Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-11-17
TRACING FIANCE
IN AN UNUSUAL
Love MYSTERY
Romance Of Brooklyn Girl
Fades With Fake Death
Report-Cannot Find
Phantom Lover,

Chicago, Nov. 16.-Following an
Intangible clew in the quest for the
phantom bridegroom who was to
have married Miss Sophie Loder-
hose of Brooklyn, detectives have
come to Chicago. They are looking
for man who calls himself DR.. A.
William Hoffman, jr.
The romance which has involved
the names of Miss Loderhose and
DR.. Hoffman is one of the most
mystifying that detectives have had
to work on in many days. 1t in
wolves love and wealth and, it was
supposed, sudden death. But those
working on the case are convinced
now that the reported death mes
sage was hoax.
Gets Telephone Call.
: Miss Loderhose, who is "a years
old and said to be beautiful, might
be able to give more assistance than
she has except for her collapse fol-
lowing the disclosure that her mys-
FERROUS fiance was not all he claimed
to be. She is under the care Of
physician in her home in Brooklyn.
DR.. Hoffman claimed Pasadena,
Cal, as his home, and the Vincent
Astors as relatives. He said that
his father was practicing physician
in Millbrook, N. Y. All arrange
nj. nts for the wedding had been fin
isted and the young doctor was sup
posed to be on his way east for the
event. Then came a telephone call
to Miss Loderhose, saying he had
been killed in an automobile acci-
dent in French Lick Springs, Ind.
Was Telephone Courtship. *
Announcements of the accident ap-
peared iii the eastern papers. Then
it was learned that there had been
no such accident at French Lick
Springs that there was no DR.. Hoff-
man, ST., living in Millbrook, and no
young one in Pasadena.
Although the preparations for the
wedding were extremely elaborate,
the courtship was mostly a long dis
lance one. Young DR.. Hoffman ap-
peared only three times at the
Loderhose home. He was seen only
by Miss Loderhose and her sister,
Miss Emile, who kept house togeth-
er. He was dressed each time in
the uniform of an officer in the med
zeal corps of the army. One time he
brought his supposed father along.
The young women insist that the
bearing of the two was in har-
mony with their contentious.
Lasted an Hour.
But the telephone calls which Miss
Loderhose received were almost
countless. Her fiance called some
times from Pasadena, she said, and
sometimes from Millbrook. Some of
the transcontinental conversations
lasted all hour, but the young doc
tor seemed to care nothing for tele-
phone tolls. He claimed to be rich.
He was to present new organ to
the church where the wedding was
tu take place, and an organ company
had begun work on the plans.
Miss Loderhose was showered
with expensive gifts. They came in
nearly every mail. She wore a four
carat diamond ring. Shortly before
the wedding day, she sent out in
vitations and a notice to the news
papers. She was the guest of show
crs and rre-wedding entertainments.
Put on Mourning.
Then kame the announcement of
the accident. Another mysterious
telephone call, which Miss Loder-
hose thought was from French Lick
and the young mans father told of
the sudden death. The girl put on
deep mourning and asked the min
lister who was to have married her
to hold memorial service. While
getting information for that, he dis
covered that there was no DR.. Hoff-
man living in Millbrook, and the
girls relatives began the effort to
solve the unusual love mystery.
Miss Loderhose had a photograph
of the young doctor by which the
detectives hope to trace down the
elusive lover. She described him
as very tall; handsome, medium
complexioned and slender"