The Washington times., 1919-11-17
ADS LURED WOMEN
TO LOVE TEMPLE
City Detective Tells How She
Secured Evidence Against
Bogus Marriage Club.


Temple OF Love" headquarters OF the
New Hope Matrimonial Society, which
was raided last wednesday, achieved
much Of its local popularity has been
explained by Mrs. Mary A. sullivan,
city detective, who discovered in her
examination OF the seized correspond
ence numbers OF complaints from
members who claim to have paid the
society money for which they re-
ceived nothing in return.
Investigation shows. Mrs. Sullivan
said, that DR.. Johsn Albertus, presi-
dent OF the New Hope and now a
fugitive from justice on three crimi-
nal charges, gathered into the tenn
pie" large numbers OF women by the
simple means of advertising for s
housekseper. This Is how the plan
was worked, according to clippings
from newspapers, letters to Albertus
and replies by the latter:
An advertisement in a newspaper
asking for an able-bodied single
woman to NIL a position as house
keeper for a single gentleman drew
numerous replies from women. These
replies, Mrs. Sullivan said, were an
swered promptly by Albertus with a,
letter advising each applicant to be-
come a member of the New Hope and
thereby obtain a position as house
keeper-and incidentally as wife also.
The society numbered thousands
among its members, and had descrip-
tions and photographs OF men and
women in every State.
Examine witnesses Today.
Today. in the office OF Assistant Dis
trict Attorney Kilroe. a number OF
witnesses will be examined prepara-
tory to Mr.. Kilroe's appearance be-
fore the grand jury in an effort 10 OBJ
tain indictments against Albertus on
three counts. The preliminary in
quiry developed yesterday that the
Federal authorities may take a hand
in the case. on the strength OF evil
dence tending to show that Aloertus
used the malls to defraud.
This has been established. accord
ing to Mr.. KiIroe, by numerous com
plants from 'hrst degree" and "sec-
ond degree" members. who write that
they sent Albertus $40 and s25 initia-
tion fees and did not hear from him
again. though. in his advertisements.
Afbertus asserted that s25 or second
degree members" were entitled to the
~millionaire and millionairess" lists.
@MIllienaires- All Bogus.
II was reported by the police yes
terday that all the local addresses
given on the millionaire list" fur
nishsd by AIbertus have been investi-
gated. and not one millionaire has
been found living at any OF them. It
was intimated, however. that this in
yestigation developed evidence point
ing to a conspiracy.
The Rev. r. e. Oberlander. pastor
of 81. Johns Lutheran Church, and
the Rev. Wilhelm Mortensen, superin-
tendent of the Inner Mission and Res
cue Work Society, who told Mr.. Kill
roe that AIbertus is Pierson Johan
Alberthus. deposed Lutheran minis
ter. and one time pastor Of South
Ozone Park IL. ~ Lutheran Church,
also may be asked to testify today.
Further interesting disclosures OF
the secrets of the Temple OF Love"
were made last night by Mrs. SuIli-
van to a reporter for The World
Detective Had Proposals.
'I had been a member only a short
masseur, proposed marriage to me-"
Mrs. Sullivan said. He said look ed
so strong and well that - was sure
= would make an ideal mate for him
in his mssssging business. as 1 could
massage the women while he rubbed
10 in on the men. A proposal from
Dr. Albertus came soon sfterward.
He asked me, after I had looked over
the lists, IL he wouldn't do, and had
10 appear fattered and laugh it of
as best I could.
The temple was crowded nearly
every day and evening. Generally
there were about 200 people in the
building, which is an old fashioned
private dwelling of three stories and
an attic. The members with whom I
came in contact there were by no
means middle-aged or older people as
rule. There were very many
young people. but most OF the girls
and men seemed to be foreigners.
Many of them were Russians, Poles
and Swedes"
Records in the Bureau of Criminal
Identification at police headquarters
show that Albertus in 1916 was in
vestigated in connection with an al
legged fake South American real es-
tate scheme.