The Washington herald., 1912-01-13
SISTER 10 EXPOSE
WEALTHYDIVORCEE
crOnk, Married Three Times, After
Another DivOrce-sistsr win j
Side with Present Wife.

New York. Jan PA sister who hai
turned against her brother to-day told
the story. in Perth Amboy. N. J.. Of q
much-divoreed and equally much-mar-
ried millionaire. who has already had
three wives and Is preparing to take a
fourth.
She Is Miss Nellie CrOnI. who lives in
the Jersey town. and she Is getting ready
10 start for Omaha, where she VIII com
bat her brothers latest venture into the
frequently tried sea OF matrimony.
He Is George p. Cronk, a mining man
who used to be well known about New
York. He is at present bringing suit
against his latest wife. Cora l. Patterson
and the case Is scheduled TO be called
on Monday. Miss Cronk, the sister, viii
appear as a witness for the defendant
Mrs Patterson-Cronk, and will try 10
wind UP her brothers multitudinOus mar
riages-as, she says. he Is going to marry
another unnamed woman as soon as he
Is free again.
my brother Is secretary and treasurer
of the Haven-White Coal Company, one
of the richest concerns in Nebraska"
said Miss Cronk to-day. He is fifty
two years old. but doesn't look il. and Is
extremely handsome. He has always been
able to captivate women, but think il
Is now about time he should stop
According to Miss Cronk. her brothers
first marriage was with Miss Margaret
Murphy. a pretty young girl whom he met
in Phildelphia. He had lived with her
only two years when they separated, and
II was a matter OF months before friends
could bring about a reconciliation
But even after this he drank heavily
and abused Margaret IN other ways. and
she died Of a broken heart" said the
sister.
Then. it appeared, Cronk journeyed TO
Virginia. settled IN Richmond. and be-
came known as one OF the livest sports
OF the town. He met Miss Lillian Weld,
a daughter Of family which had ex-
tensive tobacco interests. and after a
very brief courtship welded her.
They had three children and lived to-
gether for eighteen years. But then
Cronk brought a suit for divorce. and
gained II at the cost Of paying wife No.
2 SIS a week alimony. The sister de-
cIared to-day:
George brought false charges against
his wife, and because of his money was
able TO make them stand up when the
trial was had. His former wife and the
three children are now living in Calf
fornia. There should have been no d.
vorce. Only his money got II for him. /"
Soon after the Virginia decree was
granted, the sister says, Cronk went
West. He got in with several mining
companies. and before long was enabled
to amass a fortune Of 100000
Then. three years ago." resumed the
sister. Mrs. Cora Patterson, the wife
of prominent citizen, obtained di-
vorce from her husband. Soon after she
was free she married my brother.
Last July ] received a letter from
him, in which he told me he was going
TO seek freedom from her, too. imme-
diately went to Omaha to pay him a
visit, When he learned that I was in
vestigating his past life he told me 70 go
to - and return at once to Perth
Amboy.
II learned that he has been pretending
that he was the innocent party all the
way through his married career. and that
IL he divorced his present wife he Is go
ing to marry still another woman. Be
sides. his present wife has written I'd me
and asked me what / know about him.
Therefore, said Mis- Cronk, II am
going West to appear against him. and
let the court know just what his career
has been"
Court records show that the sisters
account Of Cronk's marriages IS fairly
accurate. Newspaper clippings show that
Lillian weld-Cronk attacked Mrs. Pat
terson-Cronk with her finger nails when
she learned that Cronk was paying the
latter woman attentions. Cronk is a for
mer exalted grand ruler OF the Elks.