THE MARRIAGE SOCIETY.

Evening Star, Issue 9910, 23 January 1896, Page 2

THE MARRIAGE SOCIETY.

SOME AMUSING EVIDENCE.

THE MILITARYLOOKING CLERK. At Bow street, London, recently, before Mr Lushington, Mortimer-Daniel Skate* alias Daniel Mortimer, of Amott road, But Dutwiph, maniger > of the World's Cfceat Marriage Association, Limited; John' Charles Skates alias Charles Barrington, of 5 Mecklenburgh square ; Norman Golding Hennah, of 22 Calthorpe street; Gray's lan road, secretary to the Marriage Association ; John Abrams alias John Charles Skates alias Charles Barrington. of St. George's avenue, Tufueil Park; clerk; and Anthony Maddows, of 5 Mecklenburgh square, editor of the ' Matrix nonial Herald,' were charged on remand with having conspired with others not ip custody, in the years 1884 to 1895, to obtain various sums of money by fraud, and wiUi obtaining these sums.; Mr A. Gill, who Prosecuted for the Treasury, said the World's Matrimonial Agency was carried on in the guise of a limited company, registered in 189.1 The capital was £60,000 in £1 shares, of which about 4,000 had been taken up. There was some uncertainty as to prisoners' names, as the; had used each other's names. Counsel proceeded to describe the part taken by each prisoner in the company, the onjy new fact being that the prisoner Maddows was editor of the 'Matrimonial Herald.' Persons who called at Oxford street were sent on to Mecklenburgh square. Counsel, from the newspapers mentioned, read an advertisement saying that all classes desirous of matrimony were promptly suited, and that the Association occupied the position of A STATE INSTITUTION. There were a large number of documents in the case. The ordinary way of getting into communication with the public was to advertise the ' Matrimonial Herald' in the country papers as a matrimonial organ. A more subtle method was to insert in a country paper an advertisement of a lady of means who desired to be married. Anyone answering it would find himself in com' munication with the Association, which set out their advantages in circulars and letters. Beginning with a demand for £lO 10s as a registration fee, the amount would gradually come down until £2 12s 6d was accepted. Assuming the sum was paid, a certificate would be sent which purported to entitle the person who paid it to certain results. In the earlier communications the applicant was invited to fill up a form containing a description of himself and of the sort of lady to whom he desired to be introduced, what fortune or settlement he required, and other particulars. Reading from letters in his haud, Mr Gill said they were a fair sample of the procedure adopted. LADIES RECOMMENDED. On July 17 they wrote to one of the applicants acknowledging his subscription and especially recommending him to the following ladies :—Miss Bbrford, 40 Lamb's Conduit street, care of negotiator, who was described as dark, good figure, medium height, well educated, musical, £3OO per annum; Miss French, brunette, nicelooking, tall figure, musical, income £IBO per annum; Miss Millward, dark, good appearance, rather tall, about £2,000 capital. On August 10 another subscriber was informed that Mies Barford, who was twenty in July, was twenty-one in August. —(Laughter.) He did not make much of that point, as it referred to a lady's age—(renewed laughter); but this lady, who was tall and dark in July, was in August " fair." Mr Warburton: She might have dyed her hair.—(Laughter.) Mr Gill said that was possible; but how came it about that her £3OO per annum in July 'or August had grown to £I,OOO per annum.—(Laughter.) Mr Gill said Miss French, according to the July 22 letter, was twenty - two, but in August Bhe was twenty-five. Her hair remained the same color. She was still refined and musical, but whereas she had only £IBO per annum in July, in August she had £7OO. Then Miss Millward, she had dark hair and eyes in July, but she had fair hair and blue eyes in August; and whereas she had £2,000 in cash in July, she had an income of £6OO in August. It was a remarkable fact in all the cases the applicants were not allowed to see the ladies, but were obliged to negotiate through the editor. The applicant was invited to write to the ladies, but tliey never got an interview, and the applicant was for some reason told that his description and meant were not suitable, but while his hopes were raised there was an endeavor to extract fresh money. As soon, however, as it became apparent that no more money was to be obtained the applicant was at once supplied with any number of names and addresses. If he were able to find any of these ladies they generally turned out to be young women of no means, domestic servants, and others in like position. Counsel contended that on those facts they disclosed a fraud on the part of those engaged. A GERMAN CTSTOMER. Charles Otto, electrician, of 1 Vincent square, Westminster, said that in consequence of seeing an advertisement in June last he wrote a letter to the offices of the agency. He subsequently received a copy of the 'Matrimonial Herald' enclosed in a letter (produced). A form was also enclosed, to be rilled in. He filled in the form and returned it. After further correspondence witness received a letter, dated the 7th August, offering to enrol him a member of the Association for £2 12s 6 ?, and to place him in communication with ladies. He sent postal orders for the amount asked, and received a certificate of registration of the Association as a member. On the back of the certificate there were certain rules. Certain names of ladies were then sent him, and he wrote to one, a Miss Burford, and received an answer signed by the negotiator. After receiving the letter he sent his photo to 40 Lamb's Conduit street, and received an acknowledgment thanking him for the photo, and saying it would greatly assist in negotiating on his behalf and sending descriptions of other ladies. He replied to that letter, and received a reply making him an offer to become a " free associate " on payment of £l2 10s in place of the " after marriage subscription." He, however, signed an agreement to pay commission after marriage. He wrote a letter to the Association saying that he had not made any use of the selections, as he had not succeeded in securing an introduction to a lady with £I,OOO a year. He did not succeed in getting an introduction to Miss Burford. Proceeding, witness said his Balary was £3 a week, and he was employed at Siemens Brothers. ANOTHER CANDIDATE FOR MARRIED BLISS. Henry Charles Sutton, Maritime street, Bow, a clerk—a tall, dark, clean-shaven, spectacled young man, was then called. In March he wrote to the World's Marriage Association, and got their list of suitable ladies, together with a letter which stated that there was a large number of well-to-do and eligible ladies who did not advertise, but were among the members of the Association. A form was sent to be filled up. Witness stated that he was a bachelor, tall, dark, slim, " military - looking" (which caused laughter), and fairly educated. The lady must be from eighteen to twenty-five, dark hair, erect carriage, tall, good-looking, and " a Christian." She must have at least £looper annum of her own—"settlements desirable, but not necessary." The Association replied in the name of Mortimer that it had a large selection of well-endowed and highly eligible ladies, and it would take him ts a member at the reduced rate of £2 12s 6d. He wanted to pay £.j after he had £ob married. Wituess sent the money, and the Association sent him THE NAMES OF THREE LADIES : Miss L. Burford, care of " Negotiator," at the office of tre AssouitioD, aged twenty, orphan, dark, good figure, medium height, well educated, £3OO per annum. Miss Finch, same address, tall, refined, and musical. Miss E. Millward, twenty-four, dark hair and eyes, good appearance, rather tall; about £2,000 capital Witness wrote to two of the ladies, and Mr Arthur Gill put in a letter from "Negotiator," who wrote that Miss Burford would like the ardent swain's photogiaph. The photo was sent, and there was a delightful letter from the Association stating that the directors had decided to make a very special offer to him. They would waive the usual payment of £lO and 2A per cent, commission on the lady's fortune and accept a special

"pro-marriage fee of £10." They were actuated in this, they wrote, by a desire to remove every obstacle that might retard the witness's correspondence. He would then he registered as a "freo associate." Miss L. Burford now wrote through " Negotiator ". that fo* several reasons she would prefer to " wait for a few days before entering into a correspondence." A day or two later witness spnt £lO to the Association. On August 1-* Miss,Burford wrote that after, carefully considering the facts she thought he wasn't suitable. In the, correspondence which followed, witness continued tp ask for more names, and he got them. In September he wrote stating that he believed the advertisements were " chitfly bogus," and threatening to communicate with Scotland Yard. After that he twice wrote for more introductions. None of the ladies t,hey had sent him had means, he wrote on one occasion, and they were useless to him. THE CANDIDATE'S QUALIFICATIONS AND COMPLAINTS. Cross-examined by Mr Warburton : He wrote on 14th May: "I am now making orertnres to a lady of my acquaintance, and meanwhile I should like you to keep my name open." These overtures were not successful. He now earned UU a week and partial board as clerk in a drapery establishment. He thought that a fair exchange for a minimum income of £IOO a year. If he had got his mouey back he should still have persisted with these proceedings. He did not know a man named Carter who conducted a matrimonial agency at "28(5 Essex road, N. About twenty ladies were introduced to him, and he complained that none of them were according to the description. A Miss F. Hayes, with private meaus of £7O a year, sent his photograph back without comment. A BUNDLE OF LLTTEKS. He wrote to a Miss Adams, whose letter he produced, together with a bundle of others. Miss Adams wrote :—"I like your photo very much; it is just as you have described yourself. I had better tell you a little about myself. lam an orphan, my parents were very respectable. My father was a chemist in Yorkshire, but for several fears I have been earning my own living. have only a little money—£l7o—so I am afraid it is not enough to help you in your musical career." He replied : " I don't think it would be advisable for me to marry for some time, even if we suited each other, as I have no means left after having become a free associate. The sum you mentioned would hardly be sufficient." He also wrote: "My intention is to practise the flute as much as possible, so as to be a musician, a3 I have three members of the family in the profession." Miss Adams was a companion to an old lady, and wrote that she was quite tired of receiving letters from gentlemen. He broke off the correspondence, he admitted, hecause the money was not enough. Mr C)hen showed a packet of letters, some with mottoc3 and stamped roses on them, and begged witness, amid laughter, to consider the disappointment of these twenty ladies who had lost the chance of becoming Mrs Sutton. Witness was asked the name of his employers, and declined to give it on the ground that they wouldn't like to see it in the papers. "You think they would be ashamed of you," said Mr Cohen. "I quite agree with them."—(Laughter.) HOW THE ASSOCIATION WAS RK(.ISTEHEL). Mr Chittock, of Somerset House,produced documents to show that the World's Great Marriage Association was registered there on January 26, 1893. Those who signed the memorandum of association were John Abram, Mortimer Daniel Skates (described as a marriage negotiator), William Vernon, and Frank Allen Gould (advertisement contractor). There wa3 a contract between John Charles Skates, proprietor of the ' Matrimonial Herald,' aud Hennah. Skates was to receive £'20,000 in fully paid-up shares of the Association for the copyright of the ' Herald' and his share in the business of matrimonial negotiator, and to act as managing director at £I,OOO a year. John Abram had eleven shares, Mortimer Daniel Skates the same number; John Charles Skates had 3,860 ; and Hennah and Madders five and three respectively. The prisoners were remanded, bail being accepted on behalf of Hennah, two sureties of £IOO each. The other prisoners were admitted to bail in two sureties of £250 each.