Refugee Women Victims

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 23, 28 January 1939, Page 8 (Supplement)

Refugee Women Victims

SCOTLAND YARD officers have lately been making inquiries into the alleged activitiea of a secret marriage bureau which is said to have been arranging marriages between wealthy German women refugees and Englishmen. The women concerned gain by the marriages British nationality and protection.

The alleged activities of the bureau came to light when Alfred William Fordham, 54, tunneller, of Fulham, woe convicted at the Old Bailey of bigamously marrying M-year-old Mrs. Emma Meyer, n German Jewess widow. Pordham, who left hie wife in 1032 after 10 years' marriage, is the father of eight children. He was ordered to prieon for four month*. Since hi* conviction "Yard" men have taken statements from a number of people, and it is believed that in recent month* agents of the marriage bureau have approached several men in Pnlham and Chelsea. The men aro asked to viait an office in High Holborn, E.C., and there they are offered £<10 and a new suit to be bridegroom*. One etipulation is made—they muet sign a pledge not. to molest or approach their bride* in any way after the ceremony. hvidenee before the Court when Fordhum appeared showed that he "married Mre. Meyer at Chelsea Register Office threo days after she wae introduced to him. They parted immediately after the ceremony. In her evidence, Mrs. Meyer, who gave an address in St. John's Wood, stated she landed at Dover on September 20 t» visit her brother with the object of arranging her future, following her treatment in Germany. She arranged to marry Fordham on the day *he met him. Ho described himself a« a Line lie lor. flow Fordham came to meet Mrs. Meyer was described by Mr. Gilbert Patrick McGowan, of Cedarne Road, Fulham, who states he wa« himself approached to yarry "a countese."

Scotland Yard On The Job

"I finished work as a lorry driver, and another driver aaked me what I wins going to do," he related. " 'I can put you in the way of get>n# £00, but it means you marrying.' he told nie. and added ' *»- have to marry a countess and sign a |ni|K-i nut ...> »«.•« h.. i 4. only wanted British nationality to be able to get her money into the country.

"I agreed to tho proposition, and went with him to Holborn, where I was interviewed in an ollicc by a dapper little man, «i foreigner, whom I took to be a German. I was told to call him 'doctor.' "Xo question wan asked as to whether I was married, and the 'doctor,' after being told that 1 knew all about the 'marriage,' paid the fee was £40. "I was given 10/ to get two birth certificates and my photograph for a passport. "That night I decided I could not go through with it. Fordham was there, and heard our talk. He stepped in and said he would take mr place. "He saw the 'doctor' in Holborn, and was told to get a new black suit, hat, and gloven. shirt, collar and shoes. Money was given hiin for the purpose.

"That same day Fordliam told me he had been with Mrs. Meyer to Chelsea Kejfister Office, and now had to wait for further orders. "Until he was arrested, I did not know the 'marriage' had taken place. ' Since then I have seen two letters w lit ten from the ollicv in Holborn. One, to the agent, said: 'Will vou bring your friend at once. I have arranged another.' "The second, written to a bachelor friend of mine, stated: 'I have not forgotten you. I know you are waiting. I am expecting one in the near future, and it should be arranged before the end of November.' I belie\ e four* or five of these ma.rriages have taken place during the last few months." One of Mrs. Meyer's friends said that the woman had no intention of staying in Britain. ° "She wants to join her only son in Brussels," the friend stated. "She thought she would be better able to enter Belgium if she had British nationality."