The Penn's Grove record., 1909-07-23
HE HAD SO MANY WIVES HEI DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO
BiSamiSt Johnson Recalls Twenty Spouses, But It is Believed
the Returns Are Incomplete--Made Living by Wedding and
Swindlns Women---Goes to San Quentin Prison
to Serve Seven Years at the Age OF ~Sixty-four.

to, he said, only when money could
not be obtained beforehand.
Returning last spring to San Fran
cisco, Johnson married Mrs. Henri
eta Leopold and Mrs. Josephine
Tretheway, of Stockton, within one
month of each other, on April Is and
May IT. On June Is he welded
Catherine Hoene, of San Diego, a
maiden forty-two years old, who gave
him 5000. He was traced back to
Gather, whom he had married,
and then the police got him.
List of Wives.
Here is Johnson's 'toficial' list of
his wives: Mrs. Catherine Hoene,
San Diego; Mrs. Josephine Trethe-
way, Stockton; Mrs. Sylvia Pollard
de Bennett, San Francisco; Mrs.
Henrietta Leopold, San Francisco;
Eliza Jones, Portland; Mrs. Mary
Brown, Springfield, Mass; Mrs.
Frances Hepburn, Oakland; Miss
Minnie Gather, San Francisco; Mrs.
Josephine Henninger, Oakland; Mrs.
Birdie King, Hot Springs, Ark; Mrs.
Elizabeth M. Jackson, lola, Kan;
Mrs. Mary Frick, East St. Louis;
Catherine Hospital nurse, st. Louis;
Mrs. Alice Richardson, st. Louis;
Mrs. Catalina Baughman, st. Louis:
Mrs. Minnie Allen, st. Louis; Mrs.
Bertha King, Memphis, Tenn; Mrs.
De Loem, Portland, Ore.
Among Eastern women from whom
he received money was Mrs. William
Kirkman, a wealthy widow, of Little
Neck, L. l., from whom he got $500
and whom he was to marry on the
day he led Miss Frederick to the
altar. Others were Miss Carrie
Bandford, of Roseville, N. j., $500;
Miss Bertha Love, of Newark, 5000,
and Miss Josephine Hanson, South
Brooklyn, 5000.
From most of the women, Johnson
says, he obtained money or jewelry,
or both. When in the East Johnson
ensnared women with a picture of
his mythical ranch in Southern Cali
fornia, with its orange groves and
mellow climate. In the West he de-
scribed his palatial dream home on
the Hudson. But now his pleasures
are ended. He fears that he will
succumb to his weak heart before
he is released from San Quentin. He
asserts that the only wife he ever
really loved was Mrs. de Bennett:
He advises women to keep away
from matrimonial agencies, declar-
ing that he never used them except
with deliberate intent to defraud.
On the train from San Jose to this
city women crowded about and
seemed to take great interest in him.
1T just goes to show you women
are FOOLS" remarked Johnson to the
Sheriff.
Look at them. If any man would
come along here and say nice things
to most of them, be polite and show
interest in their doings and hopes
they would smile and smirk until
the poor man would find himself TAX
ing pity OF them and proposing.
THAT was what got me into
trouble. Men of my temperament
are always in danger unless we re-
fuse absolutely even to talk to
women"
Johnson's confession is full of
comment. Here are a few extracts
which show his philosophy.
Eve led a rather sporty life, and
l want to say that whatever / got
out OF women I spent on them right
away. They kept me broke.
II have found it did not pay to be
soft and sweet with the women.
Treat them a little harsh and be a
little distant and they will come to
you. If I saw a woman that l really
liked l made up my mind l would
make her fall in love with me, and I
seldom failed.
"Once started with The idea of get
ting money from women, I continued
to dupe them, and 1 did not marry
those from whom I could get money
without"