The Washington times., 1922-04-27
8 WIVES CLAIM
THIS LOTHAR|0
/. AS THEIR HUBBY
lie Clair Admits That He
Worked Fast-Began
Marrying at IS.
Copyright, 1929, by Cosmopolitan News
Seryice)

Copyright, 1929, by Cosmopolitan News
Service.)
BOSTON, Mass, April 81
Chief of Police Millard j. Whidden,
of Glouc. xer, has asked the Pough-
keepsie, N. Y, authorities for Gus
tody Of Major" John Lawrence
lie Clair, of Barre, VT, to be pros
ecuted on the charge Of bigamy'
lie Clair is under arrest IN the
New York town, charged with Tor
gerry. All over New England
women are reporting to local,
state. and Federal authorities that
lie Clair went through a form OF
wedding with them.
Career of Ten Years.
1t is alleged that the major. VINO
started his marital career at the age
of sixteen and who Is now pu'
twenty-six, is the champion bigaihls'
of New England, having eisht al
legged victims, some of whom have
disappeared. ~.
Smartly dressed sometimes in the
uniform OF the United States navy
and oak leaves OF an army major. a
glib talker. good looking, ana with
an airy. breezy manner. he found
little difficulty in finding victims In
practically every town he visited.
And always lie Clair left q
broken. hearted woman, sitting IN
home wondering and waiting Tor the
husband that never returned.
Warrants for bigamy are in force
against him in Vermont. New lamp
shire, Connecticut. and Massa'
chusetts.
White Slave Charges.
The Federal Government has pre-.
pared charges OF white slavery ano
unlawfully wearing the uniform OF
the United States army and navy Of.
ficer against him. The career OF
this twentieth century Lothario be.
gan when ne was sixteen years OF
age. Yet he is said TO have mar
ried" women in cities as far apart as
Claremont, y. H.: Baltimore, Md
Fort Worth. Tex; Hartford, Conn
Gloucester, Mass. and Schenectady
N Y.
With all his shrewdness in pick
ing gullible young women to listen
to his fervent wooing he stuck to
the name of lie Clair. il is alleged.
1t was as lie Clair that he married
a young girl in Clartmont, n. H.,
back in 1918. when he was but six
teen years old. 1t was under the
same name that he led to the
altar in Fitchburg, Miss Nalmar
Tarr. of Gloucester. When he took
Theresa r. Hamilton. of Hartford
Conn, before justice of the
peace and promised TO love and
honor her he also used the name lie
Clair, 1t is alleged.
once he changed his name, au
thorities state, and il was as Jack
Johnson. of San Francisco, that he
wooed and wed Miss Maud Allen, a
little Canadian girl, living in Glou
Cester. Switching back to his old
name. officials say. he ;hcn Courte7
Dorothy Morse, OF Beverly, Mass.
and elOped with her to Claremont
/ y. II. His last venture. cOnsum
mated in Schenectady, when he took
Miss Bertha Maud Hayes. was also
under the name of lie Clair.
Posed as Official.
Like the Pitcher that went &c
often to the well, his last marriage
proved his undoing Not conten,
with inducing the young woman 10
go through "A form of marriage. he
wore the uniform of an army ajor
and took his latest bride to Pough
keepsie, n. Y, where they occupied
an elaborate suite in the best hotel
and where he opened offices and
posed as Government official, il
was stated by police.
The inevitable happened. He ran
out Of funds. Bills piled up and
creditors Clanored for their money
What was more natural for the
man who had duped women than to
attempt to dupe men? He is al
legged to have written out checks
and forged the signatures of other
men. lie Clair then landed in the