, rested in Frisco. Il.
Jul. iEdGU Ill l1lalE e. n.
MARRIAGE is HIS BUSINESS
Says He Cant Remember Just How
Many Wives He Has Had--known
In St. Louis as "Profes.
slonal Fiance."

San Francisco, July 10.--John Mad.
son, wanted for bigamy in nearly
every large city in the United States
and many of the smaller ones, was ar
rested by the police of this city.
The authorities here have already
established his marriage to ten wom-
en- and his engagement and possible
marriage to Ia others. Each of the
"a women duped by Madison is said by
the police to have lost more or less
money through his friendship.
Madison says he has had so many
wives, he has forgotten the count.
The prisoner says his name is Chris
tan G. Johnson. He stoutly main
tanned his denial that he is Madison.
.... Women MADISON Married. 81. !,
The women whom Madison married
are Mrs. Elizabeth o. ~ E. Jackson
of lola, Kan, from whom he is said to
have Secured $1,4O0; Miss Minnie
Allen, 1913 A Madison p street. st.
Louis, from whom he secured $3.50 and
diamond ring; Mrs. Alice Richard
son, ST. Louis, who, lost 5000 before
Madison disappeared; Mrs, Katherine
Bauman, St. Louis, who lost $1,000;
Mrs Maggie u. Bloom, Hannibal, Mo,
who sold her home for Madison; Mrs.
A. Farran, Rocheport, Mo, from
WHOM" he secured $4,000; Mrs. Sylvia
Pollard De Bennett, San Francisco,
who lost her home as a, result of the
wedding; Mrs. Henriette Leopold, San
Francisco, who lost $500; Mrs. Jessie
Tretheway, Stockton, Cal, who thew
him out of her house when he tried to
borrow money; Mrs. Mary Virgins
Downs, Springfield, Mass, who lost
$500.
,.ro Deserted in a Few Hours.
Madison is said to have deserted
these women within few hours after
his marriage to them. Besides the
women to whom the records show he
was married, he was either engaged
or married to women in the following
cities,
San Francisco, three; Oakland, Cal,
two: Memphis, Tenn. Lawrence,
Kan; Jonesboro, Ark; Santa Rosa.
Cal; Gettysburg, o.; New Orleans;
st, Johns, Mich; Hamilton, Ont, and
Germany. -. ..a.l ..., .h
The strange history of Madison. who
Is an aged man, extends over only a
few months, but in that time he mar
ried or duped "a women whose names
are known to the police. Almost with
out exception his victims have been
widows or divorced women of middle
age. Madison may be taken for trial
to Stockton, where one of his wives
resides, but in the meantime the po-
lice here are trying to secure a com.
plete confession from him.
Known as a professional Fiance."
st. Louis, July 10.-John Madison,
known here to the police as pro
fessional fiance," after 1t was dis.
covered in the fall of 1908 he had mar
ried three women here and had de
serted each of them after obtaining
of their money and Jewels
Mrs. Elizabeth Jackson of lola, Kan,
was the first to put the police on Mad
sons trail. She arrived here last
January looking for Madison, wholf
she said she had known az o. G. John
son. She told the authorities here
that Madison had obtained $1,O55 from
her. ........ -..
Madison posed as wealthy stock
broker. .l5...is .,.a.. i.
After short and ,fervent courtship
Madison had induced, Mrs Katherine
Baughman of st. Louis to marry him
and sign over property valued at
81 900. HE turned this into cash and
deserted her. Mrs. Boughman left
st. Louis soon after saying she was
going to Los Angeles. A St. Louis
woman, known as Mrs. Alice Richard
son. though that was not her real
name, told the police Madison had OBJ.
tanned 5000 from her. .~