Funding for the digitization of this title was provided by Georgia HomePLACE, a project of the Georgia Public Library Service.
About The Henry County weekly. (McDonough, GA.) 18??-1934 | View Entire Issue (July 23, 1909)
THE PROMS^^^^PEMTY. \ —Cartoon by Davenport, in the New York Mail. HE HAD SO MANY WIVES HE DIDN’T KNOW WHAT TO HO Bigamist Johnson Recalls Twenty Spouses, But It is Believed the Returns Are Incomplete—Made Living by Wedding and Swindling Women —Goes to San Quentin Prison to Serve Seven Years at the Age of Sixty-four. San Francisco, Cal.—lt is all over with Christian Johnson, the German horse buyer and bigamy expert, champion to date of all his kind. Johnson has been taken from San Jose, where he was convicted, to San Quentin prison, to serve a sentence of seven years. When he has served his term most any city or village in the country can claim him at will and send him away on another charge of bigamy. He says that he has mar ried so many women that he cannot remember them all. He was able to recall twenty of his victims, but as his list consists, with only two ex ceptions, of Western women, and as he is known to have operated heavily i in marriage vows in New York and ' New Jersey and New England, it is believed that the twenty represent less than half of his actual wives. He does not include Miss Julia A. Fredericks, of Freeport, L. 1., whom he married in 1900, decamping next day with SI6OO of her money. Johnson is sixty-four years old, portly and fine looking and, despite the handicap of years, is known to have married eight women since No vember, 1905. His lovemaking has been on even a more generous scale, and, according to his own statement, he courted ten Portland (Ore.) women at one time, but married only one of the lot. In probably hun dreds of instances hfe merely made love to women aad skipped away with sums of their money varying from S2OO to several thousands. Made It a Profession. Johnson dates the beginning of his criminal career three years back, but as the* marriage with Miss Fred ericks took place nine years ago, and he came to this country in 1871, there is no telling how long he has made a living by the role of lover. “In 1906,” he said. “I quit my busi ness of buying horses, and from that day to this time I have been making my living by marrying, making love to women, getting their money and deserting them.” Johnson was known as John Mad son, John C. Anderson and C. O. Moeller, and it was under the name of Madson that he married Miss Fredericks. He said that at first he was a woman hater, having been sep arated in Germany from a sweetheart who later died. “I married only one woman under the name of Madson, he said. “Her name was Jones —if I remember rightly—Ada Jones. I got SIBOO from her because she said she loved me. I could have got $50,000.” The bigamist credits Mrs. Mary Brown, whom b° married in Spring field, Mass., in 1905. and immediate ly deserted, with being hife first and only legal wife, but it is believed that perhaps a score antedate her. Johnson says he was born on March 11. 1845, in Flensburg, Schleswig-Holstein. He learned mar ine engineering and worked as a ma chinist in Trenton. N. J., when he came to America in 1871. To Live on Cupid’s Bounty. After his desertion of the Spring field widow Johnson went to New Or leans as a horse trader. Then his health failed and he determined to live on Cupid’s bounty. His next venture, according to his story, w r as with Mrs. Sylvia Pollard de Bonnett at San Francisco. Two weeks after this false mar riage Johnson said he had to go to ( Germany and left town. Next he ap peared in Portland, where he mar ried Mrs. Eliza Jones, a widow of a wealthy coal dealer. Two weeks after the marriage he took her to Oakland. Cal., where, with SIBOO of her money in his pockets, he skipped out for Memphis. His next marriage, victim’s name forgotten, took place in the East. A ceremony was resorted to, he said, only when money could not be obtained beforehand. Returning last spring to San Fran cisco, Johnson married Mrs. Henri etta Leopold and Mrs. Josephine Tretheway, of Stockton, within one month of each other, on April 15 and May 17. On June 15 he wedded Catherine Hoene, of San Diego, a maiden forty-two years old, who gave him S2OO. He was traced back to San Francisco by Miss Minnie Cather, whom he had married, and then the police got him. List of Wives. Here is Johnson's “official” list of liis wives: Mrs. Catherine Hoene, San Diego; Mrs. Josephine Trethe way, Stockton; Mrs. Sylvia Pollard de Bonnett, San Francisco; Mrs. Henrietta Leopold. San Francisco; Eliza Jones, Portland; Mrs. Mary Browm, Springfield, Mass.; Mrs. Frances Hepburn, Oakland; Miss Minnie Cather, San Francisco; Mrs. Josephine Henninger, Oakland; Mrs. Birdie King, Hot Springs, Ark.; Mrs. Elizabeth M. Jackson, lola, Kan.; Mrs. Mary Frick, East St. Louis; Catherine Hospital nurse, St. Louis; Mrs. Alice Richardson, St. Louis; Mrs. Catalina Baughman. St. Louis; Mrs. Minnie Allen, St. Louis; Mrs. Bertha King, Memphis, Tenn.; Mrs. De Loem, Portland, Ore. Among Eastern women from whom he received money w T as Mrs. William Kirkman, a wealthy w'iaow, of Little Neck, L. 1., from whom he got SISOO and whom he was to marry on the day he led Miss Frederick to the altar. Others were Miss Carrie Bandford, of Roseville, N. J., $1500; Miss Bertha Love, of Newark, S6OO, and Miss Josephine Hanson, South Brooklyn, S6OO. From most of the women, Johnson says, he obtained money or jewelry, or both. When in the East Johnson ensnared women with a picture of his mythical ranch in Southern Cali fornia. with its orange groves and mellow climate. In the West he de scribed his palatial dream home on the Hudson. But now his pleasures are ended. He fears that he will succumb to his heart before he is released from San Quentin. He asserts that the only w r ife he ever really loved was Mrs. de Bonnett. He advises women to keep away from matrimonial agencies, declar ing that he never used them except with deliberate intent to defraud. On the train from San Jose to this city women crow r cled about and seemed to take great interest in him. “It just goes to show you women are fools,” remarked Johnson to the Sheriff. “Look at them. If any man would come along here and say nice things to most of them, be polite and show interest in their doings and hopes they would smile and smirk until the poor man would find himself tak ing pity on them and proposing. “That was what got me into trouble. Men of my temperament are always in danger unless we re fuse absolutely even to talk to women.” Johnson’s confession is full of comment. Here are a few . extracts which show his philosophy. “I’ve led a rather sporty life, and I want to say that whatever I got out of women I speftt on them right away. They kept me broke. “I have found it did not pay to be soft and sweet with the women. Treat them a little harsh and be a little distant and they will come to you. If I saw a woman that I really liked I made up my mind I wmuld make her fall in love with me, and I seldom failed. “Once started with the idea of get ting money from women. I continued to dupe them, and I did not marry those from whom I could get mo»ey without.” IMPROVEMENT 18 SHOWN Favorable Weather Conditions Help Cotton Crop. BOLL WEEVIL IS CHECKED Where Plant I* Advanced Far Enough to Fruit It Is Generally Doing Satisfactorily. Memphis, Tenn.—ln its weekly sum mary of crop conditions, The Com mercial-Appeal says: Excessively high temperatures pre vailed throughout the week except along the Atlantic seaboard; the rain fall was poorly some sections, as southern Georgia, getting an excess while other sections receiv ed none at all. The cotton crop, however, improved everywhere except *in Texas and Oklahoma. In Arkansas the rainfall was better distributed than elsewhere, altogether beneficial and the prospects of the state are good. East of the Mississippi river save in localities only, the crop has been put in a good state of cultivation, but is irregular. Some fields look well, but the cotton that was worked out late is small and the plant has not attain ed to thriftiness. in Texas and Southern and West ern Oklahoma rain is badly needed. The growth of the plant and the fruit ing has been arrested and in Central Texas shedding has begun. The situa tion is daily growing more serious. The hot dry weather has, however, checked the ravages of the boll wee vil. The work of laying by the crop is in progress in all districts. Where the plant is advanced enough to fruit, it is generally doing satisfactorily. Montgomery, Ala. —Reports to The Advertiser show that the weather con ditions in Alabama have been propi tious for cotton during the past week, and that much that had been aban doned will be reclaimed. While the crop is backward and below the aver age, the scattered rains and the hot sunshine given opportunities to work it out. Insects have appeared in a few counties, but the damage is not of a serious nature. Weevils have not reached Alabama. Labor is plenti ful at advanced wages. New Orleans, La. —Hot weather and rapid cultivation have greatly mini mized the damage wrought by the boll weevil to the cotton crop in Louisiana, according to reports re ceived by the Picayune covering the week ending July 17. The plant shows material growth, retaining most of its fruit. Estimates place the crop at from two to four weeks late. Reports from Mississippi indicate that suf ficient rain has fallen to keep the plant vigorous and maintain the fruit ing process. Rapid progress has been made with cultivation, but field work is still considerably behind. STAGE FRIGHT SEIZES AVIATOR. Man Lost His Nerve and Tumbled to the Earth. New York City.—A frightened ama teur sitting like a wooden man, went up in Glenn H. Curtis’ aeroplan'e, which hovered a moment in mid-air., and then crashed to earth. The beau tiful craft in which Curtis made his remarkable flight was badly wrecked and the would-be aviator was lifted unconscious from the twisted frame, his ' left arm broken, his left thumb dislocated, his body bruised and his brain reeling. His injuries, however, are not serious. The accident occurred on Hemp stead Plains, Mineola, where Curtis has been giving demonstrations for the New York Aeronautic Society, to which he recently sold his aeroplane for $5,000. It was a member of tfie society, Alexander Williams, 42 years old, who was injured. / Williams had driven many an au tomobile, is familiar with gas engines £\nd is somewhat of a machinist, he seemed to lose complete control of himself as the aeroplane soared up ward and when it had attained a height of 30 feet, the craft careened sharply to the right, swooped toward the earth and, striking on end, turned completely over, then rolled on its back. Williams remained pinned in his seat until lifted out. He was delir ious as a physician bent over him and muttered that some one had collided with him in the air. SMALLPOX MICROBE DISCOVERED. Discovery Made by Director of Brazil’s Sanitary Service. Rio Janeiro, Brazil. —Dr. Oswaldo Cruz, director general of the Brazil ian sanitary service, announced at the Rio Janeiro Academy of Medicine that the microbe of smallpox, which is of animal origin, has been discov ered during bacteriological researches at the Oswaldo Cruz Institute. JEFFERSON DAVIS’ DAUGHTER DEAD. Mrs. J. Addison Hayes, Last of Family of Confederacy’s Chief, Dies. Colorado Springs, Col. —Mrs. J. Ad dison Hayes, daughter of Jefferson Davis, president of the confederacy, died at her home, after an illness of six months. Mrs. Hayes was the last of the fam ily of the late president of the confed eracy. Mrs. Hayes is survived by two sons, Jefferson Hayes Davis and William Hayes, and two daughters, Lucy ant/ Mrs. Virginia W’ebb, wife of Dr.,Ger ald B. W’ebb, of this city. Jefferson Hayes Davis bears the name of his grandfather, through a special act or the legislature. LATE NEWS NOTES. General. Edward Payson Weston completed his 3,975-mile walk from New York when he arrived in San Francisco. Weston is 75 years old. He left New York March 17tli to walk across the continent in 100 days, exclusive of Sundays. He arrived five days be hind his schedule. Twelve more deaths due to tetanus as the result of the Fourth of July cel ebration, were reported throughout the country. This brings the total deaths due to observance of Independence Day from all causes up to 114. News was received at Abbeville. La., that cattle are being killed by the dozens along the Bayou Chienne Au Tigre and Mulberry by mosquitoes. The ravages of the insect are de clared to have been more intense yeis season than ever before in the nis tory of this section. Baron Oskar Rothschild, the young est son of Albert Rothschild, head of the Austrian branch of the Rothschild house, died suddenly in Vienna, Aus tria. It is reported that he commit ted suicide because of an unfavorable love affair. Baron Oskar was twenty one years old. Washington. The old Anacostia bridge over which John Wilkes Booth sped his horse to escape from an infuriated city the night he shot Lincoln, is to be torn down soon. It Is over half a century old. The district commis sioners will receive proposals for the razing of the old landmark, a new structure connecting Washington proper with the suburb of Anacostia having been completed. Upon request of the state depart ment, the navy department has dis patched the cruiser Tacoma from Guantanamo to Baranquilla, Colombia, the hotbed of the present revolution in that country, to protect American life and property. Paxton Hlbben, sec retary of the American legation at Bogota, Colombia, in dlspaches to the state department says that the Colombian government has closed the ports of Baranquilla and Sabanillla because they were In the hands of the rebels. Mr. Northcote has infprm ed the department that foreigners have not been molelsted by the revo lutionists and that Americans are not endangered. Only a reasonable charge may be made by a carrier for any interstate shipment of freight, even though the tariff has been filed with the inter state commerce commission covering the shipment. This was the substance of a decision handed down by the commission. In addition the commis sion exercised authority to determine the reasonableness of the charge made by the carrier in the case of the Memphis freight bureau against the Kansas City Southern railway and others. Ensign Hugh K. Aiken of the navy died aboard the armored cruiser North Carolina at Naples, Italy, from injuries resulting from a coal gas ex plosion. He was born in New Or leans in 1884, and entered the naval service In 1902. Peter Mullan of Brooklyn, N. Y., also was injured slightly at the time of the explosion. Ensign Aiken was one of the best known members of the football team while at the naval academy. Considerable alarm is felt in Wash ington by friends of Congressmen El* ierbe and Johnson of South Carolina, because of the fact that both of them are considered seriously ill. Mr. El lerbe has been a patient in Provi dence hospital for six weeks with a fractured leg, and he has, it is under stood, developed pneumonia. Because of the strict rules being observed at the hospital it is difficult to secure any particulars. Mr. Ellerbe’s col leagues in congress are, however, con siderably worried over the fact, that after apparently getting along nicely he should take this bad turn. Repre sentative Johnson was taken ill on the floor of the house and was assist ed by some of his friends and em ployes at the capitol. Like the case of Mr. Ellerbe it is almost impossi ble to secure detaWs, but alarm is be ing felt over his condition. Mrs. El lerbe is here, and members of Mr. Johnson’s family have also arrived. Indications are that President Taft’s announced iteneary for his southern and western trip this fall will be ex tended materially. The president did not include in the tentative list which was published where he expects to stop long enough to make an address and hold a brief reception. Strong efforts will be made by representa tives in congress and state officials to have the president stop for a few minutes at least at nearly all the tdwns of appreciable size through which his train will pass in the day light hours. Already the president has been bombarded with such re quests. He has suggested to all of his callers and correspondents that they take the matter up with him la ter in the summer. It is more than likely that the president will have to follow the policy of his predecessors in chartering a special train. When the conferees on the tariff bill began work it was with the knowl edge that the amendments to the lum ber schedule, over which a contest was certain, would be reached before adjournment. The house members were expected to make a strong fight for “dollar Humber,’’ which was de feated in the senate. In assisting to lay the corner stone of a church in Washington which has as part of its equipment a gymnasium, a swimming pool, bowling alleys and club rooms, President Taft took oc casion to pay a tribute to the civil employe of the government who, be ing compelled to remain in Washing ton while the president goes to the seashore and legislators seek their vacation, carries on the work of the government. FARMERS PROSPEROUS Financial Condition the Best Since Civil War. SOUTH GEORGIA CROPS GOOD Planters Will Be In a Position to Hold Crop* Until Market Condition* Improve. Albany, Ga„ —Should the condition of the cotton market early in the season not be such as to cause the farmers of south Georgia to desire to sell their cotton they will be in position to hold praxtticalh as much of the crop as they please until mar ket conditions improve. Never in the histqry of this section since the civil war has the financial condition of the farmers been better than now, and as a class they are in an exceedingly optimistic frame of mind. One thing which will have a potent part in rendering the farmers com paratvely independent during the com ing fall will be the size of food crops. Without a doubt, southwest Georgia is producing this year the greatest crop of corn in the section’s history. Not only has the acreage been greatly increased over preceding years, but the condition of the crop was never better, and the average yield per acre will be phenomenally high. Intensive methods have been introduced in the corn fields of progressive farmers, and the results are Haltering. MAY BUY RAILKOAI). Atlanta and West Point After the Macon and Birmingham Road. Macon, Ga.,—lt develops in Macon that the Atlanta and West Point rail way officials are after the Macon and Birmingham, a line from Macon to LaGrange, which has been in the hands of Receiver Parrott little over a year. President Wickersham, of the A. & W. P., has been making investigations as to whether terminal facilltes may he secured here, and a short line from Sofkee to Macon may be work d out. The Macon and Birmingham uses the tracks of the Georgia Southern and Florida from Sofkee to Macon, and the would-be purchasers want an in dependent roadway into the city. It is considered here that a valuable new main line through Macon may be secured through the transfer of the Macon and Birmingham. A line from the east to the west would be perfected. President Wickersham, of the A. & W. P„ will be in Macon with in two weeks to secure all the Infor mation possible, with a view of secur ing the new property. WITH THE LAWMAKERS. An interesting fight was waged it the senate over the bill by Senator Sellers of the third, which proposed an amendment to the state constitut ion permitting the general assembly to exempt from taxation agricultural products in the hands of the producer. The -bill received 29 votes, lacking only a single vo.e of passing the sen ate, a two-third majority being re quired in the case of constitutional amendments. The president’s favor able vote would have passed the mea sure, but as he was opposed to it, he did not vote. The senate, after considerable dis cussion, passed the resolution by Sena tor Mathews proposing the appoint ment of a joint committee of three from the senate and live from the house to make investigation into the tax laws of the state and report such proposed legislation as will bring more full and complete returns of proper ty subject to taxation. The house approved the bill allow ing street railways to grant free transportation to policemen and fire men, but extended the provisions of the bill as reported by the committee so as to include employees of the waterworks and sanitary departments of cities. Speeches on the floor point ed out that these men were also valued defenders of the city’s health and welfare, and should be allowed to receive this courtesy if the rail ways were inclined to extend it. The anti-tuberculosis bills of Dr. Brown, of Fulton, failed for “'ant of a constitutional majority. When the anti-expectorant bill failed by 5 votes of receiving the requisite number to permit its passage, the other bill tc regulate the barber’s trade was tabled by one of the framers of the bill. A bill to deter foreign insurance companies from removing cases to the federal courts on penalty of for feiting their charters was passed, after a brief struggle. The movers explained that the bill was intended to put foreign companies doing bus iness in the state on the same basis as local ipsurance companies. The house passed the anti-trading stamp bill, by 113 to 0. Mr. Lewis of Hancock sought to have the house reconsider its action in voting down the bill to permit juries in criminal cases to assess punish ment as well as declare the guilt or innocence of the accused. The house overwhelmingly voted down the mot ion to reconsider. After a hearing lasting all the afternoon, the senate general judiciary committee agreed to report favorably a bill by Senator Gordy, of the twenty fourth, which provides for the con demnation of water powers under cer tain circumstances, with an amend ment providing that the power de veloped by the water taken under such condemnation proceedings shall be used for public utility purposes only.
