The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1909-07-14
TRAIL OF WIVES
OVER CONTINENT
Man Said to Have Fleeced
Many Women.
GOT MONEY AFTER MARRIAGE
Women From all Over United
States lnquiring About
Accused BigamiSt.

San Francisco, July 10.-Christian
johnson, the man arrested here two
days ago on charges Of having de-
frauded Mrs. H. Leopold ont of $500
following his marriage to her, and
who, the police declare, is John Mad
son, the husband of a score or more
OF wives scattered throughout this
country and Canada, stoutly maintain
ed his denial that he was Madison.
He admitted his marriage to Mrs. S. p
De Bonnette of his city, however.
The detective bureau has been flood
ed to-day with inquiries concerning
Johnson, or Madison, and steady
stream of accusations of bigamy was
unrolled before the prisoner. John
son appeared cheerful under the gath
ering data of his alleged extensive
matrimonial career and his face at
times indicated that he found little
amusement in the general disturbance
his arrest has caused
81 am not Madison" the prisoner
shouted at the detectives. Whoever
says | am, deliberately lies. | never
heard of Madison. | decided that the
best policy was to tell the truth when
l was arrested and | am telling it
when l say that l am not Madison
and am married to but one woman"
The authorities say they have es-
tablished his marriage to ten women
and his engagement and possible mar
riage to fourteen others. Each of
the "a women duped by Madison is
said by the police to have lost more
or less money through him. The
largest amount was from Mrs. Eliza
beth NE. Jackson. Of lola, Kan, from
whom he is said To have obtained
81, 400.
Madison is said to have deserted each
of these women within a few hours
after marriage. Among the women TO
whom he was either engaged or mar
ried was one each in Jonesboro, Ark.
Gettysburg, o., and New Orleans, La.
The strange history of Madison, who
is an aged man. extends over only a
few months. Almost without eXcep-
ton, his victims have been widows or
divorced women of middle age.
st. Louis, July 10.-John Madison
hnrn ~ tho nnlipa a
the professional fiance," after il was
discovered in the fall of 1908 he had
married three women here and had
deserted each of them after obtaining
possession of their money and jewels.
Miss Elizabeth jackson, of lola, Kan,
was the first to put the police on Mad
sons trail. She arrived here last jan
uary looking for Madison, whom she
said she had known as &. c. Johnson.
She told the authorities here thatMad-
son had obtained 81, O55 from her.
After a short and fervent courtship,
Madison had induced Mrs. Katherine
Baughman, of st. Louis, to marry him
and sign over property valued ut ST.
900. He turned this into cash and de-
serted her. Mrs. Baughman left st.
Louis soon after.saying she was going
to Los Angeles. A st. Louis woman,
known as Mrs. Alice Richardson.
though that was not her real name.
told the police that Madison had OBJ
tanned $500 from her on promise Of
marriage.
He got $3.50 and diamond ring
from Mrs. Minnie Allen after prom
Using TO marry her.
Madison posed as wealthy stock
raiser. He was assisted by partner
who found women he thought would
bee susceptible to Madson's wiles. He
would remark he had friend who was
looking for wife. He told wonderful
stories of this friends twelve-room
mansion filled with Chinese servants
in Los Angeles. II he was encourag-