Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-02-23
FORGER WHO MARRIED
ALLENTOWN GIRL WAS
STRONG DRINK VICTIM
Russell J. Fernau, Manayunk,
Dragged His Parents From
Comparative Affluence to
Near-Drudgery
DESERTED A WIFE, TOO

| Russell John Fernau. n Manayunk ma
I OF 25 years, not only turned an Aller
| town society girls romance into sorroN
! when II was learned he was forger AM
not n son of a steel corporation director
! as he represented himself 70 be, but h
dragged his parents from a place OF com
parntlve aifluence in the world to near
drudgery whereby even his mother ha
to work for living
Liquor is blamed
out in Manayunk and Roxborough to.
day they are telling how the forgeries for
which he has just been arrested were
not the FIRST that he performed similar.
ly in Logan and other uptown places sew
eral years ago. and the sufferers that
time were his parents. The father had
to sell his business and his home, and
where his store was there is now but
terinc shop for which his mother is the
agent.
SOME OF THE VICTIMS.
A directory OF the persons affected by
Fernau's forgcries would include the fol-
lowing:
Mr. and Mrs Louis Fernau, the parents
of 1851 Umbria street
Mrs Russell John Fernau, his first wife,
who was Miss Marie stanton, Of 4O43
North Broad street.
Miss Elsie Htmmelwrlght. OF Allentown,
whom he married last December without
having been divorced from his first wife.
Thomas stanton his father-in-law, with
whom he made his home after his first
marriage.
Mrs Harry Flanagan. his sister, Of
1894 Ridge avenue.
Robert Radcliffe, friend of 1910 Um-
bria street.
MAY FACE BIGAMY CHARGE.
The first wife said today she was con-
sidering making bigamy charge, but
even while she said 1t she remarked, half
to herself" what a fine-looknG man Fer
nau was. Until she consulted an attor-
ney, she said. there would be little FOR
her to say, but she did describe briefly
Fernaus desertion Of her.
"He lust walked out of the house about
eight months ago" she said, "and |
didn't hear of him until he was arrested
in Newark yesterday"
They have a baby year and one-half
old. They were married three years ago
Mrs Flanagan, the sister, said
MY brother got into some trouble over
checks about "A year ago. but the trouble
was made good"
She refused to tell how, but neighbor-
hood friends of the Fernau family said
that since that trouble the young man
father had to sell his business-he was
a prosperous drygoods merchant at the
Umbria street address, and also owned
the property which was his home. The
sister would not tell where her father
was working now. He is still assessed as
a storekeeper, though Mrs. Flanagan
says he has an engineering position, Per-
sons who know him say he is sales
man.
The sister said her brother left Phila-
delphia at the time of the forgeries two
years ago This contradicts what his wife
said about his leaving eight months ago
A former friend of Fernau, Robert Rad
cIiffe was working in Hazleton several
months ago, and said that one day Fernau
met him on the street. They had known
each other well, and he invited Fernau
to spend the night with him at the Valley
Hotel He says the next morning he
missed his diamond ring and his last
half dollar.
"I can't accuse Fernau OF taking it,
said Radcliffe today. because didn't see
him take II, but at the same time | don't
see who else could have taken 1t. He
denied 1t when taxed him with it. | know
he got into the clerk for some money. He
tried to cash a $3.50 check with me, but I
turned him down. He had roll big
enough to choke horse when l first met
him"
When Fernau made his home here with
his wife's family he worked as an insur-
ance agent in the same company his
was connected with. The
would not talk about the
case today.