New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-05-27
Laid to
Girl of Is With
Marrying Habit
Brooklyn Maid Charged With
2 Husbands i'm g Months,
and No. 2 Says Her
Parents Aided Deception
We'd First ON a Dare
Father Says They Couldn't
Afford Divorce and Files
Delinquency Complaint

Marriage to Florence Cobleigh is a
casual adventure to be entered upon by
way of a dare; to be forgotten when
the edge Of romance wears Off. Flor
cncc is just little girl, so far as
years ago, but within six months she
is said to have had two husbands, each
of, them having lived with her at diff
fercnt times in her fathers home, I'll
Moore Street, Brooklyn. She is fifteen
years old
When her second husband brought
charge OF bigamy against her, Herbert
Cobleigh, her father, offset this with
one of juvenile delinquency. The re-
suit was that Florence appeared before
Magistrate Wilkin, in the Children's
Court, Brooklyn, yesterday, and was
dren's Society until her case is heard
on June 2.
Florence is pretty blonde, who has
been working as dcmonstrator IN
shop in Manhattan. She is mature
enough in dress and appearance to give
the impression of being eighteen or
more Her second husband says he
was fooled on this score; that her fam
lily connived with her to present
false affidavit as to her age, and that
they told him her first marriage was
annulled.
Couldn't Afford Divorce
Her father, who is a printer, said
yesterday that both husbands had lived
with Florence under his roof and that
he had tried to have the first marriage
annulled when his daughter walked IN
with a second husband. He found,
hewever, that it would mean a regular
divorce and would cost more than he
could afford.
The facts, as presented by the child's
mother and father, are that Florence
entered upon her first marriage as the
result of a dare and upon her second
venture in all seriousness. She was
bridesmaid at wedding where Rob-
ert Brocklehurst, 6S3 Gates Avenue,
was best man. Their friends dared
them to marry and they promptly went
before deputy city clerk in Borough
Hall and went through the marriage
ceremony on November "a, Florence
swearing she was eighteen years old.
After living with her for two days
at her home Brocklehurst, who is
nineteen years old and a chauffeur,
went away and never came back again,
according to thei parents of the girl
On April 2 Florence walked in and
announced a second husband This
time it was Otto Berringer, of lit
10th Street, Richmond Hill, an iron
riveter. They lived together for a
short time until Berringer, who is
twenty three years old, disappeared.
Florence felt hurt about this and went
to Philadelphia with girl friend for
two weeks, according to her father.
She had just returned when Berringer
appeared on Wedne sday night with
two detectives and had her arrested on
a charge of bigamy
Charges Family Tricked Him
Berringer alleges that he was
tricked by the girl and her parents.
They swore that Florence was eighteen,
ne said, and declared that the first
marriage was annulled. 1t was only
inadvertently that he learned the
truth. Mr.. Cobleigh asserts that the
first marriage was discussed frequently
after Berringer came to live with them
and that he understood the circum-
stances about the "meaningless first
marriage"
Brocklehurst, who lives with his
mother, brother and three sisters, said
yesterday that he married Florence on
November "a and lived with her few
days at her home. She made an aft
davit in getting. the marriage license
that she was eighteen years old, he
said. When he learned her true age
he was annoyed with her parents and
asked her to live at his home. This
she refused to do and he left her, he
said.