Los Angeles herald., 1909-09-01
CALLS ON POLICE TO
INVESTIGATE FIANCEE
PENNSYLVANIA SUSPICIOUS
OF CORRESPONDENT
Three Eastern Men lnquisitiVe About
Woman Who Agreed in Her
Letters to Marry Each
of Them
[special to The Herald. ]

LONG BEACH, Aug. 31.-After a cor
respondence courtship continuing from
May until August, a Sharon, Pa, man.
August Hoffbauer by name, has refused
to be "Mary's little lamb" any longer
and has asked the police to investigate
one MARY Ruth Martini" a poor sew
ing woman" who wrote him loving let
ters and accepted money he sent her
but, he believes, misrepresented things
to get his money and never had any
idea of marrying him.
Further questions regarding Mary
personality and history have been re-
ceived also from Andrew Smith OF
NASSAU, Wis, and Charles I. Orwig OF
Forest Hill, Mich. To all these men she
was known as Mary Ruth Martin, her
only address, as given in her letters,
being Box 9S, Long Beach, Cal. Mary
Is supposed to have feared one of the
men was on her trail with something
other than love in his heart, for she
has left the town. The former renter
of box SO has given up the box. More
recent letters from the woman have
been received by Hoffbauer from San
Francisco and Fruitdale.
Money Sent Woman
The three men named say the woman
wrote them in such a way as to lead
them to believe she considered matri-
mony, and, Furthermore, as If she would
not be averse to receiving financial as
sistance in going east to join them.
Hoffbauerl has sent out the letters he
received from the woman, and they
contain several references to money he
sent her to relieve her allegedly woe
begone condition, when there was little
sewing to do, or she was sick, or some
thing else was wrong with Mary
In her letters the woman continually
advised Hoffbauer not to send her
money by registered letter or by eX-
press, or even by postal money order,
unless 1t be directed to Los Angeles, as
Long Beach is a small town" and
there would be "quizzing, embarrassing
questions" She also advised Hoffbauer
not to write to her in envelopes bear
ing his name. If he wanted her to come
to him he must send. money, not an
order for ticket, she wrote.
To all three of the men she was a
widow. To Hoffbauer she was a widow
whose husband had been killed in a
railway accident. She was in a fair
way to receive several thousand dol
lars, she wrote, when the suit was tried
in the November term of court" She
wanted a home and a husband to pro-
tect her.
Poses as Wealthy Widow
To Smith she was a woman of modest
tastes, who preferred married life, and
was certain Smith was Just her IDEAL"
To Orwig she was a wealthy widow
who was fond of good company, and a
live wire generally.
The woman saw the advertisements
of these men in Chicago matrimonial
paper. She worded her letters with care
and gradually lied on" the different
men in different ways. She was reluc-
tant to accept Hoffbauers money, but
he did not report getting any Of 1t back
She was willing to help him raise
chickens or do anything else, but there
was no use worrying over these mat
ters before she was there ito arrange
things" He ought not to spend his
money to bring his furniture from
got there they could live in two house,
keeping rooms until they had saved
some money. She found a broker who
would sell her ticket to Pittsburg for
$40. She was perfectly willing to give
and the name of her lawyer,
but she never did.
Sends Photograph
She sent a photograph alleged to be
of herself 1t bore no photographers
name, however. She said she was very
easily contented, If treated with kind
ness" Her letters were signed "Af-
fectionately yours, Mary" and in other
endearing phrases.
After carrying on the correspondence
for some time she wrote that she had
decided it would be best for her to wait
until she could come east, paying her
own way. Later however, after she
had gone north she wrote asking for
more money, as she was "sick and
among strangers. Imagine my condi-
ton"
To Hoffbauer the woman wrote she
was 28 years old feet inches tall,
weight 141 pounds and had brown hair,
brown eyes, fair complexion, good
figure, white, new teeth and was in
perfect health. She had no children
and had been a widow about two years.
Whether her description was at all like
herself the authorities doubt. Private
Detective Fred F. Phillips is working
on the case. He said today he had no
clew to the woman's identity.
"She played me for a good sucker"
wrote Hoffbauer.